httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjDM0Fz5ccU
She’s been gone over 15 years now, but Aaliyah – who would’ve turned 38 today had her life not been cut short in a 2001 plane crash – left a lasting imprint on the culture.
“Aaliyah’s style was ahead of its time 15 years ago and it’s still relevant today,” says Brooklyn-based stylist Marcus Paul, who works with hip-hop stars like Pusha T and Desiigner, and Swedish singer Zara Larsson.
“She came onto the scene singing Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number, with a tomboyish style that had a twist of sex appeal. She would wear unique shades, crop tops, baggy jeans and Timberlands. I’m sure Aaliyah’s style has been on countless mood boards from stylists to designers within the last 15 years.”
The Brooklyn-born, Detroit-reared R&B sensation, born Aaliyah Dana Haughton, helped paved the way for today’s empowered stars such as Rihanna, whose Fenty x Puma collection owes a debt to the styles Aaliyah pioneered, Ariana Grande, Ciara, Rita Ora, and Beyonce.
Designers inspired by the nexus of fashion and music continue to draw upon Aaliyah’s sense of style.
“From Tommy Hilfiger to Alexander Wang, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Balenciaga, Puma x Fenty and Yeezy, we have seen renditions of what the modern day Aaliyah would feel like,” says Samuels, citing the emerging streetwear designer Vetements as the most recent example of a brand tuned into Aaliyah’s sensibilities.
“From the oversized unisex hoodies to the cropped tops and baggy jeans, the brand to me is an extension of the style that Aaliyah played with during the ’90s,” she says.
While the M.A.C. x Selena collection came into being after a similar fan-driven campaign amassed over 37,000 signatures, M.A.C. had no comment on whether or not they will put out an Aaliyah collection.