April 30, 2015

The Most Logo-riffic Moments in Fashion

By Véronique Hyland

Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images

There’s a new theme every day on It’s Vintage. Read more articles on today’s topic: Logos.

What’s in a logo? Ask Karl Lagerfeld, who stamped the notorious interlocking C’s on bikinis for Chanel’s supermodel-studded spring 1994 show, or Shayne Oliver of Hood by Air, whose simple, square HBA logo has become an instant streetwear classic. Logos mark us as members of a tribe, they convey status, and, in some cases — notably, Marc Jacobs’s tongue-in-cheek logo “Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs in Collaboration with Marc Jacobs for Marc of Marc Jacobs” — they convey a knowing high-low approach. The Nike swoosh says, “I’m athletic” (or at least athleisure-inclined), while the pink Polo pony denotes membership in the preppy sisterhood.

Logos transcend language — they can be understood around the world. Depending on the context, wearing them can mark you as a sophisticate or as a label whore. And they’re constantly being reinvented — think of the spray-painted Stephen Sprouse graffiti that covered Louis Vuitton’s monogram check in 2001, or the innumerable takes on designer logos on mass-market sweatshirts (Homiès, Célfie, Ballin’ciaga, et al). Click through the slideshow to see some of the best unapologetically flashy moments from fashion history, including Kanye’s Fendi fade and Charlotte York’s oversize Pink Pony.

Fashion student Kanye West showed ultimate brand loyalty by shaving Fendi Fs into his head while attending one of their parties in 2006. Photo: Junko... Fashion student Kanye West showed ultimate brand loyalty by shaving Fendi Fs into his head while attending one of their parties in 2006. Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images

Clearly, they were made for each other: Fellow logo aficionado Kim Kardashian toted around a huge Fendi logo handbag while visiting The Late Show With... Clearly, they were made for each other: Fellow logo aficionado Kim Kardashian toted around a huge Fendi logo handbag while visiting The Late Show With David Letterman two years later. Photo: Marcel Thomas/Getty Images

A less-than-subtle Chanel shirt from the fall 1992 show in Paris. Photo: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff / Agence Angeli/Getty Images

Model Agyness Deyn doubled up on logos, carrying a Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton bag with Stephen Sprouse graffiti and a jacket by Sprouse at a 2009 t... Model Agyness Deyn doubled up on logos, carrying a Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton bag with Stephen Sprouse graffiti and a jacket by Sprouse at a 2009 tribute to the late designer. Photo: Rob Loud/Getty Images

During an exhibition of counterfeit products in 1995, a French customs officer held a handful of fake stamps of Lacoste prepster approval. Photo: Jac... During an exhibition of counterfeit products in 1995, a French customs officer held a handful of fake stamps of Lacoste prepster approval. Photo: Jacques Soffer/Getty Images

Karl Lagerfeld sent a model down the runway in a Chanel-logo-sculpted hat and sunglasses during the fall 1994–1995 ready-to-wear show in Paris. Photo... Karl Lagerfeld sent a model down the runway in a Chanel-logo-sculpted hat and sunglasses during the fall 1994–1995 ready-to-wear show in Paris. Photo: Patrick Kovarick/Getty Images

Versace revisted its '80s logo mania for fall 2015. Photo: Imaxtree.com

Lil' Kim repped Chanel and Brooklyn at the 2004 MTV Music Video Awards. Photo: KMazur/Getty Images

Mixing his logos: Kanye West wore an Yves Saint Laurent tee to the Givenchy fall 2009 show in Paris. Photo: Dominique Charriau/Getty Images

André Leon Talley accessorized with a Louis Vuitton logo scarf and monogram clutch around Paris Fashion Week in 2011. Photo: Eric Ryan/Getty Im... André Leon Talley accessorized with a Louis Vuitton logo scarf and monogram clutch around Paris Fashion Week in 2011. Photo: Eric Ryan/Getty Images

Kenzo's lion logo enjoyed a street-style vogue, but their more straightforward pieces have also been a hit. Rihanna supported the brand in head-to-toe... Kenzo's lion logo enjoyed a street-style vogue, but their more straightforward pieces have also been a hit. Rihanna supported the brand in head-to-toe orange in 2012. Photo: Olga Bermejo/Getty Images

A model wore nothing but Louis Vuitton body paint at Marc Jacobs's final fashion show for the brand in 2013. Photo: Catwalking/Getty Images

Beyoncé performed in a Versace bodysuit during her On the Run Tour in 2014. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

It may not have been glamorous, but B.U.M. Equipment had a certain California-casual cachet in the '90s. Here, Oscar de La Hoya wears it at a 1993 pho... It may not have been glamorous, but B.U.M. Equipment had a certain California-casual cachet in the '90s. Here, Oscar de La Hoya wears it at a 1993 photo shoot. Photo: Bernstein Associates/Getty Images

A Chanel bag captured on the street during Paris Fashion Week in 2014. Photo: Timur Emek/Getty Images

The coveted Hood by Air logo made its way down the fall 2015 runway on a fur coat. Photo: Etienne Tordoir/Getty Images

A model spotted in an starry Chanel-patterned jacket during fall 2015 Paris Fashion Week. Photo: Timur Emek/Getty Images

Melissa George wears gloves from the highly anticpated Alexander Wang x H&M collection in 2014. Photo: Matteo Prandoni/BFA NYC

When Supreme plugged Kate Moss for these ads, hypebeasts went crazy peeling the wheat-pasted posters down from New York City walls to hang in their ho... When Supreme plugged Kate Moss for these ads, hypebeasts went crazy peeling the wheat-pasted posters down from New York City walls to hang in their homes.

Ever the label aficionado, Carrie Bradshaw sports a J'Adore Dior tee in Sex and the City 2. Photo: Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection/Everett Co... Ever the label aficionado, Carrie Bradshaw sports a J'Adore Dior tee in Sex and the City 2. Photo: Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection/Everett Collection

Street-style favorite and model Irene Kim brightened up the season's normcore trend with a Nike sports bra to match her multicolored hair. Photo: You... Street-style favorite and model Irene Kim brightened up the season's normcore trend with a Nike sports bra to match her multicolored hair. Photo: YoungJun KOO/I’M KOO

Sex and the City 's preppy princess Charlotte York wore a pink polo logo with pride in season six. Photo: Courtesy HBO/Everett Collection

Claudia Schiffer modeled a Chanel swimsuit on the runway in 1993. Photo: Daniel Simon/Getty Images

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker wore paparazzi bait — a Burberry monogrammed poncho — in 2014. Photo: Raymond Hall/Getty Images

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