BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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In a groundbreaking fusion of hip-hop and haute couture, Kendrick Lamar has officially been named Chanel’s newest brand ambassador, making him the first rapper to ever hold the prestigious role for the French luxury fashion house. The announcement, confirmed on April 21, 2025, marks a significant cultural moment not just for Lamar’s multifaceted career, but for the evolving narrative of luxury fashion’s intersection with modern artistry and identity.
Kendrick’s partnership with Chanel is no overnight development; it’s the culmination of a growing creative alliance that first gained public momentum with the January 2024 release of The Button, a surreal black-and-white short film co-produced by Lamar’s creative company pgLang and Chanel. Directed by longtime collaborator Dave Free and scored by Kendrick himself, the film starred Chanel icons Margaret Qualley and Anna Mouglalis alongside legendary supermodel Naomi Campbell. It follows a poetic journey to Paris in search of a missing button, ultimately tying together themes of time, imperfection, and classic French elegance with the offbeat creative depth Lamar is known for.
This cinematic collaboration segued seamlessly into Chanel’s Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture runway show, where Lamar and Free lent their artistic vision to the set design. The runway was encircled by a massive, gem-like button suspended above the models, a nod to the film’s central motif. Lamar’s presence at the event was equally noteworthy. He was seen in a full Chanel look, wearing a white tweed jacket, monogrammed jeans, and layered accessories, blending the maison’s traditional femininity with his signature understated confidence. That moment, in hindsight, reads like a prophecy.
Now, with the ink still fresh on his official ambassador title, Kendrick Lamar is set to debut in Chanel’s upcoming eyewear campaign, with visuals expected to drop later this week. The partnership isn’t merely about fashion endorsements, it’s a symbolic alignment between one of music’s most critically revered minds and a fashion house that prides itself on timeless innovation and narrative depth. Chanel’s decision to tap Lamar is as strategic as it is artistic, reflecting the brand’s ongoing ambition to court cultural relevance without compromising its storied identity.
Social media has lit up in celebration since the announcement, with fans, fashion insiders, and hip-hop aficionados all praising the move. Chanel’s embrace of Lamar is not just a nod to his influence but a recognition of the shifting dynamics of taste-making. In a cultural landscape increasingly shaped by multidimensional creatives, Kendrick stands as a bridge–between genres, between fashion and music, between heritage and reinvention.
His appointment comes at a particularly dynamic time in his career. Kendrick’s Grand National Tour with SZA which kicked off just this weekend, is one of the most anticipated live music events of 2025. With Chanel now added to his portfolio, Lamar’s creative universe continues to expand in bold, unexpected ways.
By placing a rapper at the center of its luxury narrative, Chanel has made a definitive statement: high fashion is no longer reserved for the stereotypical elite–it belongs to voices that resonate, disrupt, and redefine. And no one fits that mold quite like Kendrick Lamar.
