Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem

Praise

“It’s easy now to take for granted the trail [Dapper Dan] blazed. . . . Detailed descriptions of his family’s tragic journey through poverty, the changing nature of his beloved and cursed neighborhood, and his adventures as a hustler are riveting.”—The New York Times

“A dream maker from Harlem.”—Nas

“Truly a gift.”—Taraji P. Henson, Emmy- and Oscar-nominated actress 

“A fantastic and cinematic writer.”—Phoebe Robinson

“Dapper Dan makes manifest through garments what Black flyness, Black intelligence, Black struggle, Black courage, Black hustle, Black progress, Black resistance and Black royalty looks like. Never did he rattle a beggar’s cup outside of a fashion industry designed to exclude him and all who looked like him. He took what he wanted from the establishment and built his own damn house. His life story is a wonderful tale of brilliance, hard work, perseverance, and hustle—America at its best.”—Michaela Angela Davis, writer and image activist

“Dapper Dan is not just the epitome of style and grace, but an international treasure. He is a cultural icon who has pioneered his own path through the fashion industry, one that will influence generations to come.”—La La Anthony

“A grand raconteur.”—Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland

“A purveyor of the American Dream.”—Elaine Welteroth

“Dapper Dan is a living legend, a creative icon, and a godfather to the Black community. His inspirational story isn’t just about fashion. It’s about adventure, struggle, curiosity, hustle, love, and a singular determination to change one’s life.”—Bethann Hardison, model and activist

“Dapper Dan is the original influencer, disruptor, and creative—a true visionary who inspired inclusion for those who weren’t always invited to partake in fashion. His legacy will forever impact the intersection of style and culture, reminding us all to remain authentic and live unapologetically.”—Ashley Graham, model and author of A New Model

“[The story of a] remarkable and unlikely evolution . . . an intriguing and twisty tale about the hustle and the hustler, and it is eloquently and engagingly told . . . There is a profound vulnerability in Day’s story and a striking self-awareness as he recounts both his successes and failures as a man, father, son, brother, husband, and entrepreneur. In the end, [this book] is, like him, an inspiration.”—The Root

“It is part fashion story; part personal memoir; but also part business book extolling the virtues of creativity and hard work; part metaphysical and spiritual exploration; part history of Harlem, its Black community and diverse cultural mix, and fashion and hip-hop’s intersection; part meditation on identity and more. If that sounds like too much, it’s not. . . . Dapper Dan contains multitudes, and so does his book. Pick it up to spend some time in the mind of a truly creative and clever innovator.”—Fashionista

“A streetwise adventure in Super Fly style.”—New York Daily News