Chapal by LASA Ezine

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Features 08

A Thrifterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Experience Inside the local thrift stores and thrift culture in Austin. By Anya Kureshi

Fear in Fashion Meet the competitive side of fashion and how it shapes buisnisses By Rohan Bhavsar

Brains Behind the Beauty A look inside the small fashion buisness community in Austin By Neha Kamble

The Sole of Austin Fashion All about the Austin Sneaker Scene By Miles Dvorak

Photo Courtesy of Cassandra Polidori

Fashion Issue Letter from the Editors

Meet the Editors

Cover Art: Neha Kamble

Contents 26

The Resellers Guide The guide on how to be a successful shoe reseller By Mile Dvorak

A Quality Thrift A Guide to Make the Perfect Thrifted Look By Anya Kureshi

Timeline of the Evolution of Streetwear A look into how streetwear has evolved over time By Neha Kamble

Fashion Around Town All the popular fashion hubs in the Austin Area By Rohan Bhavsar

Letter From the Editors Dear Readers, As you read our magazine, you may notice tha tthe stules of each article contrast each other. At Chapal, we strive to achieve diversity in our designs in order to represent the differences in the fashion industry. Each article and follwing ASF will take you on a journey through the most prominent features of the current fashion industry. Each article willl give you a taste of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to come in the coming months and will help you prepare your closet for the future. In this edition of our magazine, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll learn about effective thrift shopping, how a pair of shoes can complete your fit, why small boutiques are important to the Austin fashion world, and how brands compete with each other. The past few months have been spent interviewing experts on these topics, takeing photographs, and cultivating articles to perfection, We hope you enjour our magazine and that you use the advice we give to better your style!

From Left to Right: Neha, Miles, Anya, Rohan

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NEHA KAMBLE • Loves to dance • Music creator • Member of TEDx Austin • Panini fanatic

MILES DVORAK • Embraces the hussle • A fellow reseller • “All about the thuggin’ love” • Fiend for trendy clothing

ANYA KURESHI • Cultivates vegetable gardens • Constantly watches Netflix • Loves to help at the animal shelter • Climbs at the ABP recreationally

ROHAN BHAVSAR • Amateur curry cooker • Future Business Leader of America (FBLA) • Spends his weekends playing soccer

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8 | Chapal

Baumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mickey Mouse jeans, Photo by Anya Kureshi

A Thrifter’s Experience An insight into the clockwork of Austin consignment stores

he door to Uptown Cheapskate, a thrift store franchise in Austin, jingles as customers enter. One of these customers is first-time thrifter, Natalya Alders, who has yet to learn the tricks of the trade. Uptown is filled with rows of colorful clothes, and atop the racks are dirty tennis shoes, chunky heels and brightly colored Nikes. Experienced thrifters are sifting through the racks, piling clothes onto their arms while Alders watches with wide eyes. Her feet are glued to the floor and she can’t seem to pick a rack to look through. Everything Natalya heard about thrifting and how easy it is, goes out the window, and she’s left with a feeling of overwhelmingness. There are many different kinds of thrift stores, ranging from Goodwills that only accept donations, to consignment stores that pay you for the clothes you bring to their store to vintage stores that are a combination of both. In general, the traditional thrift store, such as Goodwill or Savers, have low prices where a shirt will cost $3-5 and pants cost $8. Meanwhile, consignment stores, like Uptown and Buffalo Exchange, have slightly higher prices with shirts costing $8-16 and pants costing about $30-40.At a traditional vintage store, the pieces can cost upwards of $50, and at the very end of the spectrum are high-

By Anya Kureshi end consignment stores that only carry Cartier and other high-end brands. Recently, thrifting has become immensely popular in Austin, so much so that Austin has become “the resale capital of the world. There are more secondhand shops here per capita than anywhere else in the country,” Craig Berlin, the Head Marketer and Supervisor of the Men’s Product at Uptown, said. Thrifting has continued to expand and now the target audience has grown to include young teenagers. Each thrift store is organized slightly differently, but they all follow the same general format. “We arrange everything by size and then silhouette and then light colors to dark colors,” Berlin said. Uptown is known for its wellorganized stores as well as its pricing of good quality clothing “[Our customers] come here to find cheap stuff. They want stuff that was 50 that they can get [for] 15,” Berlin said. Uptown carries brands ranging from all price ranges starting with Anthropology, Urban Outfitters and Free people; moving on to “mid-level designers that people know like Michael Kors and Kate Spade,” Berlin said; and ending with high-end brands like Gucci and

