Streetwear

Fresh off

the

Streetwear to Runway streets to the

runway

How street fashion has moulded a new genre in the world of fashion

Written by Olivia Khyat Designed by Kayla Annakie

The streets are our very own runway for the ordinary people like you and me. When it’s not leading powerhouse brands like Gucci, Dior and Givenchy dictating what’s in fashion and what is not, it’s us who roam the urban jungles that are our towns and cities in the clothes 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 originated 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, deserves thanks for this new fashionn movement as he is described as the first ever streetwear designer. His clothes that have inspired the hundreds of streetwear shops and brands over the last couple of decades and has influenced so many labels and designers.

This birthed a whole new sub-genre and without it we wouldn’t see the luxury brands like Off-White and Vetements, staple names in today’s contemporary streetwear.

With California leading the streetwear scene, it wasn’t long until New York’s own spin started to take off. With brands like Supreme taking off in the early ‘90s, it only propelled the movement further. Supreme created its own hype and culture around the style, giving it an exclusive edge.

Street style is commonly worn by misfits and those who don’t conform to typical trends and brands like Supreme steered its products to match these edgy, careless personalities.

With weekly Thursday drops, the brand became notorious in the streetwear category. They created a buzz around their products, not just through clothing drops but also other miscellaneous items and once they were sold out, that was them gone for good, standing out from other leading brands. Although Supreme and Stüssy both motivated the streetwear trend, it really started to take off when people began to realise that going against certain clothing expectations is actually okay. We’re wearing streetwear because society’s dress codes have relaxed.

For streetwear, the turning point was the eventual interest from celebrities. Beginning to choose to strut about in streetwear looks as opposed to ultra-glam outfits for their everyday life, streetwear gave them an opportunity to mix their recognisable high-end clothing style with the comforting indulgence they crave.

Modern street fashion has started to merge and break boundaries at 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 nowadays to see these 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 and challenges both brands creatively to make something out of their comfort zones.

Even brands like Comme Des Garcons, known for 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 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 in the suburbs of LA and has acquired popularity thanks to its low maintenance and alternative style. It’s a trend that has captivated the modern fashion industry, inspired by youth culture and presented us with new and refreshing clothing unlike any previous trends.

It has brought new excitement to the industry and it has my attention firmly grasped. We should all be eager to see where it leads next. N