Who knew that Wale was such a fashion chameleon? “As soon as we saw the first sample of his sneakers, I guessed he’d be game to push his look in a bold direction,” said FN fashion director Mosha Lundström Halbert, who worked with Brookelyn Aviles, Wale’s personal stylist, to dress him in a mix of established and emerging New York menswear labels that included Ralph Lauren, Gypsy Sport and Public School.
When not in his own gold collaboration sneakers with Asics and Villa (which caused a sensation when Wale took to the Manhattan streets in them for the shoot), high-end men’s editor Christian Allaire kept the savvy rapper well shod in luxury kicks.
Though each look may have been a departure, it didn’t render him any less recognizable. “He stayed pretty focused, despite the mayhem that ensued around us,” said Lundström Halbert of the legions of people who pulled out their phones after spotting him doing regular New York activities such as getting his shoes shined or grabbing ice cream from a truck.
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Wale also documented the experience on his Snapchat. “I’ve never had someone Snapchat so much while we are shooting — that was a first,” said photographer Annie Tritt. “Wale was game for anything and open to listening to my suggestions. He also had some good ideas himself. There were a lot of people around, so we had to be creative. I love being kept on my toes.”
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