Prada. The store is also known for its phenomenal customer service. Not only do they help their customers by “putting together outfits and making suggestions [for the customers]” they also take great care of their vendors. “Sometimes they get offended when you don’t buy their stuff that’s 6-8 years old with tags but it’s out of style, ” Berlin said. Meredith Baum, a student at Griffin School in Austin, is a frequent thrifter and she realizes that “it’s hard when you’re a teen. You don’t have a bunch of money to buy big brands or go shopping all the time.” Baum said. Through her sister’s hand me downs, Meredith has been exposed to a form of thrifting. Now, not only is Meredith a

“

“It’s hard when you’re a teen and you don’t have a lot of money to buy big brands or shop constantly.

”

Meredith Baum

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Meredith’s Depop, Photo courtesy of Meredith Baum

thrifter, but thrifting has also turned her into an entrepreneur. She manages her own Depop shop, an online store were users can sell their clothes. “I’ve been selling thrifted finds that I’ve found that I don’t wear anymore or that I feel other people would like,” Baum said. Betsy Appleton, more commonly known as the Goldwill Digger blogger in the thrifting community. Appleton began her career in thrifting when she graduated law school because she needed formal clothing that she couldn’t afford at mainstream stores. She manages a fashion blog about her Goodwill finds as well as upcycling tips for new thrifters. “People always asked me about were I got my clothes and when I told them it was Goodwill, it started up a conversation about how they struggled to find good pieces,” Appleton said. She has been recognized as Middle Tennessee’s 2016 Ambassador of the Year and has over 11,000 followers on Instagram. While many people are 10 | Chapal

intrigued by the idea of thrifting, much like Alders, they find it difficult to know were to begin. Baum recommends for first-time thrifters that they prepare themselves for the possibility of your first thrifting experience to be unsuccessful, “You don’t want to just rely on [finding a piece immediately], you want to be patient with yourself and look for items you normally wouldn’t wear,” Baum said. A common mistake for first-time thrifters is they’ll speed through the store and they miss so many pieces with potential. Some ways to help you stay motivated and patient while thrifting is by creating a music playlist or bringing a friend. On the flip side, thrifting in groups is highly advised against unless you’re all highly experienced because the best thrifting experiences occur when you slow down and take the time to look at each piece which is very hard to do in groups.

Thrifting has few opponents, however, some people are resistant towards the idea of wearing people’s used clothes and feel that it’s unsanitary. Neither Appleton or Baum accept this view, but it’s important to recognize the cleanliness factor. Although, most stores wash their clothes before stocking the stores, washing your thrifted items is still necessary. Stores like Uptown take great pains when accepting shoes because of the health concerns. “Shoe conditions

Betsy Appleton’s Goodwill fit, Photo courtesy of Betsy Appleton

have to be nearly perfect with a few exceptions, obviously with vintage, you allow more condition issues,” Berlin said. Other exceptions include Converse and Vans. “People are more willing to buy even if they’re a little dirty or worn,” Berlin said. Unfortunately, if you’re not shopping in a store like Uptown it’s highly unlikely you’ll find shoes of good quality. Inside the Austin Uptown, “People usually Photo courtesy of Uptown Cheapskate

