Article and interview with George “Rack-Lo” Billips, author and subject of upcoming title Lo-Life: The Autobiography of Rack-Lo
“A group of kids from Crown Heights and Brownsville, Brooklyn, created a fashion movement in the late 1980s that continues to echo into today’s streetwear culture.
The crew, known as the “Lo-Lifes” for their obsession with Polo Ralph Lauren clothing, would steal massive amounts of gear off the racks of department stores and mall shelves. By collecting and wearing Polo exclusively, they became walking billboards that helped give rise to the brand’s unlikely status as a staple of urban culture.
A new autobiography from the Lo-Lifes’ founder George “Rack-Lo” Billips, published by Brooklyn’s powerHouse books and distributed by Simon & Schuster, sheds light on the origins of the movement, its influence in hip-hop and streetwear, and Billips’ journey from criminal to career counselor.
As brands like Rowing Blazers and Aimé Leon Dore have brought a measure of preppy style back to streetwear, Billips’ book chronicles the way Black youth in New York first embraced luxury clothing while subverting its traditional associations.
It also documents his life’s journey from gun violence and run-ins with police to becoming the founder of a global fashion movement with chapters on four continents.”
Read the entire article HERE
Read more about the book HERE
Read more about his past powerHouse Books title, Lo-Life: An American Classic, HERE