I called up Dapper Dan to find out more about Mayweather’s outfit, Sugar Ray Robinson’s influence on fashion, and how a man’s balls can survive a 12-round fight inside a pair of leather shorts.
VICE: Why did Floyd Mayweather want you to design a custom ring-wear outfit?
Dapper Dan: Floyd is like the Sugar Ray Robinson of his time. He is very flamboyant. He likes to incorporate the street look into the ring.
How did you incorporate his Pretty Boy persona into your designs?
He is known as “Pretty Boy” Floyd, but he is also “Money” Mayweather, so the ring wear has to be very rich and not accessible to the average guy. Floyd reminds me so much of Sugar Ray Robinson because Robinson had that street and ring appeal. There is a picture of Robinson with a pink Cadillac, blazer, trousers, and alligator shoes on in Harlem on 125th Street. He was surrounded by men his age, but they were dressed conservatively, like on Wall Street. It all goes back to what I try to do, which is the Africanizing of Western dress. When you see Robinson around all of the other black men of his time, it’s the same cuts, but it’s Africanized. Wall Street would never do that. [Robinson and Mayweather] have that thing that we brought to America. That is like our flag, so to speak.
Can you tell me more about Saturday’s outfit?
Every element that he really likes is present: the motorcycle jacket, the skins, and the colors. Floyd likes to incorporate the colors of his opponent. He wanted the Mexican colors this time because I think he was under the impression that since Maidana was fighting in Mexico, he is Mexican. But Maidana is actually Argentine. Floyd brags a lot and attacks his opponents, but that’s just show business.
Leather seems to be an interesting choice for athletic wear.
Mayweather likes ostrich, alligator, crocodile, and python. It looks amazing, but movement and overheating are a serious matter. I tried to keep it very lightweight. You will see the alligator, python, and the ostrich coming down the sides as opposed to in the crotch area. The rest of the shorts are made of very lightweight lamb leather.