wear their shoes until they’re no to try it on,” Baum said. pair of jeans, and maybe a couple longer wearable unless they’re Another key part of of accessories. If I go thrifting I really trendy,” Appleton said and thrifting is upcycling, or turning can get four shirts, a bag and really often if you do find a pair of shoes clothes into changed, better cool jewelry” Meredith explained. you like “they might need a cap versions of themselves. Meredith Even though prices at thrift replaced or they might need [to be prefers to keep things simple when stores are already approximately taken] to the cobbler,” Appleton it comes to upcycling. She knows 70% discounted, according to said which is why shoes are how to hem a shirt, sew a button Craig Berlin, there are still sales at reserved for experienced thrifters. and crop a shirt wh skills she most most of them. prefers to use. “[At Uptown] we have a On occasion, she’ll do markdown schedule the first two something extravagant. months of the year, a summer “I had this pair of jeans clearance, then 3 months of that I loved, so I took a stencil to markdowns and finally a clearance it and I started painting on it and which ends in dollar sales ” said those are one of my favorite pairs Berlin. of jeans now,” Meredith said. Every thrifter has had Due to the demands of their share of upcycling successes. her job to look professional at all But throughout their thrifting Baum’s recently sold item, times, Betsy has also partaken in endeavors, Baum and Appleton Photo courtesy of Meredith Baum upcycling her thrift clothes but she face design struggles and upcycling has her own spin on upcycling. disasters. For thrifters that aren’t sure what Betsy spends hours Nevertheless, thrifting is the styles they’re looking for “go to a watching fashion shows and cheapest option and “it’s good for Goodwill [that] is concentrated reading about trends during young teens to learn about money” in areas where it’s more affluent fashion month, February and Meredith said. because they’re more likely to have September. Once she learns about better pieces there,” Appleton said. this year’s trends, Betsy In addition, for thrifters keeps an eye out for looking for very unique pieces, “go thrifted pieces that to areas where maybe there’s a lot have similar features to of different ethnicities.” Appleton this year’s trends. said this way they’ll hopefully be “You need to reflected in the clothing. look for similar pieces Although by now, but not [an] exact Meredith has developed her copy cat”, Betsy said. clothing style and focuses her Clothing at shopping on Hawaiian shirts, crop thrift stores are priced tops and accessories, her process is much lower than retail still very similar to a thrifter that’s stores which benefits unsure of their style. She describes budget-conscious her process as rapid fire and she shoppers. Appleton’s upcycled dress, prefers to be thorough by going “If I go to Photo courtesy Betsy Appleton through all the racks. a store and I have “If it immediately catches $40, say at like a my eye, that’s when I know I want mainstream store, I could get a Chapal | 11

A Quality Thrift in Austin ...And Where To Find Them 1

Shirt

Necklines can be altered

Sleeve length is a style choice

Large clothes have upcycle potential

By: Anya Kureshi

Pants Can be DIY ripped

High-waisted jeans are trending

Long jeans can be cuffed

3 Shoes Slightly large shoes can be stuffed

4 Accessories Metallic pieces highlight your look

12 | Chapal

Popular shoe brands are Nike, Adidas, and Vans Pick colorful accents

$8, DIY cropped

$3 $7 $20, cleaned $7

Buffalo Exhange

Goodwill

$15

Savers

Uptown Cheapskate

$30 Chapal | 13

Biilionare Boys Club latest release of their most hyped product. Photo Courtesy of Mike Mendoza.

14 | Chapal

[By Rohan Bhavsar]

Fear

Fashion

The fierce competition in the fashion enviorment

“I see [the Good Company] growing into a well-known local Austin brand in itself,” Stephanie Henry, general manager of the Good Company said. “I see Good Company surpassing [SBJ Austin] in the form of store recognition.” These are the type of people to dominate the fashion industry. Determined, passionate, hard working people who are determined to give whatever it takes to make it to the number one spot. They use every resource of theirs to their advantage in order to differentiate

themselves from the trend-following pack. With the fashion industry continuing to grow, the amount of competition rises and more of these hard-working people are popping up all over the world. The competition is high. Brands fight to sell to the same age demographic. Companies release similar clothing lines. However, all businesses rely on supply and demand. Brands with a large amount of stock sell everyday clothing pieces in large quantities for cheap prices and hope that their low

price tag will invite customers in. Other brands only release a limited amount of items and rely on their brand name to sell out. Their unique products make it easier to avoid competition, but harder to attract customers. Competing in the fashion workspace is tough. It’s hard to get the name of a brand out to the public. However, modern companies including the Good Company, a small boutique retailer in central Austin, have found creative ways to gain recognition. Chapal | 15

