If you dive into the music and streetwear scene of Atlanta, there’s a high chance that you’ll run into rapper and producer Reese LAFLARE. While hip-hop has been a quintessential part of his come-up for a bit over a decade, his dive into streetwear and lifestyle is just as impressive. Diva In The USA, an idea that he brought to life in Fall 2019, has since then grown into a brand synonymous with the city and culture that he grew up in.
“I wanted to do something different and that represented me as a person and as a brand. This ain’t no merch,” Reese took to Instagram when announcing the brand. Upon its initial launch, the label consisted of items like graphic hoodies and sweatpants but quickly extended itself to varsity jackets, knit sweaters, socks, and shorts amongst other well-curated collections. The use of a split-complementary silhouette and polished designs speak for themselves to an extent.
Some staple pieces from the brand include the Star Sicks Nine hoodie and sweatpants, which feature an all-over print over French terry knit fabric. The Divaboi Varsity Jacket in collaboration with Ebbets—which dropped in Fall 2020—is probably one of the most sought-after limited pieces, worn by Lil Yachty and Gunna to name a few. From Diva’s Winter 2022 drop, the brand introduced two fire sweaters dubbed the Everything Big Sweater in yellow and black containing the brand’s signature logo. Elsewhere, the Starboi Beanie arrives in pale green, brown, purple while the Throwup Beanie comes in black with yellow Diva prints all-over outlined in purple.
Diva In The USA itself is the extension of the artistic genius that Reese LAFLARE is. While many artist-founded clothing labels fail to deliver beyond superfan merch and odes to their art, Diva evades wardrobe basics and embraces the extraordinary. So much to the point where it elevates the pieces as well as those who wear them; the brand simultaneously becomes an identity of its own within high-end streetwear. Ultimately, that’s what draws people to LAFLARE and his clothing powerhouse.
Naturally, fellow rappers and creatives from around the way show love to the brand, including Young Thug, Metro Boomin, A$AP Ferg, Hit-Boy, and Sonny Digital to name a few. One thing that Diva In The USA possesses that not many other streetwear brands have coming out the gate is influence. Whether that be the musical experience to accompany the clothes or authenticity of skatewear apparel, Reese is creating a household name for the people. If you haven’t heard of Diva, chances are you will soon.
Elsewhere in streetwear news, KAWS taps on The North Face for their new outerwear capsule.
