EXCLUSIVE: Coco Jones’ Super Bowl Performance Outfit Was Inspired By Whitney Houston’s 1991 Look

Coco Jones tapped streetwear pioneer Karl Kani to design her custom Super Bowl 2026 outfit for her performance of Lift Every Voice and Sing. On one of the most-watched stages in American culture, Jones’ decision to work with Kani underscored her commitment to honoring Black culture and legacy—especially during Black History Month. Inspired by Whitney Houston’s iconic 1991 Super Bowl look, the two reimagined the moment—not just as an ode to the late singer, but also as a cultural remix destined to live far beyond the moment.

TAMPA, FL – JANUARY 27:Whitney Houston sings the National Anthem before a game with the New York Giants taking on the Buffalo Bills prior to Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on January 27, 1991 in Tampa, Florida. The Giants won 20-19. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

“I’m overwhelmed,” Kani tells ESSENCE exclusively. “They could have gone to any designer in the world—Gucci, Fendi, Prada. But they came to Karl Kani. To pay homage to streetwear and to a brand that meant everything to me, that’s something special.”

Founded in 1989, Karl Kani helped define modern streetwear with oversized silhouettes, bold logos, and denim. All embraced by hip-hop icons like Aaliyah, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Jay-Z. Known as “the designer of the streets,” Kani made history as the first Black designer to land a full-page ad in The New York Times, further legitimizing streetwear and paving the way for generations of designers to follow.

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 08: Coco Jones performs “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

For Jones’ Super Bowl look, Kani transformed a familiar athletic staple into high glamour.  Houston’s original tracksuit was reimagined as a mini bubble skirt with a sweeping train and a cropped jacket featuring sculpted detailing and the same interior lining seen in the 1991 look. True to Kani’s signature, the ensemble leaned into coordinated silhouettes and bold form—bridging streetwear, performance, and Black cultural history in a moment now cemented in the canon. “It kept that athletic feeling but elevated it into something elegant and dramatic,” Kani explains.

When reflecting on how far he’s come in his journey, Kani points to tenacity. “It speaks to the resilience it took for us to be here, 35 years later, with a brand that started on the streets of Brooklyn,” he says. In other words, the moment stands as a testament not only to Kani’s legacy, but also to the lasting power of Black culture, and its rightful place on the world’s biggest stages, including the Super Bowl. When representation is visible, possibility follows. He adds, “for so long, people said streetwear was just a fad, the same way they said hip-hop wouldn’t last. But we’re still here.”

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