retail buyer’s guide
RETAIL BUYER’S GUIDE SPECIAL REPORT:
MEN’S STREETWEAR SS21
Let’s face it: Streetwear has never been business as usual but always ready to surprise and adapt to any situation. So even amid the global pandemic, streetwear brands are bringing the stoke, as outlined in our SS21 Men’s Streetwear Retail Buyer’s Guide by Dirk Vogel. Photo Sessions
How exactly do you dress for a global pandemic? In one word: Casual. As the majority of workers transitions to work-from-home schemes and video conferencing replaces on-site office meetings, dress codes are shifting to ‘above the waist’ outfits. In other words, business-ready button-up shirts on top paired with pyjama pants, which have increased sales by 144 percent since April (New Yorker Magazine), or plain old boxer shorts below. Then again, boardsports enthusiasts have been finding ways to leave the house and get active even during pandemic lockdowns, and of all people, very much care about what they wear below the waist. In positive news, skate and surf have emerged as top trending activities during lockdown (see hardgoods reports in this issue), which has boosted sales despite adverse pandemic effects. “For us it has rebounded well post-lockdown. Obviously with retailers having to close their doors across Europe due to the pandemic, things slowed down, but for those that could maintain 79
“For us it has rebounded well postlockdown. Obviously with retailers having to close their doors across Europe due to the pandemic, things slowed down, but for those that could maintain an online presence the sell-through was great. Long may it continue”. Joe Bourne, Brand Manager at Santa Cruz Skateboards. an online presence the sell-through was great. Long may it continue,” said Joe Bourne, Brand Manager at Santa Cruz Skateboards. What’s more, skateboarding is receiving more mainstream love than ever. High fashion continues to look at street skating for inspiration, most recently including a pro model shoe endorsed by Lucien Clarke for Louis Vuitton, whose Head Designer, Virgil Abloh, has certified skate skills himself. Plus, a remastered Tony Hawk’s Pro Skateboarder video
