ISSUE 1
Dear Reader, Welcome to the first issue of URBN Mag. I created URBN Mag as part of a recent university project on zines. The brief was to create a zine on anything that interested us as long as it related to a subculture. So here we are… A Streetwear zine influenced by the skate subculture of the 1950’s to modern day. ‘Streetwear’ is simply defined as casual clothing of a style worn especially by members of various urban youth subcultures. Streetwear is a term that has evolved from clothing that was coming out of Southern-California in the late 70’s and early 80’s that was themed around cultures like surfing and skateboarding extending ever so slightly into hip-hop. Streetwear continues to draw elements from the same cultures however also draws from music, street art, pop culture and sports with particular focus on baseball and basketball. Throughout this zine I wanted to portray the idea that streetwear is less about a particular look but more about expression, individuality and rebelling against social norms. I hope you enjoy the zine as much as I’ve enjoyed creating it. Don’t forget to follow URBN Mag on Instagram @URBN_MAG for further exclusive content and imagery. Peace out, Emily x
SUPREME SPRING / SUMMER 2018 LOOKBOOK
WRITTEN BY: EMILY STEPHENSON ‘The thing people have to understand is that streetwear lives and dies,’ says Off-White Creative Director Virgil Abloh. ‘It flares up and then it goes away because streetwear is so of its time.’ So how has streetwear risen from the outskirts of fashion to luxury big leagues? The term streetwear is one of the most talked about terms in fashion. In 2017 luxury streetwear label Supreme sold a stake that reportedly valued the company at $1 billion. It came as a huge surprise for a company known for selling hoodies, t-shirts and totally out there collectables such as branded bricks and money guns. With Supreme transforming the luxury market. Changes fashion culture particular within streetwear where becoming apparent with clothes getting more casual driving inspiration from sportswear with increasing popularity of sneakers and hoodies. To talk about the rise of streetwear and not discuss social media would be ludicrous. Social media acts both as an insight into personal style and spotlights on up and coming designers that sell the ‘cool-kid style’.
THE RISE OF STREETWEAR “Designers like Demna Gvasalia, the founder of Vetements, created a cult brand on social media that landed him a creative director role at Balenciaga, while decades-old streetwear brand Supreme pops up all over Instagram in a new age of exposure” - Glossy Streetwear signature styles such as hoodies and tees, graphic logos that seem made for the Instagram age, a fixation on sneakers, ties to hip-hop, and a shared sense of culture line up neatly with those bigger shifts in the way younger generations of shoppers live and dress. Streetwear represents many of the most dynamic crosscurrents in fashion today and we’ll continue to see it grow in the years to come.
/KamEfla3/ is a menswear / urban wear brand, taking inspiration from brands such as off-white, Stussy and Hood by Air. /KamEfla3/ has been created by Hannah Joce, Fashion Design Graduate, and Josh Silvester, Graphic Design Student, both from Plymouth College of Art. /KamEfla3/ look to create a real and raw feeling to every aspect of this brand, presenting a lifestyle and not just a label.
Could you give a brief overview of the brand? The label is a mens streetwear/ urbanwear brand, taking inspiration from repetition and structural patterns. We are looking to create a personal and raw feeling in every aspect of the brand, presenting a lifestyle through our brand DNA. Our brand is a platform for the individual, it screams identity and self expression through our unique artistic style and monochromatic prints translated onto street wear fashion. How did you discover a need for this type of product in the marketplace? We know our Claret from our Beaujolais. Inspirations and Influences? Blur. World. Clothes. Stripes, White Lightning, Sk8ers. and my goldfish Brian(RIP).
Is there a story behind the name of the brand? Josh: I was fucking around with the name for what felt like forever and randomly made a camouflage print out of words, I see type more as a shape and a form rather than just a means of communication, I was trying to be ironic. Hannah liked it so we rolled with it. We still haven’t quite figured out how to pronounce it lol. How have you seen the role of social media develop for you as a brand since you first started out? This is an Instagram Generation, everyone has their own selfie style and hashtag. Our Customer looks for their inspiration and lifestyle on social media, which is perfect for us, social media creates an exciting reach for a wide and diverse community. We want to create a social media style that draws inspiration from every aspect of life, play on the stereotypes of Generation Z, distort them and put our brand stamp all over it. /KamEfla3/ is about standing out, not blending in.
URBN MAG