“We use social media a lot,” modern boutique style fits perfectly have longevity if quality isn’t there,” Henry said. “Instagram, believe it or with their locations around the she said. not, is our biggest way of marketing outskirts of downtown Austin. It Mendoza says brands such ourselves.” attracts people interested in it’s as GAP and UNIQLO are “seen as Advertising is a huge part modern appearance as well as people brands that we just get basics, but of competition. In the fashion that love boutiques and live close by. you get basics everywhere, so the industry, the more people that know Collaborations are another challenge there is trying to sell to about a brand, the more likely it is great way to maintain popularity in consumers while knowing that there that customers will shop at it over the fashion industry. are many other brands selling the others as popularity is “You have to do that same thing.” the transitional step from nowadays, [collaborations], There is going to be being a small brand to an because that’s such a big part challenges upon entering the fashion international company. of marketing,” Mendoza said. industry. For companies selling basic E-Commerce “Picking the right brands to clothing pieces, there is competition worker at Billionaire work with helps you reach for publicity. Most brands sell Boys Club, Mike different audiences and everyday outfits, so it is less about Mendoza, said it keeps things fresh.” the product and more about getting that email, social Collaborations are other people to shop there. For media, digital a necessity when brands selling more expensive display banners and becoming or staying products, there is competition for their website are a popular brand. A demand. Nobody wants to spend a all great ways of consumer that enjoys lot of money on an expensive t-shirt getting people to return a certain brand may if there isn’t a lot of demand for it. to their shop. branch out to a new Both can be equally Marketing is one of the clothing company due successful, but “it all boils down to most defining to its collabs with other the product and the need for it in features of brands. Collaborations the marketplace,” Henry said. how successful are a blend of two Going into the market that a business is as communities competes to sell cheap competition can together. They products is extremely A neat display of suppress many small provide a unique hard. Especially if you clothing. Photo by startup business image or style Wayfair. because they don’t that can only be have a strong public created between name. the two clothing Along with brands. popularity comes Different uses of location. In order to supply and demand have have a strong brand created a diverse amount name, a business must of ways to become have the proper successful in the fashion location in order to industry. Manniquen showing off a attract the right type However, sometimes winter fit. Photo by Rohan businesses struggle to of customers. Bhavsar “We cater to the determine how they clients that live in the neighborhood should balance the two. Stephanie and I’d say our locations [have] Henry believes that quality should really benefited us [as] they can walk always be put before quantity. don’t have a known brand name. if they want to.” Henry said. “You’re not going to have Competing for publicity is hard The Good Company’s something that’s going to last and because in this market, everything 16 | Chapal

A great use of advertising and display of clothing. Photo Courtesy of Mike Mendoza is based on cheap and affordable pricing. “There has been a lot of people that popped up and made things cheaper so there is a lot of competition in Levi’s in the world that are having trouble because they’re having a fight for the market share.” said Mendoza. This means that companies are continuing to lower their prices and large discount prices which can be bad for a company as it leads to less profit for them. “It’s all about the product and how you differentiate yourself,” Mendoza said. “You need to take some thought about what you’re making and why are people going to go to you instead of somewhere else.” This is an easier part of the fashion industry to enter. The competition is not solely based on brand name. Instead, it is based on the demand for a product and how unique it is. In a high demand market, there is competition between customers as well. “There are some people looking for hard to find

styles,” Mendoza said. “Certain products are starting to resell as their demand for them grows.” Brands will sell their products for retail price while other websites allow customers to “resell” their unused products for two to three times the original value. “You could definitely make some money on your old stuff depending on how rare it is in the market,” Mendoza said. “So, it’s all about supply and demand. If it was a limited-edition style the resale market will probably be high for it.” This idea of reselling gives companies a competitive advantage in the fashion industry. Even if

“

You’re not going to have something that’s going to last and have longevity if quality isn’t there.

”

someone does not want a product for their own personal use, but they are looking to make some money, they might still buy it. This increases the demand for the item and increases the amount of people interested in a business’s product. There is a lot of competition between different brands, but it’s how someone differentiates their product that separates small businesses from global companies. Popularity and demand are key to dominating the competition of fashion. The Good Company is a boutique retailer in central Austin that sells both designer brands and locally made brands. They opened a new store in February of 2019 and are also looking to set up a third store in the future. Billionaire Boys Club was initially a premium streetwear brand but has adopted the role as an old and urban type brand. It is based in Tokyo and now has a store New York City.

