With the world going on pause right now because of COVID-19, it puts into perspective the things that we used to take for granted. Yes, during our darkest times we turn to arts and creativity (and a healthy dose of good food) for comfort, but there is nothing like sports played at its highest level that momentarily suspends our notion of what the human body is capable of achieving. I mean what is better than watching a collective of real-life superheroes, that loom larger than life?
But with most major sports leagues going on lockdown, thereis at least some small comfort for sports fans: the release of The Last Dance, a documentary miniseries focusing on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls winning the 1998 NBA championship. The series, which releases two episodes every Monday, is more than just an all-access pass into the last season that Jordan won a championship and his ascension to living legend status; it also tells the narrative of the other members of the mythical Bulls team.
Part of the series focuses on Dennis Rodman, the defensive heart and soul of the team at the peak of his notoriety. He is the epitome of a guy that works just as hard as he partied. I mean, this is the guy that took time off mid-season to head off to Vegas to blow off steam, and was still able to came back to help his team win a championship. But while we remember Rodman for his rebounding records and his hard-partying ways, one part that gets overlooked is how the man is a style god.
History has never been kind to people who are ahead of the curve. Take for instance Galileo, the famed Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, who was prosecuted for putting forth the idea that the earth revolves around the sun. Similarly, the looks that Rodman pioneered back in the 90s, is suddenly the epitome of cool. Take this quote from super stylist, Lotta Volkova who works with Demna Gvasalia of Balenciaga and Vetements to build the visual identity of both labels, "there are no subcultures anymore. It's about the remix."
Rodman's 90s style incorporated the ethos of gender-bending with subcultures like clubwear, fetish wear and hip-hop. Case in point: Rodman's bold pairing of lace and silk blouses with printed trousers and leather jackets are straight out of the repertoire of Alessandro Michele from today's Gucci. Then there's his tonal brocade jackets and Victorian-inspired pieces that look like they came off the Comme des Garçons Homme Plus runway. And his accessories game? On point. The bug-eye Oakleys and maximalist take on layering metal chain hardware with strands of pearls and earrings have never felt more current. That is not to mention his subversive take on tailoring, pairing the power move of wearing a pinstripe suit with an unbuttoned blouse.
It's not easy to condense the massive lexicon of Rodman's kaleidoscopic dress sense, but safe to say, the ethos of empowering yourself to march to your own beat will never go out of style. With that in mind, here is our favourite Rodman looks to remind you that he walked so that we could crawl.
