Although it’s been almost 30 years since The Notorious B.I.G.’s life was suddenly cut short, he remains one of the most influential personalities in pop culture.
Also known as Biggie Smalls or just Biggie, the rapper is still celebrated for his distinct creative flair. Outside of his much-recognized lyrics and delivery, this includes his interest in fashion. In fact, Biggie’s sartorial legacy is so well-known that, to this day, many designers continue to cite him as an inspiration. For instance, just a few years ago, designer Kimberly Dumas released custom Biggie Small Crocs. The footwear was designed to marry the classic comfort of Crocs with the late artist’s appreciation for opulence and was unveiled during hip-hop’s 50th anniversary.
This year, as further proof that Biggie’s influence is as strong as ever, luxury fashion house Versace unveiled new takes on their popular Medusa Biggies. This follows the 2018 re-release of these sunglasses, which were similarly done in honor of the rapper.
The Biggie and Versace connection
During his career, Biggie was known to surround himself with the finer things in life. This included a select rotation of fashion labels that he soon became closely associated with. For example, in terms of his apparel, he was known to like wearing Coogi sweaters. An Australian knitwear brand, Coogi was a staple in Biggie’s personal and professional endeavors. In 1994, he even gave a shoutout to the brand in his song “One More Chance,” where he connects his use of the sweaters to his rise to fame and fortune.
Similarly, in the same year, Biggie was first spotted wearing Medusa shades in the official music video for the song mentioned above. A staple in the Versace sunglasses collection, these frames symbolize the Italian label’s style ethos. On the shopping platform OPSM, this is evident in the bold silhouettes, decadent colorways, and use of premium accents, including the brand’s trademark medallions and Barocco motifs. While Biggie had been a fan of the premium Versace brand for years before this, it was only that year that it sparked a long-time relationship with the brand. Following that, many of Biggie’s most memorable appearances included seeing him in his beloved sunglasses. This includes the famous 1995 photo that photographer Dana Lixenberg captured in which Biggie is seen wearing his oversized and rounded Medusa shades while counting out a thick round of bills.
Credit: @versace on Instagram
Meet the Medusa Biggie reimagined
Contrary to what some may think, the Medusa sunglasses were not actually created in partnership with Biggie. In reality, they’ve been a long-time addition to the brand’s eyewear line. However, it was thanks to Biggie that the frames reached the mainstream’s interest. This is along the same lines as how Jennifer Lopez is more closely linked to the Versace dress that she wore during the 2000 Grammy Awards. To this day, while people know the frock is from Versace, they often picture J.Lo before anything else.
Consequently, the sunglasses were renamed the Medusa Biggies in 2018. As mentioned earlier, this is the same year that they were initially reissued following their original run. Now, in 2024, Versace unveiled new takes on the Medusa Biggies. These include several new colorways. There’s the Havana, a warm brown tortoiseshell, and a bright green, closer to a neon lime.
Additionally, this release also introduces a new Maxi size. With this latest silhouette, the frame’s curves are exaggerated, and the gold medallion along the arms is now even bigger. As always, though, the shades are made in Italy, using 100% nylon fiber. In promotion of these new versions, Versace has included these iterations of the Medusa Biggies among its products that are compatible with their virtual try-on tech. Social media platforms, like Snapchat and Facebook, also released special filters that allowed users to wear the shades while “exploring” the virtual Biggies Celebration Room world.
