LIV'S STYLE

The streets are our very own runway for the ordinary people like you and me. When it’s not the leading fashion powerhouse brands like Gucci, Dior and Givenchy that are dictating what’s in fashion and what not, it’s us who roam the urban jungles that are the cities and towns in the clothes that we feel most comfortable in. At the end of the day, we have the final say to declare the most fashionable trends of our generation, and we own it from the streets. Thus, this edgy yet put together style known as ‘streetwear’ started from that same place and has amassed into something that holds huge potential in the fashion world.

The cool and effortless style that we know as streetwear hasn’t always been as popular as it is today. It derived from the underground and centred around the nineties skate and surf culture as well as the noughties hip hop scene in Los Angeles and has stuck around ever since. Shaun Stussy, the owner of LA surf shop Stüssy can be the man who you should thank for this new movement of fashion as he is described as the first ever streetwear designer [1]. It was his clothes that have inspired the many 100s of streetwear shops and brands over the last couple of decades and has influenced so many fashion labels and designers. This new wave of clothing birthed a whole new sub-genre of fashion and without it we wouldn’t see the luxury brands like Off-white and Vetements that are staple names in today’s contemporary streetwear fashion brands.

With California leading the streetwear scene, it wasn’t too much later until New York’s own spin on the style started to take off. With brands like Supreme which started in the early 90s, it only excelled the movement further. Supreme created its own hype and culture around the style, which gave it an exclusive edge. Street style was commonly worn by misfits and those who don’t conform to the typical fashion trends and brands like Supreme steered its products to match these edgy careless personalities. With its weekly Thursday drops, the brand became notorious in the streetwear category.  They created a constant chatter around their products, not only releasing clothing drops but other miscellaneous items where once they are sold out that was them gone for good, which made it stand out above other leading brands.

Although Supreme and Stüssy both motivated the streetwear trend, it really started to take off when people started to realise that going against the normalities and expectations of wearing certain clothing is actually okay. ‘we’re wearing streetwear because society’s dress codes have relaxed’.

Eventually, it began to claim celebrity appeal – which really was the turning point for its success. Celebrities choose to roam about in streetwear looks as opposed to strutting around in glammed up outfits for their everyday life. It’s a no brainer when there’s a more comfortable option. Streetwear gives them an opportunity to mix the high-end factor into their clothing style as well as the comforting indulgence that they have always craved.

Modern street fashion has started to merge and break boundaries with high end fashion labels, with lots of them taking inspiration from the style and using it for their own runways and collections. It’s not uncommon now to see these high-end brands collaborating with streetwear labels like the Ralph Lauren and Palace partnership as well as the Fendi X Fila collection. It’s a combination that works so well hand in hand and challenges both brands creatively to make something out of their comfort zones [2]. Even brands like Comme Des Garcons, known for their outrageous and outlandish designs have created a separate line as a part of their label. known as Comme Des Garcons Play, they offer a streetwear version of their of their clothes that are more suited to everyday wear.

Streetwear is a fashion phenomenon that has blown up in the last two decades, with its humble beginnings from the suburbs of LA and has acquired popularity from its low maintenance and alternative style. It’s a trend that has captivated the modern fashion industry, inspired from youth culture and presented us new and refreshing clothing that is unlike previous trends. A breath of new excitement it was it has given to the industry and it has my attention firmly grasped as I am eager to see where it leads to next.

References

[1] https://www.whowhatwear.co.uk/streetwear/slide2

[2] https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2019/01/why-luxury-retailers-are-tapping-into-streetwear/