Cardi B’s style evolution is well-documented. From launching her first collection with Fashion Nova in 2018 to walking the runway of Balenciaga’s Pre-Fall 2024 show in 2023, she’s certainly solidified herself as an icon.

However, navigating the upper echelons of high fashion hasn’t come without its challenges, as the rapper revealed during a feature story for The Hollywood Reporter today (March 27). Cardi and her stylist, Kollin Carter, reflected on some of her prominent looks and how the New York native paved the way for other women in Hip Hop.

Speaking on the “Enough (Miami)” artist’s 2019 Met Gala outfit, Carter said, “That look broke Cardi B into the next level of the fashion world. People who didn’t take us seriously were like, ‘OK, they’re here to stay.’”

The pair also worked together on an ensemble for the event in 2022, where Cardi wore a gold Versace dress. Meanwhile, in 2023 Met Gala, she sported a black quilted gown created by designer Chen Peng, complete with massive black roses. “Karl Lagerfeld was such a force, so I wanted to pay tribute to him but also incorporate elements of Chanel,” Carter said.

“There are so many obstacles against us. For example, this body is not meant for a size two. I’m very hips, a**, and that’s me,” Cardi explained. “It was not easy, but we make it look easy. Our door was closed many times… but we’re here because we do it well. I’m not going to be humble about it.”

Carter chimed in: “We’ve given look after look, year after year. We’ve reached into archives that are impossible to reach into. We caused a cultural shift. I don’t think there were many women like Cardi who existed in the fashion space. Now, there are a ton of other rap females who aspire to be in that space because they see what’s possible. We set trends.”