GOLF & le FLEUR*: A Look into Tyler, The Creator’s Colourful Universe

Call Me If You Get Lost.

As is the case with many things he’s involved in, Tyler, The Creator didn’t just enter the realm of fashion, he crashed through its doors. Ever the disruptor, since 2009 Tyler Okonma has been redefining hip-hop culture from Bastard to Chromokopia, each more groundbreaking and individual than the last. Aside from being a favourite of mine, for me, Tyler is the unapologetic king of individualism, always pushing boundaries and challenging the norm, whether that be in his music or his impeccable style. Luckily for us, he has brought us GOLF WANG and le FLEUR*, extensions of his striking visual language. So if you’re new to Tyler, The Creator’s position in fashion, asking yourself, Who dat boy? Who him is? Here’s what I can tell you…

Loud, colourful and undeniably fun: GOLF WANG is Tyler, The Creator’s funhouse. Founded in 2011, his passion project ‘alla’ merch brand for his former collective Odd Future was a breath of fresh air from the streetwear scene at the time. However, his entrepreneurial spirit transcended this project into a brand that is impossible to ignore. Literally. Expect graphic tees, vibrant colours and an avant-garde mix of prints and textures. Each collection is a mix of mischief and adolescent nostalgia, ignoring the oversized hoodies, basketball jerseys and baggy jeans we’re used to seeing in hip-hop and instead giving us mohair button-up cardigans, pastel loafers and embroidered jeans. There is nothing subtle about it, yet the beauty of the brand is its remarkably down-to-earth, bringing back streetwear staples in a casual, yet fluorescent way. 

When I recently visited London’s flagship store, it was as if I had stepped through a window into The Creator’s world. The space was minimalistic and curated but made up for in sheer personality. While you probably won’t see me in GOLF (which is by no means a discredit), nestled among the explosion of colour, texture, and print was a matching herringbone set I have been thinking about ever since. The set, much more understated than the rest of the collection, helped me realise something about Tyler’s approach to fashion: it’s not about just throwing together flashy pieces. An unexpected combination, whether that be some stone herringbone trousers styled with a printed ‘Save The Bees’ tee, makes for an effortlessly cool aesthetic that brings fun to the street. Besides, Tyler has always had a penchant for unexpected contrasts, take the fusion of light '60s jazz with the 00s mixtape in Call Me If You Get Lost.

Photography from @golfwang on Instagram.

Since the very beginning of his career, Tyler, The Creator made it clear that he wasn’t going to play by the standard rules of hip-hop fashion. Eschewing iced-out chains and baggy, logo-centric outfits, he defies hip-hop’s traditional sartorial codes in favour of skater-inspired preppy pieces, kindled from riding down the Fairfax district as a kid, where GOLF WANG now calls home. We haven’t seen anything like this before, especially rolled out as an established brand, and that's what makes his personal style so influential. His wardrobe captures the same nostalgia as thrifted items do, yet he infuses it with his brash humour, fanciful imagination and the swank of hip-hop. It’s about knowing what works and making it your own.

All the more, with a team including a match made in heaven with Phil Toselli, Tyler’s brand became an extension of his ethos. In his role as head designer between 2013 and 2019, he essentially made the brand a vessel for his stylistic flair, which he continues to oversee today. I believe GOLF WANG truly took the global fashion stage with its first runway show in Los Angeles, 2016. Models swaggered, mini motorbikes zoomed across the stage, skaters enjoyed the slopes, and the man himself performed: an immersive spectacle that perfectly encapsulated the teenage fever dream the brand defines itself. A new and bold standout of the season, Tyler was making fashion fun. Since then, the brand has collaborated with Levi Strauss & Co., Vans, and even Japanese sandal brand SUICOKE, leading brands which also champion the evolution of streetwear. 

Photography from highsnobriety.com.

But then, GOLF WANG had a little brother. Yet paradoxically, le FLEUR* is much more grown up, debuting in 2017 with all of the same eccentricity, just refined. GOLF le FLEUR began as an offshoot of its predecessor, which launched a game-changing collaboration with Converse. Since then, the GOLF was dropped in 2021 and it has stepped into its own lane as a luxury label. A more sophisticated counterpart, le FLEUR* is Tyler at his most indulgent, all about the craftsmanship of finer materials to make elegant yet playful pieces that have a touch of class (with a wink). This whole new attitude extends beyond the rails, with campaigns timelessly shot on film and le FLEUR x Lacoste securing the label’s reputation as a player in the luxury fashion market. The brand remains deeply intertwined with Tyler's artistic evolution, leaning into subverting traditional gender norms while maintaining an air of refinement. le FLEUR* distinguishes itself through its indulgent quality (with a price tag to match) and classic yet elevated designs.  

So what have we learnt from this? Well, Tyler, The Creator, in one’s humble opinion, is a full-blown cultural force. There are few names I can think of whose mind has inspired such a cultural impact, through his music, fashion or principles: anything is a canvas. An interrupter of hip-hop’s status quo, The Creator carved out a path entirely his own through an industry often dominated by rigid trends, redefining the art of sartorial self-expression. GOLF WANG captures the rebellious, wild energy of youth while le FLEUR* has turned luxury into a playground, yet both stand out from the crowd by purely being of Tyler’s essence. They’re proof that style doesn’t always have to be about following trends - it can be a lot more fun if you rewrite the rules entirely. And The Creator? He’s been doing that since day one.