EXCLUSIVE: Lil' Kim Talks Fashion And Why She Loves Being A Muse For MACKAGE!
Lil’ Kim deserves all her flowers for the impact she's had on both hip hop and fashion. Hoping to honor her legacy, MACKAGE—a global leader in luxury goods—chose the iconic musician and fashion icon to lead the campaign for the brand's Fall/Winter 2022 collection.
“Lil’ Kim is a strong, independent woman who embraces bodycon fashion and dares to stand out,” says Tanya Golesic, CEO of MACKAGE. “She was the parallel we needed to introduce MACKAGE’s first-ever monogram collection.”
Famous photographer Drew Vickers captured the iconic performer in a sleek silhouette that eloquently demonstrates how the Queen Bee effortlessly transcends the worlds of fashion and music. See for yourself!
“Lil' Kim has always created iconic, powerful looks, and there is power in the way she represents herself," says Eran Elfassy, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of MACKAGE. “She has always been designed for powerful women, which makes her a natural fit for us.”
We had the opportunity to chat with the icon about her love for fashion, her personal style, and how she feels about being influential in bridging the gap between music and luxe fashions!
“One thing about me is that I always stay true to my sense of style,” Lil’ Kim shares with BET Lifestyle exclusively. “I only work with brands that I believe in, and Mackage is a special brand to me because their quality is so good—it’s insane. When they called me to be their new face, I was thrilled!”
MACKAGE was founded in 1999. The outerwear brand features only the finest leathers, down, and wool to create distinctive fitted silhouettes, dramatic styling, and attention to detail.
The rapper and mother of one, who never passes up a chance to make history, donned the monogrammed bodysuit for her photoshoot with Vickers.
"The MACKAGE team and stylists understood my style,” Lil' Kim explains, before sharing her love for "logomania" moments. She adds, “I love wearing catsuits and body-hugging styles, so when I saw this beautiful monogrammed catsuit on set, I had to put it on! Then, when the shoot was over, I didn’t want to take it off because it’s so soft and warm.”
The "No Time" rapper graciously accepts the honor of being recognized as a significant figure in fashion. “I love seeing all the girls being influenced by my style and being referenced as the blueprint,” she mentions. “It’s so different than when I first started.”
BET's I Am Hip Hop' award recipient continues, “No one was really doing what Misa [Hylton] and I were doing, and the looks we were creating were so different, but I don’t really pay attention to what everyone else is doing—I dress for me. I love fashion, and I will forever let my style shine.”
For us, Lil Kim has plenty of memorable moments, but for the “Jump Off” rapper, there are three that live in her memory most often.
“That’s always such a hard question!” she declares. “However, the Hardcore poster, the 1999 VMA’s look, and my 2019 BET Awards looks are my favorites. These are the moments when I felt the most confident.”
When we inquired about her least favorite fashion moment, Lil' Kim plans to keep that envelope sealed and confidential, but she does have this to offer when it comes to fashion faux pas.
“I don’t really believe in faux pas, but the rare times I wore a look I wasn’t really feeling, I just moved on and focused on my next look,” she tells us. “There’s no room to dwell.”
Editor’s Note: This story/interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
