Kendrick Lamar is having a big year. After sweeping the Grammys on Sunday — his Drake diss track ‘Not Like Us’ took home five awards — the rapper is gearing up to host this week’s Super Bowl half-time show, poised to be one of the year’s biggest nights in music.

As he stacks up accolades, the rapper is also taking more risks with his fashion. And the Super Bowl is set to be a major fashion moment, providing a big opportunity for luxury brands to engage with audiences across platforms and locations.

Raising the bar

Lamar, who in the early part of his career adopted a uniform of white printed tees and distressed jeans, has been stepping up. It’s clear when comparing the cover of his 2017 album Damn — where he’s pictured in a simple white T-shirt — to his latest album GNX, released last November. The recent artwork captures the star in a Balenciaga jacket, a Martine Rose T-shirt and a belt made of vintage pins from LA-based brand ERL. The rapper has also been spotted donning tracksuits from New York talent Willy Chavarria and his Super Bowl merch collaboration, which launched this week.

Lamar’s style renaissance can be partially credited to his collaboration with stylist Taylor McNeill, beginning 2020. McNeill has worked with some of fashion’s most powerful tastemakers, from Timothée Chalamet to Charli XCX. But more importantly, it’s about his growing cultural impact. Lamar sits in an elite category of established — but still disruptive — musicians, whether that’s through speaking out on racism or women’s rights or dropping four diss tracks in six days during his summer 2024 feud with Drake. Lamar attended the Grammys in a Maison Margiela double-denim look — a Canadian tuxedo, perhaps another dig at Canadian-born Drake.