LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 28: Rakim Mayers, better known as A$AP Rocky, arrives at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on January 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by DUTCH/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
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In an era where courtrooms have become as much about style as they are about justice, it seems litigations have evolved into an unexpected stage for fashion moments. From the high-profile trials of the 1990s to the celebrity court cases of today, the intersection of law and nostalgic fashion has captured public attention, turning legal battles into inadvertent marketing opportunities for brands and designers.
The Rise of Courtroom Fashion as Pop Culture
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: (L-R) Javier Bardem, Cooper Koch, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Chloë Sevigny attend the Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story | NY Tastemaker at Crosby Hotel on September 12, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Netflix)
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The fascination with courtroom drama is nothing new. The 1990s gave us iconic trials like O.J. Simpson’s, where a single leather glove became a symbol of the case. Decades later, these moments are relived through popular culture, with shows like Netflix’s DAHMER and the 80s style aviators, Inventing Anna storying the style of Anna Delvey, or Monsters and the Menendez, and FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson (2016) reigniting public interest. In the latter, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. even sported the infamous glove on the series poster, cementing its place in sartorial history.
TOPSHOT – Model Kate Moss is sworn in via video link at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 25, 2022. – Actor Johnny Depp is suing ex-wife Amber Heard for libel after she wrote an op-ed piece in The Washington Post in 2018 referring to herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. (Photo by EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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But it’s not just about nostalgia. The courtroom has become a street-styled, office-core, runway, where every outfit choice is scrutinized and often celebrated. Take, for example, Kate Moss’s testimony during the 2022 Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard libel case. Moss’s pussybow blouse, a symbol of feminine power in corporate settings, became a talking point, blending elegance with authority. Today, Luigi Mangione’s Ivy League style has been characterized by his knit sweater collection.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 23: Luigi Mangione appears for his arraignment at Manhattan Criminal Court on December 23, 2024 in New York City. Mangione, 26, was arraigned on state murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street on December 4. (Photo by Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images)
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In 2024, another court case held rapper Young Thug at the mercy of the State of Atlanta, all while coming to a plea deal that granted the rapper fifteen years of probation instead of actual prison time. The outcome; ‘Thugga’s’ lawyer Brian Steel would become the face of Sp5der’s latest campaign at the time, Young Thug’s streetwear attire clothing line.
Brian Steel, attorney for rapper Young Thug, arrives at the Fulton County Courthouse on November 27, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Opening statements are set to begin in the case against 31 year old US rapper Young Thug and 28 others, who are facing a racketeering indictment accusing the defendants of a number of offenses that support an overarching conspiracy charge, including murder, assault, carjacking, drug dealing, and theft. (Photo by Christian Monterrosa / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Images)
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As it seems fitting that the court would garner the respect of a suit, Asap Rocky and his corporate-core/office-core aesthetic have been littered with double-breasted Saint Laurent looks, and other suiting options in color and tailoring. Rihanna, in attendance with her children’s father, Rocky, would also steal some of the light with her looks from Maison Margiela Tabi loafers and Bottega Venetta, to name a few. But the nuanced winner in all the photography contextualizing the case, was Ray-Ban, a la its ads from the 2000s that suggested wearers to “Never Hide.”
A$AP Rocky x Ray-Ban: Creative Direction
A$AP Rocky’s Ray-Ban shades, courtroom fashion has become a cultural phenomenon. Discover how high-profile trials have turned into unexpected marketing opportunities for brands and designers, blending style with the spectacle of justice.
Courtesy of Ray-Ban
Inadvertently, the courtroom has become an unlikely stage for fashion, where style and spectacle often compete with the legal proceedings themselves. A$AP Rocky, the trendsetting rapper and fashion icon, has epitomized this phenomenon, turning his courtroom appearances into a masterclass in corporate-core aesthetics.
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 03: A$AP Rocky is seen on February 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
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Adorned in Ray-Ban shades and tailored suits, Rocky has redefined what it means to dress for the occasion, even when that occasion is a legal battle. His choice of eyewear, whether prescription or purely stylistic, has become a subtle yet powerful statement, blending perceived clever marketing with capitalist ambition, coolness, and a hint of condescension.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 22: ASAP Rocky is seen at the Superior Court of Los Angeles on January 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by DUTCH/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
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Ray-Ban, a brand synonymous with timeless style, has long been a staple in the world of eyewear. Its iconic black frames have graced the faces of countless celebrities, and A$AP Rocky’s courtroom appearances have only reinforced their cultural relevance. The brand’s recent announcement of Rocky as its first-ever Creative Director marks a pivotal moment in its evolution. Known for his boundary-pushing influence in both music and fashion, Rocky will bring his distinctive vision to Ray-Ban Studios, guiding creative projects and shaping the brand’s future.
His debut collection, the Blacked Out Collection, reimagines Ray-Ban’s Mega Icons with a new lens type, launching in April 2025. A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, has been a force in the entertainment industry since his emergence in 2011. His appointment as Creative Director aligns perfectly with Ray-Ban’s mission to celebrate the power of music and storytelling, as exemplified by Ray-Ban Studios, launched in 2016. Together, Rocky and Ray-Ban blend the brand’s rich heritage with contemporary culture, infusing it with Rocky’s signature style and vision.
A$AP Rocky’s Ray-Ban shades, courtroom fashion has become a cultural phenomenon; high-profile trials have turned into unexpected marketing opportunities for brands and designers, blending style with the spectacle of justice.
Courtesy of Ray-Ban
The courtroom, a place of seriousness and justice, has become a platform for fashion and branding. A$AP Rocky’s Ray-Ban moments have been pressured by a looming possible conviction, a testament to this shift, showcasing how even the most serious settings can be transformed into opportunities for sartorial expression. This phenomenon also reflects a broader trend among audiences, where visibility and aesthetics often overshadow substance.
The intersection of fashion and litigation, exemplified by A$AP Rocky’s courtroom style and Ray-Ban’s strategic partnership, highlights the evolving relationship between culture, commerce, and visibility. What began as a series of inadvertent fashion moments has blossomed into a deliberate marketing strategy, proving that even the courtroom can serve as a runway, as it serves justice.
