Rocawear (stylized Roc-A-Wear) is an American

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...

founded in 1999 by

Roc-A-Fella Records Roc-A-Fella Records was an American record label and music management company founded in 1994 by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Carter issued his debut album, '' Reasonable Doubt ...

co-founders

Damon Dash Damon Anthony Dash (born May 3, 1971) is an American entrepreneur and record executive. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with Jay-Z and Kareem Burke in 1994, and co-founded the fashion retailer Rocawear with the former in 1999. Early life ...

and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. The brand has had annual sales of $700 million. Rocawear expanded through licensing to sell affordable clothes for children and juniors;

sock A sock is a piece of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle or some part of the Calf (leg), calf. Some types of shoes or boots are typically worn over socks. In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. ...

s and

sandals Sandals are an open type of shoe, consisting of a Sole (shoe), sole held to the wearer's foot by straps going over the instep and around the ankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear ...

;

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning (leather), tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffal ...

, suede, and

fur A fur is a soft, thick growth of hair that covers the skin of almost all mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an ...

outerwear; handbags and belts; lounge wear; big and tall; headwear;

jewelry Jewellery (or jewelry in American English) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the ...

; and

sunglasses Sunglasses or sun glasses (informally called shades or sunnies; more names Sunglasses#Other names, below) are a form of Eye protection, protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damagin ...

; as well as co-branded product with Pro-Keds, State Property, and Team Roc. R&B singer

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...

signed to be the new face of Rocawear in 2007 for the 'I Will Not Lose' campaign. Chris Brown, Memphis rap collective Three 6 Mafia, radio personality Ebro Darden, Toccara and Rich Boy were amongst the other celebrities who were part of the campaign. In March 2007, Jay-Z sold the rights to the Rocawear brand to

Iconix Brand Group Iconix Brand Group, Inc. is an American brand management company that licenses brands to retailers and manufacturers, primarily in the clothing, apparel, footwear and apparel accessory industries. History and operations The company began as ...

for $204 million. Jay-Z retained his stake in the company and continued to oversee the marketing, licensing, and product development. In May 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sought out Jay-Z's testimony in relation to possible security law violations made by Iconix. In March 2009, Rocawear launched its first social networking site, offering style news, music, fashion, and cultural connections. In August 2011, Jay-Z confirmed via

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

that Rocawear had partnered with

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...

' clothing label, Billionaire Boys Club. In 2012, Rocawear was a €490 million clothing business. In November 2018, Jay-Z successfully halted a $204 million lawsuit between Roc Nation and Iconix over the lack of black arbitrators in the US.

References

External links

* {{Iconix Brand Group Jay-Z 1999 establishments in New York City Clothing brands of the United States Online clothing retailers of the United States Companies based in New York City Clothing companies established in 1999 Retail companies established in 1999 Hip-hop fashion Eyewear companies of the United States Eyewear brands of the United States