Erykah Badu has unintentionally occupied the role of culture shifter and influencer for 20 plus years, well before it became a trendy, social media descriptor. Her impact has vibrated throughout music and fashion, and the "Green Eyes" songstress sees it clearly.
Claire Sulmers, CEO of the influential style blog Fashion Bomb Daily, says Badu's versatility has made her a muse for designers. Her aura has a warm, but intense gravitational pull, and there's a long-running joke that one can't look into her eyes without falling into a trance -- a myth Badu embraces. She has embarked through life with a creative fearlessness.
"Everything you see from her line is her. She came up with the design. She came up with the concepts," said Berner, founder of Cookies and mentor to Badu on the industry. He said she inspires other women "to get in the game…women love Erykah Badu. They look up to her. They respect her."