HY P E VAUL T THE MUST HAVE HYPEBEASTS TO ADD ON YOUR COLLECTION
YOUR GIFT GUIDE (YOUR SHOPPING, DONE FAST)
2021 SPECIAL INSPIRED BY VIRGIL ABLOH JAMES JEBBIA
All photo credits: Unsplash & stockx
CONTENTS INTRO/SHOES
PG 4/5
WEARABLES
PG 6/7
GIFT GUIDE
PG 8/9
INFOGRAPHIC
PG 10/11
FEATURE STORIES PG 12/13
‘‘STORE YOUR SNEAKERS IN A DARK SPACE, BECAUSE LIGHT CAN CAUSE YELLOWING, WHICH DEVALUES YOUR SHOES’’
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WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Streetwear is a strange and complex beast. On the one hand, it’s disposable, obnoxious and often unflattering. On the other, Supreme – the skate brand that James Jebbia launched in the nineties – is now a billion-dollar behemoth. It collaborates with Louis Vuitton and, if you believe the rumour mill, even has a link-up with Rolex pending. It’s no fad, either. Though born 50 years ago in Californian surf culture, streetwear didn’t truly blow up until the noughties, when the first skate boom (thank you, Tony Hawk) and hip-hop’s chart dominance turned a generation onto baggy jeans and graphic tees. Today, that generation is hitting adulthood proper. And though it might have a mortgage, it still feels more comfortable in a hoodie than a suit. “Streetwear is so many people’s go-to each day because dress codes have become so much more relaxed,” says Harvey Nichols menswear buyer Lara Djandji. “The amount of customers looking for tailoring has decreased as more and more people are wearing jeans with a jacket to work, and those who previously wore jeans are now more inclined to shop for a tracksuit.” Fortunately, streetwear itself has grown up, too. So whether you’re looking to adjust your style, or just refine your jeans-and-a-sweatshirt wardrobe, here are six ways to do it without looking like a try-hard.
4 - Intro
“Stussy took a multi-faceted, subculturally diverse, Southern Although it is speculated as to when California lifestyle-based T-shirt streetwear originated, and how it brand and mimicked the limited actually came about, it is thought feel of a high-end luxury brand. to have started as early as the late And those are the two most inte1970s. This was an exciting time, with gral components of what makes the emergence of punk rock and very a brand streetwear: T-shirts and early hip-hop. As such, streetwear exclusivity” PUNK, SURF AND SKATE CULTURE
brands of the late 70s and 1980s borrowed heavily from the ‘do it WHAT TO EXPECT? yourself’ aesthetic of punk, new wave and heavy-metal cultures. Want to be the culture? Look for no more, here we came out with the latMany surfers and skaters also adest hyped brands to up your game. opted this DIY approach, producing From hyped shoes to designer cloththeir own branded surfboards and ing all these brands has had attractcool T-shirts with their own designs. ed huge number of love from these The most notable of the DIY T-shirt group of people. Sit down, grab your pioneers was surfboard designer coffee and enjoy the hyped reads! Shawn Stussy, who began selling printed T-shirts featuring the same trademark signature that he placed on his own custom surfboards. As Stussy became more of a popular cult icon, the popularity of his surfboards and clothing also rose. It is because of the notoriety of Stussy that some might argue that streetwear has less to do with urban expression than previously thought, since it was a surf company that was the springboard to streetwear’s ultimate success. This notion is summed up perfectly in complex magazine, who make the point that;
TRAVIS SCOTT X AIR JORDAN 1 Travis Scott has been on a recent run that will go down in history. Ever since his critically acclaimed ASTROWORLD album dropped in August 2018, the Houston-born rapper has been on top of the hip-hop game as well as the sneaker industry. Every song he touches climbs the charts, and every sneaker he drops sells out in seconds. Of course, as is the case with most sneaker collaborations, it’s his Air Jordan 1 that created the most buzz. The release of Scott’s AJ1 was a sixmonth saga that began with a quick Instagram leak in October 2018 and ended with one of the most notorious SNKRS app fiascos back in April of this year. Only adding fuel to “La Flame” (I had to do it. Sorry, Welty), Scott laced up his Air Jordan 1s on a nightly basis during his wildly popular ASTROWORLD Tour. With it now reselling for thousands and putting a cherry on top of one of the strongest collaborative sneaker runs of all time, there is no denying this Jordan 1’s spot on this list. Whether you are a casual Travis Scott fan, a die-hard rager, or someone who doesn’t really fuck with him at all, you know about this shoe and you’re probably a fan of it. —Ben Felderstein.
