Originalfani Design

Khalfani “Fani” Dennis owns a boutique in Downtown Atlanta that sells a coveted, streewear brand OriginalFani®design. Born in Chicago, Fani was drawn to skate culture, anime, and martial arts films at an early age—he immersed himself in the visual arts after moving to Atlanta and enrolling in his high school’s magnet program. Beyond the logo-centric aesthetic of skate brands, rappers like fellow Chicago native Lupe Fiasco made a major impression on him. It was during a period, which Fani refers to as the “IllRoots Era,” that he started OriginalFani.com. The blog initially drove Two-9’s marketing, creative direction, and promotion, and garnered more attention as it expanded into a cultural hub. It didn’t take long to see the Fandana sprinkled throughout Instagram posts. Metro Boomin, whose signature look was a headband tilted sideways, put Fandanas into rotation. Rae Sremmurd, Lil Yachty, and Kodie Shane became unofficial ambassadors, featuring them in their music videos and photoshoots. The Fandana’s popularity has traveled outside of Atlanta, as seen on artists like Wiz Khalifa, Nipsey Hussle, and Billie Eilish, as well as on models including Jasmine Daniels. “My whole sense of style is basically dedicated to Fani,” rapper KEY! says. OriginalFani has since expanded into other products, including silk shirts, t-shirts, pillows, and, more recently, masks. Indeed, the OriginalFani Instagram account functions as a living archive: the first design mockups, every design cameo, every rapper he helped cross- promote, every collaboration. Today, at 31, he’s one of the most readily recognizable streetwear designers in Atlanta,[and maintains an international market with supporters across the US, Japan, China, and Korea].