This stunning cover actually delayed the release of the mixtape. The now-iconic kimono-like dress was designed by Italian courturier Alessandro Trincone as part of his “Annodami” collection. Tricone said about the collection:
Annodami talks about my own experience with oppression and self fulfillment. Being raised in a socially rough environment, it has always been a challenging issue to express myself; I have gradually understood the importance of loving yourself as it is the only real protection from “evilness”. I believe we are only able to stand against fear with a crystal clear reflection of our inner selves.
Garfield Larmond, the photographer who created the photo claimed that it took hours to put the dress on:
When we got on set, it definitely took like an hour and a half to put it on. Then once he put it on, and I started shooting, they noticed a piece was off — like something really intricate. So, we had to take another thirty minutes to pin stuff up, get the hat right. It took hours. Hours on top of hours.
But this is not the first time Thugger has been known to bend the rules of fashion. He has worn Gucci dresses on the cover of Dazed magazine, in Calvin Klein ads and even has been known to shop in the kids aisle.
It instantly became a Black Twitter meme and one of the most popular halloween costumes of 2016, except, of course, another gender-bender that was Eleven from Stranger Things.
On his 2019 interview with No Jumper, Thugger humorously said:
Nigga I wore this long ass dress because I had a motherfucking AK-47 up under it.
His best work, so unique and refreshing.