Grabbing the eyes of the fashion press with every move, the elusive ‘White Ferrari’ singer makes headlines for simply leaving the house. Here’s what we can learn from Frank Ocean’s style.
Fresh off the back of his Coachella live-stream controversy, his first performance since 2017, Frank Ocean sent fans into a frenzy, creating a rare ‘you had to be there’ moment which quickly went viral. While it didn’t stop online clips from surfacing, only those lucky enough to get tickets could enjoy the 250,000-person listening party.
Ocean took to the stage dressed in an azure blue lightweight puffer and loose-fitting grey trousers, a look which unequivocally nodded to the music mogul’s influence on the Growth of Gorp. Flashback to 2019, when Ocean joined fashion’s ‘It’ crowd for Paris Fashion Week wearing a yellow Mammut puffer and Arc’teryx beanie, where the singer caught the eye of menswear critics whilst laying the foundations for the ‘Gorp Core’ trend.
Whether ‘Biking’ in boots or wearing the hottest Air Max collaborations before release, Ocean’s footwear, much like his music, earns respect from others. Starting his career as a ghostwriter, the multifaceted musician is no stranger to collaboration, having written songs for Justin Bieber and Beyoncé, to name a few. Despite his last album being released in 2016, the artist has been busy off the stage, founding Homer, a luxury jewellery and accessories brand in 2018 and commercially launching the company in 2021. Homer has quickly garnered some high-profile fans, including Justin Bieber and Drake, whose diamond-encrusted set turns heads on the basketball court. According to GQ, Ocean’s brand is “proper jewellery from a guy who seriously nerds out on the craft of it all”.
This creativity has positioned Ocean as a creative muse himself, with artist and regular Nike collaborator, Tom Sachs, referring to the songwriter as “the man of our time” in an interview with Hypebeast. The singer was one of the first people seen with the Tom Sachs x Nikecraft Mars Yard Overshoe ahead of its May 2018 release. Unlike other stars, Ocean is neither a Three Stripes purist nor a stickler for the Swoosh, often seen sporting styles from both footwear giants. Recently, the low-profile football-meets-fashion icon, the adidas Samba, has been the ‘Channel Orange’ star’s shoe of choice, pairing with a range of outfits as the perfect city sneaker.
While working on his eagerly awaited latest album, the California-born artist has been serving a few lessons in fashion. Whether pushing Arc’teryx’s ascension into fashionable wardrobes or helping the Samba edge further into the spotlight, the influence of Frank Ocean’s personal style is wide-reaching and impactful. His taste in sneakers, much like his music, is focused on quality and collaboration. Rather than buying into the hype, he carefully selects the designs he wears.