Stephanie Henry Chapal | 17

Fashion

Around

All of the top fashion spots in Austin.

Town By Rohan Bhavsar

Buffalo Exchange 2904 Guadalupe St

Info: Going thrifting? On the corner of 29th and Guadalupe Street you will find Buffalo Exchange, a great thrift store in Austin. If you are looking for cheap and affordable clothing, this is the place for you. Buffalo Exchange has great quality and carries unique and vintage clothing.

Price: $

Urban Outfitters 2406 Guadalupe St

Info: If you are looking for trendy and inexpensive clothing, Urban Outfitters needs to be your go to shop spot. Urban Outfitters contains the most variety and quantity of all your favorite brands. It carries all types of clothing from graphic tees to crewnecks and in all of the best brands such as Adidas and Stussy. It is a great place to go if you are in need of something new.

Price: $$ 18 | Chapal

Private Stock 516 E 6th St

Info: Inro the hypebeast trends? Love Supreme, BAPE, and Kith? Private Stock is the best store to find all the streetwear brands. It brings in a new set of clothing every week to supply you with the greatest styles. Make a purchase and have a chance to get on their Instagram Page as well!

Price: $$$ By George

1440 S Congress Ave

Info: Want something on the high end side? By George is the right place for you. By George is a high-end boutique displaying designer clothing and accessories for both men and women. It embodies the perfect lifestyle as an austinite. Although it is on the higher end of the price range, By George aims to provide their customers with the best clothing, fine accessories and home goods.

Price: $$$$

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the

BRAINS behind the

What it takes to run a successful fashion buisness in Austin.

Beauty

hen people think about fashion and clothing, their minds typically go to large retail stores like Forever 21, Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville, but here in Austin, small fashion businesses are at the forefront of Austin’s fashion scene. But what really goes into running these local companies and what does it take for them to be successful in a growing world with increasing competition from outside companies? The fashion scene in Austin has really taken off in the last few years in large part due to the rise in local businesses and boutiques that help keep the fashion industry moving forward by bringing in new and innovative designs. Though keeping a small business profitable and successful can be very difficult, most stores follow the same principal ideas. Each business has it’s own individualistic characteristics and faces unique obstacles but 20 | Chapal

in the end, they all agree that being in Austin and the support of local community play an important role in their success. Tristan Flores is the manager of Luxe Apothetique, a local Austin boutique that specializes in women’s clothing and fashion. For Flores, one of the most important parts of running a small business, especially in the fashion industry, is having an emphasis on customer service. “In fashion and in a small boutique setting you have to sell the experience,” Flores said. “People come in, yes, because they want to spend some money… but they can walk out with a sticker or they can walk out with a sticker, a candle, a shirt [and] something else because you opened up their minds to other things that they needed or wanted that day.” Not only do having those interactions set lasting impressions in the minds of customers but for Cassandra

By Neha Kamble

Polidori, founder and designer of Cassandra Collections, an Austin based jewelry company, much of her success links back to those same connections. “For me, it was really about finding that next client who is going to help me get to another… It’s all about relationships and putting yourself out,” Polidori said. “My whole business has been like a big dating app. I’m basically dating everyone I meet because it’s just so much about knowing that person, how to speak to them, to see what kind of person they are. And then from there, you meet their friends and then with those friends you meet with other friends, so it’s all about relationships and communication.” For local boutique Blue Elephant, it’s customer service that helps set them apart from larger retail stores and keeps customers coming back for more.

Cassandra Polidori, Founder and Designer of Cassandra Collections. Photo Courtesy of Cassandra Polidori.

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Chloe Feyh (left) and Rosy (right) modeling Blue Elephants lastest collections. Photo Courtesy of Blue Elephant.

