The Many Sweaters of Drake
Photo: Jimmy Kimmel Live!/ABC
Drake is, in many ways, an atypical rap star. There are the immediately apparent reasons as to why (his Jewishness, his Degrassi-ness), ones less so (his careful, vulnerable lyricism) — and then there is a reason that falls somewhere outside of the two poles. And that is: Drake loves sweaters. Loves ‘em. He rocks sweaters for live shows, late-night appearances, music-video shoots, the club — basically, wherever one would wear a sweater if one were a famous rapper who liked sweaters. Really, sweaters have not been a staple of the rap star’s wardrobe since, as far as we can tell, Biggie and Coogi. Which means Drake’s appreciation for, and elegant usage of, the sweater is another less-heralded element of his subtle yet persistent hip-hop iconoclasm. Now, with the rising temperatures just about putting us out of sweater weather for a while, Vulture comes to salute: the many sweaters of Drake.
Earlier: The Many Scarves of Darren Aronofsky
Seth Rogen: A Career in T-shirts
Right off the bat, in his first big music video, Drake busts out one hell of a conspicuous sweater: a fifties doo-wop-crooner-enjoying-a-lazy-Sunday-a...
Right off the bat, in his first big music video, Drake busts out one hell of a conspicuous sweater: a fifties doo-wop-crooner-enjoying-a-lazy-Sunday-afternoon-type number, emblazoned with a prominent, appropriate "D." The effect is partially blunted by the fact that Drake is in character here for the video, as the motivational coach of the most buxom woman's basketball team in history. It wouldn't take long, however, for Drake to feel comfortable in his own sweater-skin.
Like, say, in Young Money's raunchy posse cut. You'd think a song with the words "I wish I could fuck every girl in the world" right in the chorus wou...
Like, say, in Young Money's raunchy posse cut. You'd think a song with the words "I wish I could fuck every girl in the world" right in the chorus would have nothing to do with a nice, neat cardigan; you'd think wrong. This is one of the greatest things about Drake's sweater-wearing: He doesn't ghettoize it, taking the knitwear out only in certain highbrow situations. His is an all-purpose sweater habit.
The sweater and/or label enthusiast will recognize the googly-eyed red heart on Drake's chest as the logo for Japanese fashion house Comme des Garçons...
The sweater and/or label enthusiast will recognize the googly-eyed red heart on Drake's chest as the logo for Japanese fashion house Comme des Garçons PLAY. Drake, as we will see, is a devoted CDG fan — a collector, you might say, since a fine sweater is in its own way a piece of art. Here, he sports a timeless nautical-stripe crewneck that brings a hint of French New Wave to an otherwise dreary red carpet. Its pattern and material blur the lines between masculine and feminine, shirt and sweater.
Another example of the "sweater-for-any-situation" technique. This is a collaboration with the gruffer Birdman — who, let's just say, we wouldn't be s...
Another example of the "sweater-for-any-situation" technique. This is a collaboration with the gruffer Birdman — who, let's just say, we wouldn't be surprised to learn has had someone killed — and yet Drizzy stays sweater'd. In many ways, what he's trying to communicate, via the song's chorus and his choice of wardrobe in the video, is really "They can't help it / And I can't blame 'em / Since I got famous / Bitch, I got money to blow ... on sweaters."
Imagine DJ Khaled's embarrassment when he turned up for a recording session in sweats and was confronted with this absolute stunner of a Henley sweate...
Imagine DJ Khaled's embarrassment when he turned up for a recording session in sweats and was confronted with this absolute stunner of a Henley sweater. The piping! The pockets! On a lesser wearer, the design might overwhelm, but Drake knows the secret to Unusual Sweater Success: Confidence.
A deceivingly expensive sweater or a ratty old sweatshirt? Sometimes, Drake's sweaters elicit and reflect on the mysteries and contradictions of his o...
A deceivingly expensive sweater or a ratty old sweatshirt? Sometimes, Drake's sweaters elicit and reflect on the mysteries and contradictions of his own lyrical content and public persona.
Another Comme des Garçons, but this time, Drake eschews his preferred neutral tones in favor of a bold crimson cardigan — a reference to Mr. Rogers a...
Another Comme des Garçons, but this time, Drake eschews his preferred neutral tones in favor of a bold crimson cardigan — a reference to Mr. Rogers and, by extension, to Drake's own kid TV stardom. It says, "Yes, I was on Degrassi, and no, I'm not embarrassed by it."
Yes, it's the same Comme des Garçons cardigan! But Drake has switched to black, and here the sweater is tellingly buttoned-up. What are we to make of ...
Yes, it's the same Comme des Garçons cardigan! But Drake has switched to black, and here the sweater is tellingly buttoned-up. What are we to make of this sombre, closed-off sartorial statement? Maybe Drake is tired of dressing of others. Maybe Drake just wants to wear his sweaters for himself.
Here's an example of unselfish sweater-ing: Drake, on Jimmy Kimmel Live, in a totally snazzy Cosby Christmas sweater. (For anyone in need of a new ban...
Here's an example of unselfish sweater-ing: Drake, on Jimmy Kimmel Live, in a totally snazzy Cosby Christmas sweater. (For anyone in need of a new band name: That's an Alexander McQueen Fairisle Skull Cardigan.)
The video for Jamie Foxx's recent single is a classy affair — suits, wineglasses, vases, paintings, lamps — and, this time, Drake's sweater fits right...
The video for Jamie Foxx's recent single is a classy affair — suits, wineglasses, vases, paintings, lamps — and, this time, Drake's sweater fits right in. Notice also the subtle juxtaposition between sweater and Daisy Dukes, a nice thematic echo of the fractious relationship at the heart of the song.
Drake, by now an experienced cardigan-wearer, is ready to experiment with texture, hence this nubby black-and-white-flecked knit. Sometimes the best s...
Drake, by now an experienced cardigan-wearer, is ready to experiment with texture, hence this nubby black-and-white-flecked knit. Sometimes the best sweater is a subtle sweater.
Drake opted to wear a tux for his GQ "Man of the Year" cover, presumably because damn, the guy can also rock a tux. (Vulture is happy to salute the Ma...
Drake opted to wear a tux for his GQ "Man of the Year" cover, presumably because damn, the guy can also rock a tux. (Vulture is happy to salute the Many Tuxes of Drake as soon as he provides us with sufficient examples.) Still, Drizzy stayed true to his roots inside the magazine, artfully draping his military jacket over the shoulder for maximum sweater exposure.
Sweater in the morning, sweater in the evening, sweater when punching robots in the face for a surreal sex-slavery PSA — when Drake is in a sweater, y...
Sweater in the morning, sweater in the evening, sweater when punching robots in the face for a surreal sex-slavery PSA — when Drake is in a sweater, you can have ... um ... pizza anytime.
Now this is just some good, solid life advice. How could one ever successfully hope to pick up a sultry, scantily clad lady who's in the midst of casu...
Now this is just some good, solid life advice. How could one ever successfully hope to pick up a sultry, scantily clad lady who's in the midst of casual bodega milk-shopping? Try being draped in a thick, multicolored, absolutely irresistible-to-women cardigan. Arguably the greatest sweater of Drake's career.
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