Critic

Let’s Talk About How HBO’s ‘The Hype’ Is Underselling Streetwear

The show, which premiered on Aug. 12, follows the “Project Runway” template.

A contestant models a look for the judges, or “co-signers,” on The Hype. — A contestant models a look for the judges, or “co-signers,” on *The Hype*.
Source: HBO Max

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By Patia Braithwaite

August 24, 2021 at 8:42 AM UTC

This article is part of the August 30, 2021 issue of businessweek.

From my spot on the couch in a stained T-shirt and raggedy sweats, I wanted to believe The Hype.

The streetwear-focused fashion reality show, which premiered Aug. 12 on HBO Max, opens with the promise of a minor education. Dapper Dan, the Harlem legend who was litigated out of business in the 1990s for customizing designer clothes for the likes of Mike Tyson and LL Cool J, adjusts his Gucci glasses to signal that class is now in session.