2017 is over and there are limited benefits to re-hashing a year after it has ended, but I want to make one thing clear: If you were not wearing the crystal YSL boots, YOU DON’T MATTER. And, don’t feel badly about yourself if that’s the case. I didn’t wear them; I don’t matter either. You want to know who wore them? Well to start, the holy trinity. Beyonce, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj all called upon the shoes of 2017 to make a splash. As far as crystals go, the only use that came close to rivaling these boots was Alexander Wang’s cash-roll clutch, complete with real rubber band. And if you need further proof that crystal YSL boots were the shoe of the year, 2017’s breakout star Cardi B hung up her red bottoms for a bit to give them a spin.
—Christian Kennedy, Daily Arts Writer
7. The rise of Law Roach
I know what you’re thinking: I’ve never seen this man before. And you’re right. Law Roach breaks from the mold of the rest of this list in that he’s not a celebrity — he’s the one who puts together their closets. The stylist is best known for his work with Zendaya, who he’s helped shoot into style stardom, especially during 2017 (remember this look? What about this one? What about every time the woman steps outside?). Though his taste is praiseworthy in its own right, Roach’s incognito status is what makes him a true style icon. He plays for the love of the game.
—Tess Garcia, Daily Style Editor
6. Lil Uzi Vert donning a blouse, chokers and a purse
Lil Uzi Vert had a wildly successful year — one that few artists in history have matched blow-for-blow. After opening for The Weeknd on Starboy’s European tour, the Philadelphia-raised crooner enjoyed a summer residency atop Billboard charts (with breakout hit “XO Tour Llif3” spending 39 weeks on the scoreboard) and even earned a number one album (via his major-label debut, Luv Is Rage 2). Still though, the most talked-about aspect of Uzi’s viral fame this year was his obscure, often close-to-the-edge style. His rise to prominence perfectly coincides with the reemergence of emo-trendy and, as a rainbow-haired sad-boy who’s effectively paved his own lane in hip hop, Uzi is a figurehead of the movement.
Known for crossing boundaries in song, dress and syntax, Lil Uzi Vert hardly deviated from his norm when he posed for a now-famous photograph while donning a pink, striped Valentino blouse, a white-gold, spiked choker and a Guoyard bag over his shoulder. Of course, the photo made waves online, evolving into an iconic meme within the hip-hop community and earning threads of backlash from veteran emcees (who argued that Uzi looked soft). Yet, for youthful streetwear nerds and fashionable rap fans alike, its surrounding conversations only cemented Lil Uzi Vert’s position as the most influential newbie in the game. Of course 50 Cent was jealous — where the fuck is he?
—Sal DiGioia, Daily Arts Writer
5. Slick Woods’s Vogue editorial, “How Slick Woods Became the Face of the New American Style”
All in a year’s work for Slick motherf*cking Woods. Nick Remsen’s profile of Slick Woods, an androgynous, gap-toothed model who this year rose to fame, is short and sweet, but its mere existence speaks wonders. In 2017, it became possible for norm-defying beauties like Woods to grace fashion’s most prestigious runways, to be featured in global makeup campaigns (more on Fenty Beauty later) and, put bluntly, to be in Vogue (double entendre intended). A bald-headed, tomboyish woman of color has been dubbed “the Face of the New American Style” by the world’s most respected fashion publication. Together, Remsen and Woods have left a permanent wound on the face of conventional fashion.
—Tess Garcia, Daily Style Editor
4. The release of Nike and Virgil Abloh’s “The Ten” collection
It’s still unclear how Virgil Abloh evolved from a Kanye West background player into an A-list fashion influencer in just two short years. However, it couldn’t be any clearer that 2017 belonged to him: After designing limited edition concert merchandise for Travis Scott, guest-speaking at a series of Ivy League colleges (including Harvard) and watching his staple clothing label (OFF-WHITE) be anointed a GQ-darling, Abloh linked with Nike for a collaborative sneaker collection. Unsurprisingly, the resulting kicks became the year’s most-hyped.
Virgil Abloh’s “The Ten” collection was first teased on Twitter, where the creative director spent months sharing photographs of his re-designed Air Jordan 1s prior to their official release. In the shots, many of which became viral hits, he’s shown scribbling well-known nicknames (such as “Air La Flame” for Travis Scott) on pairs’ rubber soles — a subtle sign of customization which doubled as organic marketing. When the collection finally dropped though, it featured remixes of nine other iconic Nike classics from Abloh and sold out instantly, crashing the brand’s SNKRS release platform in the process.
—Sal DiGioia, Daily Arts Writer
3. The release of Fenty Beauty
—Tess Garcia, Daily Style Editor
2. Anti-Trump, pro-Mexican symbolism at Liselore Frowijn SS18
In October, Dutch designer Liselore Frowijn threw Paris Fashion Week for a loop: Not only was her Spring Summer 2018 show bereft of celebrities, but the rising star used the runway as an opportunity for social commentary. The 20-look production celebrated Mexican culture with vibrant patterns, billowy, climate-appropriate separates and frequent reference to the nation’s flag. Stoic faces of models boasted phrases like “Batalla” and “No Wall,” an obvious dig at the Trump administration. That’s a bold move for a talent as fresh as Frowijn, who earned her BA in 2013, and it certainly paid off. Look out for this one.
—Tess Garcia, Daily Style Editor
1. The release of Pirelli’s 2018 calendar
The Pirelli corporation has been publishing artistically-inclined calendars since 1964, but none have made a statement as great as their 2018 project, unveiled in November of 2017. Shot by the legendary Tim Walker, “The Cal” features an all-Black cast in an adaptation of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” TV personality RuPaul makes for a spellbinding Queen of Hearts, model Duckie Thot stole our hearts as Alice and the aforementioned Slick Woods portrays an eerily convincing Mad Hatter. If it’s not obvious yet, this is about far more than a calendar: In 2017, Pirelli reminded the fashion industry that minorities have every right to their own beautiful narratives.
—Tess Garcia, Daily Style Editor