Kid Cudi Breaks Into the Fashion Industry with His New Brand - MOTR
Most people know Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi as Kid Cudi. His music has become a staple in many people’s playlists, but music is not all that he does now. In December of 2022, user @WWMLD asked Mescudi on Twitter what he is most excited about in 2023 and his response was: his new clothing line, films, directing, and his daughter’s 13th birthday. In addition, he hinted that this new brand, Members of the Rage (or MOTR for short), will be debuting at Paris Fashion Week in January 2023. Mescuti tweeted that everything sold will be completely unisex, he hopes to push the boundaries of fashion to make sure that anyone can wear every piece of his collection. Not only is MOTR pushing the boundaries of fashion, they will also produce all of their garments in Italy and a few other parts of Europe to give the consumer top-tier quality.
Photo: Julian Berman via GQ
The rapper has always been very artistic, with album covers that are visually intriguing, his music, merchandise, and so much more. However, he is ready to step into a new realm of design with this new collection, which has been in the making for years. Along with the clothes, there will be a pair of sneakers, and Mescudi says, “To have my own sneaker is the biggest accomplishment” on Twitter. Additionally, he proudly states that it is very rare to release a pair of sneakers for a new brand, and he could not be happier that he can do it with MOTR.
Mescudi had been thinking about starting a clothing line for many years but it wasn’t until 2021 when his good friend, Virgil Abloh, passed, that he turned this idea into a reality. He not only wants the consumer to look good, but he wants them to feel good, similar to how he feels on stage. In an interview with Vogue, Mescudi raves about Abloh and his iconic creative mind, but also his kindness and positivity, Mescudi even states that he would ask himself, “What would Virgil do?”. Abloh And Mescudi were good friends, and Mescudi even walked in Abloh’s first Louis Vuitton runway show in 2018.
Photo: Philip Skoczkowski via Vogue
With the artist having a lot of album covers based around space fantasy themes, he decided to keep his art cohesive and use that same inspiration for his line. The collection includes many bright colors with most of them having an oversized and baggy silhouette. Looking at the pieces, they almost scream at you to stop and stare, which was the original goal for Mescudi. He uses a wide range of reds, which allows the wearer to feel more confident and powerful when worn. The color red can be associated with passion, courage, and love, all of which are feelings that the brand aimed for. Just by looking at the pieces within the collection, the viewer can feel the creativity and passion behind it all.
Photo: Members of the Rage via Vogue
While Mescudi is very artistic, and always creates some kind of work, he is also a prominent advocate for mental health and recovery. Mental health has been a topic that Mescudi has been very open about, struggling with depression and anxiety since he was about 15 years old. Unfortunately, with his father passing away and his mother raising four kids, he turned to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. Years later, in 2016, he checked himself into rehab, and now he uses his resources and platform to become an advocate for mental health. He tries to use the negativity that crosses his mind and turn it into a form of art that takes on a more positive emotion as a way to cope. The rapper said back in 2022 he has never been more proud of himself for everything that he is doing between films, MOTR, and a new album released in late September of 2022.