April Walker

April Walker is the fashion game-changer and culture creator who inspired a lane. Her brand, Walker Wear, helped create the multi-billion dollar industry of urban menswear—or what’s known as streetwear today. 

Guided by the custom tailoring requests that poured into her Brooklyn boutique in the late 80s, she focused on fashion, fit, and function. Inspired by workwear, Walker was an innovator of the all-denim look, ushering in an era of contrast stitching, deep pockets and wide legs. 

“We were listening to this thing called hip hop that had just become mainstream,” she said in an interview with CFDA. “I’d like to call it the voice and generation of the unheard and at that time, it really brought in a spirit of entrepreneurship.” 

As the first woman to rise in this realm, she’s also one of the first to dominate it, securing celebrity endorsements from the likes of legends like Tupac, Method Man, Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, and even Beavis and Butt-Head. The lifestyle brand was one of the first to open distribution doors and command millions in sales, and it’s still thriving today. 

Walker has consulted for various brands, branched into online learning as a contributor to Parsons School of Design “Streetwear Essentials” course, and is the author of the book, Walkergems: Get Your A$% Off The Couch. She’s featured in the film “Fresh Dressed” (2015) and the award-winning Netflix documentary, “The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion” (2019).

You can check out her latest projects on Creatively here.

What is the first creative project you remember?

The first creative project I remember is making some artwork and a screen and then screen printing and selling them for the United States bicentennial with my dad. I was 10.

Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Left. Fly. Cool.

What was the most fulfilling collaboration you’ve worked on?

The most fulfilling collaboration was with myself and God. [It was a] self-care project on getting to know myself and listening to that energy. It was understanding that I needed to shed to become and unlearn to learn.

What’s one creative project that taught you something fundamental about yourself?

I remember going to the fashion district in high school and buying linen dresses wholesale and then selling them on pay day to the working women at their jobs. It taught me how to live in my discomfort zone, and once you push past that uncomfortable stage, you build your confidence. I also learned that you’ll never grow in a comfort zone.

Do you think creativity is something you’re born with, or something you’re taught?

I think we all have creativity in us. It just may be gifted in different ways. Some of us are creative in financing and some are creative in art. Believing activates your creativity and then fostering that energy enables it.

What’s the last dream you had?

I dreamed that I went to my niece’s school to complain about a teacher that was inappropriate and that there was a line of parents waiting to complain as well about the same teacher and incident.

One hundred years from now, what do you hope people write about your work?

I hope that people write about me as a giver, a game-changer, and a woman who came, conquered, and created; [I want people to say] that I helped and empowered others towards their dreams, acting as a catalyst for positive change.

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