“We want to make sure everybody who comes in the store knows you’re working here by approaching them, talking to them and giving them as much attention as they need,” manager Irene Carter said. “In bigger stores ...sometimes you want help and you have a question [but] you can’t find anybody that works there because it’s such a big place and they might not know about all their products because it’s such a huge store… so that really sets us apart.” Though so many of the lasting relationships between small businesses and local customers are made through direct communication, online presence is another key factor almost all companies use in order to stay connected with their consumers. “Everything is going online,” Flores said. It’s 2019 and if you can’t get it online, you 22 | Chapal

might as well just not get, is how a lot of shoppers think.” Much of the success for companies moving online comes from the convenience for shoppers to be able to buy

“

You’ve got to be out there, you’ve got to be visible on social media or you’re not going to be seen.

”

Irene Carter

anything they want with just a few clicks, so it’s no surprise that more and more businesses are beginning to shift gears towards online retail. However, being online for companies doesn’t always mean just retail. So much of a

company’s online presence is focused on social media and the publicity different media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, bring for stores, especially small businesses who don’t always have the same amount money and resources that larger stores have to put towards advertisement. “I’ve noticed that we used to only hire people as sales associates and everybody would contribute to social media. Now we have somebody who is specifically in charge of our social media and I think that’s helped a lot because that can be a full-time job and Instagram is the future,” Carter said. “Having a good Instagram presence really helps a business. You’ve got to be out there, you’ve got to be visible on social media or you’re not going to be seen.” Aside from customer relationships, so much of a

company’s success relies on the products they sell. Though it can be easy to get wrapped in trying to stay on the latest fashion trends, for Polidori, it was about having the right balance of taking inspiration from others and being creative and unique that helped with the success of so many of her designs. “I did the tassels thing and I still do it,” Polidori said. “That was a decision on my part know[ing] everyone loves a good tassel. So I did it with leather to try to make it a little different. I [do] what works for me… but when I’m going to hop on the trend wagon, how can I still make it my own?” Running a small business, however, doesn’t come without its downfalls. For boutiques like Luxe Apothetique and Blue Elephant, many of the obstacles they face have to do with the availability of resources. “The hardest part about it is that you have to be creative and work with what you got because you don’t have an endless

budget,” Carter said. As for manager Tristen Flores, most of it stems from the difficulties of competing with larger chain retail stores at the scale of a small business. “I think that especially in the coming of 2019, 2020 that small businesses are… falling to

“

Follow your dreams and know that you have a huge community supporting you.

”

Cassandra Polidori

the wayside,” Flores said. “We don’t have that presence that someone who’s really big does. And that’s one of the things that not necessarily hinders us, but definitely takes a blow.” Regardless of what

business strategies they use or how the market their products, the fashion community, and the small business community can all agree that what makes their business truly successful is the Austin community. “I think as designers and entrepreneurs, it’s really important for us all to help each other and support each other,” Polidori said. “And I think Austin is a great place to do that. Just to not give up and to follow your dreams and know that you have a huge community supporting you and ready to help. It’s growing so rapidly as well, everyone is just really encouraging and, we’re all in the same boat a little bit… It’s a great place to grow a business, but it’s also a great place for nourishing your business because people are so helpful.” So many of the small fashion businesses in Austin are thriving today in large part due to their embrace of local culture. It is the openness and support of the community that keeps these businesses going.

Local Austin model featured on Luxe Apothetique’s Instagram to promote new clothes and the boutique. Photo Courtesy of Luxe Apothetique.

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Timeline of the Evolution of Streetwear How Streetwear As We Know It Today Came To Be. By Neha Kamble

Nikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capture of superstar Micheal Jordan led to Nike dominating the streetwear sneaker market with Air Jordans.

1985 1980 Shawn Stussy launched Stussy, a California based company, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s style originated from popular skate culture.

Info Courtesy Of Buisness of Fashion Who What Where Complex.

24 | Chapal

1990s Popular hip hop artists like Snoop Dog and NWA inspire the start of the development of hip hop fashion in streetwear.

Photos Courtesy Of PMarvel The Source Funky Space Monkey.

The biggest trend at the end of the 20th century were collaborations between multiple brands.

Today, Streetwear is more popular than ever with the growth of social media. Streetwears is now engrained in pop culture, breaking barriers between luxury fashion, streetstyle and high fashion. A perfect example is the recnt Supreme x Louis Vouitton collab.

2019

2000s 1994 One of the most talked about streetwear companies, Supreme, is founded in NYC by James Jebbia.

