Dream within a dream is a design project based of my own personal love for sportwear along with hip hop and streetwear cultures. The concept looks to the birth of hip hop in the Bronx New York in the late 70’s and follows the transition and change within hip hop culture up to the 90’s. The disco sense of the 70’s was slowly dying out and the hip hop culture was blooming. The rise of hip hop is captured in the Netflix series ‘The Get Down’ through the lives, art, music and dance of a group of young people in the south Bronx’s. B-boy groups strongly influenced my work with the converse pump as this style of shoe was seen repeatedly on the feet of dancers.




I then imitated the idea of the disco sense slowing dying and the rise of hip hop happening by deconstructing the shoes and recreating something new with them in my design development work. Continuing to follow the hip hop culture as it evolved in the 80’s and 90’s, looking to key figures such as LL Cool J, Kris Kros and Aaliyah. I took inspiration from key pieces such as the Kangol bucket hats, matching tracksuit sets, oversized baggy trousers paired with sport bras and crops tops and the playful styling of outfits. I continued to push these concept points into my design development work.




The concept developed into a 6 look line up of which i made 3 looks, with an aim to create a new unorthodox take of what typically is thought of when you hear ‘Hip Hop’ inspired by merging and crossing over the elements from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s while featuring an array of sport wears elements. The materials I explored and worked with where breathable waterproofs, lycra’s, ribbed knits, cotton drills and sports mesh linings along with trims such as woven branding labels, paracord and eyelets.