STREET
WHEN CASUAL BECOMES FASHIONABLE.
“THE CORNER STORE” EMPLOYEE. VAN, BC
A BLANK CANVAS A blank canvas for innovative illustrations, classic logos, and bands, the graphic tee has been a staple streetwear item that has remained timeless throughout the decades. The success of the graphic tee can be attributed to its versatility in designs that occupy the simply curated fabric. Specifically, the simplicity of a t-shirt’s silhouette allows for curators to explore different colors, shapes, textures, and forms, all to be worn as an article of clothing. With no buttons, zippers, folds or, embellishments, the sky’s the limit when it comes to graphic tees. The production of graphic t-shirts began in the 1950s and 1960s when new methods of fabric printing made them easier to produce. However, the popularity around graphic tees did not take off until the ‘70s when the concept of these shirts became a messaging platform. During this decade, wearers of the graphic tee were able to express subjects like political and social views, on a piece of clothing. As the years progressed, so did the graphic tees. The shirt adapted to different trends and became a canvas for a multitude of music bands, streetwear logos, and attention-grabbing phrases. Those who wear graphic tees can easily and explicitly express their interest in different subcultures by wearing parts of their identity, on a shirt. The simultaneous form of expression and simplicity in the graphic tee is what made such a shirt an absolute essential in the streetwear community. The graphic tee’s exact traits embody the aesthetic of streetwear; when casual becomes fashionable. This idea has further expanded to the upper-class of fashion, luxury brands. We see brands like Balenciaga selling shirts for hundreds of dollars as they take such a basic article of clothing and transform it into a luxury item. The collaboration of the streetwear culture with high-fashion brands has become a revolutionary movement that continues to have a large presence in current day fashion. Just as much as the graphic t-shirt has evolved in this past decade, it has also traveled back in time as it drives the rebirth of the vintage look in the 21st century. As consumers of the streetwear industry, we can expect everything and nothing from the graphic tee. It may evolve and form new trends or, remain true to its origin and roots. From this, it has become evident that as much as culture builds graphic tees, graphic tees also build a culture.
SNEAKERS
MORE THAN JUST FOOTWEAR.
AIR JORDAN 1985, a star of a shoe was created, furnished with smooth, red, and black leather and a clean white midsole that framed the iconic swoosh of the Nike brand. What had only once been an innovative basketball shoe on the court, quickly became a holy grail in the sneaker industry. The Air Jordan 1 is arguably one of the most iconic Nike sneakers to exist in this sneaker-crazed generation. Although some of this hype can be credited to the shoe’s origin story as well as it’s strong connections with pop culture, the AJ1’s consistency in silhouettes and innovation with colorways has sparked a level of hype that is unmatchable among the rest of the competitive sneaker community. For the past 35 years, the Air Jordan brand has stayed true to it’s renowned sloped, chunky, and high collared structure. At the time of it’s release in 1985, such a dramatically arched shoe that perfectly flowed into a sturdy collar line was unseen among other sneaker innovations. This exact silhouette has continued into our modern-day, creating consistency in the visual structure of the sneaker. It has allowed customers to build a connection out of a sense of familiarity with the shoe. The AJ1 grabs the attention of sneakerheads around the world as they easily identify the staple shoe model just by a famed outline. As customers, we can rely on the Air Jordan 1 to bring us a shoe that we feel at home with as it reminds us of the early beginnings of sneaker culture. While Air Jordan’s immense attention to consistency within silhouettes has brought the brand fame and success, much of the hype can also be ascribed to the innovative development of colorways and color blocking among each AJ1. Every colorway of the Air Jordan 1 derives from a backstory and inspiration that expresses a sense of artistry and once again, connectivity with its consumers. Take the classic black and red leather blocking of the first AJ1, debuting in 1985. At the time of it’s release, vibrant coloring in sneakers was not common in the industry as companies stuck to dull greys and whites, especially on the court. The NBA went as far as banning the colorway from games as they failed to follow uniform. Despite the retaliation, Nike agreed to pay fines as Michael Jordan continued to wear the shoes on the court. This iconic back story of Jordan’s colorway conflict has contributed to the everlasting hype around the classic black and red Air Jordan 1; with the company constantly bringing back these colors in new releases. The visual layout of the Air Jordan 1 also acts as a blank canvas for ever-changing color blockings and designs. We have seen everything from bold neon, to clean, black, and white styles within the Jordan brand. The option for versatility attracts the possibility for so many collaborations with artists, brands, and celebrities. This once again achieves a shoe that retains it’s structural consistency while allowing for an exciting and alive array of visuals. As fans of the Jordan brand, we become hungry for every new release as we admire our favorite shoe adopt many different aesthetics, intentions, and stories built on the iconic and innovative model of the Air Jordan 1.
NIKE
AIR
JOR
AIR
DAN
“AIR JORDAN 4”
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