2010s Streetwear takes off yet again with the creation of Yeezyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in 2015, Off-White 2012 and Vetements in 2014.

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the

RE$ELLER’$ GUIDE

A step by step manual to reselling any type of sneaker.

by: miles Dvorak

Find out what’s dropping.

There are many websites and Twitter accounts devoted to finding out when shoes are dropping. Some of these include: BoostLinks, YeezyMafia, SoleLinks, SNKR_ TWITR and J23.

26 | Chapal

july

Find out when it’s dropping. Many of the previously mentioned Twitter accounts and Websites also provide dates for shoe drops. Make sure to write them down on your calendar.

cop the shoes. Find out what sites your sneakers are dropping on, and an adequate method to buy them. Once they drop, see if you can check out. If successful, move on to the next step.

sell your kicks.

There are a number of websites devoted to selling sneakers, such as: Goat, StockX and Grailed. They all provide “Legit Checking” services, which verify the authenticity of the shoes, leading to their popularity.

july

ship the sneakers. After you have sold your shoes, weather it be on StockX, Goat or Grailed, you will have to ship your shoes within 2 business days. Print out the shipping label provided to you, and don’t miss this deadline!

6 get paid. Once the sneakers have been authenticated by the website you used to sell your shoes, the payment will be sent. The money is directy deposited into a bank account of your choice.

yeezy boost 350 image courtesy of: kickposters Chapal | 27

The Sole of Austin Fashion

By: Miles Dvorak

As Austin as a city grows in population, its sneaker scene grows as well.

ustin: A cultural and artistic melting pot, home to a large number of millennials, and, of course, an evolving fashion scene. Across town you’ll find numerous styles, complimenting many different personalities. Of course, being the first item that most people’s eyes are drawn to on an outfit, sneakers play a key role in the style of Austinites. Due to this, there has been a recent boom in sneaker-oriented apparel stores around town. These stores help to grow an ever-increasing shoe industry, based off of exclusive releases, resellability, and, of course, the ability to turn a profit. The easily available nature of buying shoes and growth of sneaker selling oriented websites such as StockX have lead to the growth of a once underground community of sneaker resellers. Becoming increasingly popular starting as early as middle school, many people look up to “icons” you can find all across the

28 | Chapal

internet, on sites such as YouTube, Twitter, and more. In recent years, limited release shoes, and hip-hop influencers reaching a mainstream. audience have caused a surge in popularity in the sneaker industry. This is apparent in sneakers such as the Yeezy, a Kanye West and Adidas collaboration, where limited releases dramatically increased the shoe’s popularity, leading to high resell prices and the continuation of the Yeezy brand. This popularity seems to begin sometime around 2012, with the creation of apps such as Goat and Stockx. Of course, sneaker reselling has been popular since 1985, with the release of the Jordan 1. However, 2012 is when it really reached the mainstream. This boost in popularity has lead to many sneaker-exclusive stores popping up around the US, some of which include: Sneaker Politics, Nice Kicks, Private Stock and more. Although sneaker culture in Austin

may not be an large as it is in major cities, such as Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles, you can still find many stores around town providing sneakerheads with their much needed supply of shoes. On any given weekend you can find throngs of eager customers lined out outside of sneaker shops anticipating the release of an exclusive shoe. One of these shops, named Sneaker Politics, is a hotspot for the newest releases, and the cleanest kicks. Although Austin wasn’t their first location, they have taken off in town, and are now recognized as a massive supplier of limited release sneakers.

‘A

NEW ERA of sneakers

P1: LTD UltraBoost 4.0. Image courtesy of StockX

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Pictured Above:

hasnowbeentargeted towardsageneration of peoplewhohavelearned toexpress themselves throughtheclothesthey wear. “InAustin,it’sactuallypretty interesting,we’restartingtoseealotmore ‘hypebeasts’walkingaroundourstore... Wehavealotmorepeoplecominginand checkingoutnewshoes.Ithinkthere’sa newwaverightnowinteens,andactually withmillennialsingeneral,infashion.”Nice KicksemployeeJamalStevenssaid. Afterall,choosingtowearalimited-edition itemwillallowsomeonetostandout

