The Most Electrifying Man in the history of Sports Entertainment
and the wardrobe that separated him from the rest.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (alongside the Texas Rattlesnake) was one of the biggest stars in the WWE during the late 90s and early 2000s for good reason. He was larger than life, both in size and personality. He commanded attention every time he stepped near the camera (or ring).
The Rock was a natural on the mic, cutting legendary promos that were equal parts hilarious and intimidating. He was the master of the catchphrase, with fans chanting "IF YOU SMELLLLLLL, WHAT THE ROCK, IS COOKIN'!" at the top of their lungs. He was the epitome of cool, and he knew it. But it wasn't just his impressive mic skills that made him so charismatic, it was also his unique fashion sense and style that set him apart from everyone else.
For the sake of this article, I’m going to skip over his very early days when he dressed like this:
and also the iconic meme turtleneck photo from 1994.
From then on, The Rock was always dressed to impress. He had a wardrobe that was a mix of classic all-black wrestling gear and flashy, over-the-top outfits. Ranging from leather pants to long-sleeve Versace silk shirts that would make Furio from The Sopranos jealous.
What made the Brahma Bulls outfits truly unique was :
His shirt selection
His sunglasses
The array of jewellery including gold chains, watches, and earrings.
Let’s have a little deep dive into each:
The Shirts - and his inability to do them up.
I honestly don’t know where to start other than the fact I’m extremely jealous and wish I could pull them off.
Here are some of my favourites:
The sunglasses.
He wore them everywhere, whether he was in the ring or out on the streets, and they became a symbol of his cool, confident personality. It didn’t matter what he was wearing, he always created a look that was both stylish and tough. Did you know he collaborated with Maui Jim in 1999 to sell his own branded glasses?
The accessories - Including the leather vest.
What made The Rock’s character work, was how he owned who he was and often made fun of himself, which is what helped make him more relatable. This clip sums up his over-the-top style:
The Rock oozed swagger. He had a strut that could compete with The Nature Boy Ric Flairs and he played the crowd better than no other. He would pause to flex and admire his muscles, knowing with every flex, the crowd’s decibels went up.
From the one-liners, to the silk shirts, we will never have an entertainer as good as the Brahma Bull.
If I had to sum up his style in one word, it would be… Rude (and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible).
This look is so out there, it even made PageSix’s The most outrageous VMA fashions ever article.
Please enjoy these 18 minutes of the biggest movie star on the planet doing his thing.
Nobody talks about The Rock better than The Rock talks about The Rock.
And of course, there is something we can take from the Rock and his wardrobe and apply to our brand:
What makes you stand out? What differentiates you from the other brands in the oversaturated men’s or streetwear market?
What does the styling of your photoshoots say about your brand?
Do your clothes represent something more than just items of clothing? Should you be selling a sense of confidence instead of just a new piece of cloth? What emotions does your brand evoke?
Thanks for reading and appreciating one of the greatest wardrobes that has ever lived.
PS: Have you seen the clips of Rick Rubin doing the rounds about him talking about wrestling?