3000 Fashion in 2008

Rap Star Andre Benjamin better known as Andre 3000 is considered one of the most sought-after lyricists these days. Almost every verse he drops as a cameo on other albums or remixes turns to gold, giving the rapper much respect, and reason to be considered amongst the discussion of Top 10 emcees in the game right now. Add to that the fact that Andre has been acting as well, with movies such as Four Brothers and Semi-Pro, and an upcoming role in "Battle in Seattle". But now Andre 3000 may become sought after for his clothes as well. He's been featured on the pages of many style/fashion magazines for his different looks. The next natural step? To release a fashion line with his own personal stamp of approval. The rapper recently unveiled his new line of clothing called "Benjamin Bixby" at a party at Barneys New York during Fashion Week. The line is said to be inspired by 1930's Ivy Athletics and according to the NY Times "looked like Ralph Lauren having a Steampunk moment." The name Benjamin Bixby derives from an episode of MTV’s “Punk’d” on which Mr. Benjamin was the victim of an elaborate joke: At the fabricated scene of a car accident, a Maybach salesman demanded his name, implying that Mr. Benjamin was responsible for the damages. Unaware of the setup, he blurted out “Bixby,” the last name of the actor who starred in the television series “The Incredible Hulk.” Later, to create a persona for his fashion line, Mr. Benjamin combined his surname with that of Bill Bixby. The character is a world traveler whose wardrobe includes things like a $995 cotton corduroy blazer, a $350 felted waistcoat and a $95 newsboy cap. At Barneys, those clothes now hang next to lines like Double RL and Engineered Garments, which have a similar bent of Depression Chic. Read more about the quirky, interesting and stylish Andre Benjamin at NYTimes.com