more,andmakethemselvesmorenoticed. Thispredominantlyyoungdemographic ofthesneakerindustrycanbeeasilyseen whentakingobservingashoestoresuch asSneakerPolitics.Manytimes,over80 percentofcustomersareundertheageof 30.“InAustin,it’sactuallyprettyinteresting, we’restartingtoseealotmore‘hypebeasts’walkingaroundourstore...Wehave alotmorepeoplecominginandchecking outnewshoes.Ithinkthere’sanewwave rightnowinteens,andactuallywithmillennialsingeneral,infashion.Wegetalotof highschoolersandcollegekidscominginto ourstoreandwantingtotrythingson.”Said NiceKicksemployeeJamalStevens.

P2: The Jordan 1 Origin Story, popularized by the Spiderman: Homecoming movie. Image courtesy of Footpatrol.

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“Austinisanemergingareaas awhole.It’sverygoodontech,sothere’s alotofpeoplemigratingtothecityitkind ofjustmakessenseforusbusinesswise... Ithink[SneakerPolitics]wasarefreshing boostthatAustinasacityneededasfaras theSneakercommunityisconcerned...” SneakerPoliticsemployeeJohnColliersaid. GiventhefactthatAustinisauniversitycity, andhasalargenumberofyoungstudents, it’snosurprisethatahobbysuchassneaker collectingistakingoff.Notonlycanitbe profitable,butgiventhecurrentwaveof fashion-mindedmillennials,plusinfluence ofhip-hopandrapculture,itfitsperfectly intomanypeople’slifestyles.Thenew, exclusive-basedsneakerindustry

After all, choosing to wear a limitededition item will allow someone to stand out more, and make themselves more noticed. This predominantly young demographic of the sneaker industry can be easily seen when taking observing a shoe store such as Sneaker Politics. Many times, over 80 percent of customers are under the age of 30. “In Austin, it’s actually pretty interesting, we’re starting to see a lot more ‘hypebeasts’ walking around our store... We have a lot more people coming in and checking out new shoes. I think there’s a new wave right now in teens, and actually with millennials in general, in fashion. We get a lot of high schoolers and college kids coming into our store and wanting to try things on.” Said Nice Kicks employee Jamal Stevens.

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“You know, everybody likes to look cool. Everyone like to wear cool stuff. Personally, I think that sneakers are not going in a good direction, but I think it’ll evolve. A lot of the bad will get shaved off in the coming years with things becoming less popular and the bubble kind of popping and a little bit, and it’ll get back to what it actually is.” “And along with that, sneakers will always shift in popularity... If you’re into sneakers now, make sure you’re in it for the right reasons. There are a lot of people that are into shoes now because it’s trendy and there’s a lot of money

in it, and that’s the easiest way to lose a lot of money, and look stupid, you know?” Said Collier when asked about the shift in demographics in the sneaker community. This slight “bump” in the sneaker community may mean that stores like Nice Kicks or Sneaker Politics will lose business as hype over shoes dies down, however we’ll have to see. For the meantime, Austin will support these sneaker shops, and will hopefully grow into a fashionable, popular town. Austin has a very boutique-based shopping scene, full of privately owned businesses and clothing stores.

Pictured Above: Off-White x Nike Zoom Fly designed by popular artist Virgil Abloh. Image Courtesy of Reddit User sgo8.

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The Jordan 5 “Grape” released in 2013. Re-released as the “Fresh Prince” 5’s in 2018. Image courtesy of Wallpaperplay.

box.” Said Nike sneaker Stuart Reinhardt. These collabs can lead to more unique or popular designs, increasing the resell value, and making them more popular to sellers and boutiques. Overall, Many Austinites will be more drawn towards a small Brick and Mortar, privately owned store rather than chains. This may also be the reason for the popularity of these sneaker stores. Pictured Above:

The recent (within the past 5 years) increase in boutique fashion and sneaker shops in Austin may be due to this, as small stores tend to be held in a higher regard than large chain businesses. Along with this, collaborations and limited release sneakers have allowed for the selling of shoes with high resell value. “Collaborations are a way that Nike can release a shoe that may not follow along with the current trends. It lets us release a shoe that may exceed our comfort zone, or require us to think outside of the

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