MOST HYPED DIOR X AIR JORDAN 1. TRAVIS SCOTT X AIR JORDAN TRAVIS SCOTT X NIKE SB LOW. TRAVIS SCOTT NIKE AIR MAX 270.SACAI NIKE LDV WAFFLE. OFF-WHITE X AIR JORDAN 1
OFF-WHITE X AIR JORDAN 1 “Chicago Virgil Abloh lived in Kanye West’s shadow for a long time, and that was OK. They were business partners and Kanye was his boss. But after a few successful attempts at streetwear, Nike gave Abloh and his Off-White label their own chance. It wasn’t something minor. In fact, it was the most daring collaboration that Nike has executed to date. The task? Rework 10 different silhouettes, both old and new, and release them all at once. The biggest of the bunch, from a hype standpoint, was Abloh’s version of the Air Jordan 1 “Chicago.” If you’re going to remix the sneaker that started it all, you better not miss. Abloh added an exposed-foam tongue, a Swoosh that was hanging on by a stitch, and his signature red tag. Purists and newcomers alike were both in on it. So were Abloh’s celebrity friends. Before the shoe’s release, he gave out personally signed pairs to the likes of Beyoncé, Michael Jordan, Drake, Roger Federer, etc. The popularity of the shoe instantly grew. It was genius marketing and was able to make people want anything designed by Abloh, whether great or mediocre. Want a pair now? It will cost you damn near four grand. —Matt Welty - Shoes
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You may have heard the term “hype clothing” or “hypebeast” when it comes to streetwear. But do you know what it all means or why it’s called that? Let’s dig in and get some knowledge on all things hype... It is common knowledge that in 2019 Streetwear is not just made for the streets, Streetwear is dominating the fashion world and is even making its place known in the exclusive luxury fashion market too.
buy shoes unless they popular”.
and limited edition item.
While “Hypebeast” is a relatively new term, people often associate the concept with sneakerhead culture which was prevalent in the late 1990s and early 2000 in which people would collect expensive branded trainers.
Supreme are the kings of the clothing drops and also have a massive following in the streetwear scene. Established in 1994 in downtown Manhattan, the brand has come a long way since, amounting a mass cult following around the world and even collaborating with some massive names such as Nike, Vans and North Face.
Although there are many conflicting opinions on what “hypebeast” actually means, it is in agreement that a Hypebeast is someone who keeps up with the latest fashion trends in order So why has streetwear become so to impress friends and those around popular and where did it come from? them, they are obsessed with the latest releases and will go to any length Keep reading to find out how the to achieve the “Hype”. You will often Hype around streetwear a.k.a hype find these “Hype Beasts” camping clothing turned into one of the most outside supreme stores in order to popular fashion trends in history. ensure they are the first in line for the latest drops. The term “Hype Beast” can be traced back to 2005 when the term was If you are familiar with streetwear coined as a blend of the two words brands, I am sure you are familiar “Hype” (which in this instance refers with the popular “drop” marketing to the extravagant publicity around a strategy which has been adopted new item of clothing or a trend), and by many of the brands. The “drop” “Beast” which is slang for a person process consists of releasing small who is skilled at something, in this quantities of “limited edition” case a person who is skilled at keep- clothing at selected retail locations ing up with the latest fashion trends. or online, these products are often released without much warning Despite the word tracing back to and are often announced on social 2005, it entered mainstream culture media. This strategy works to create when rapper Trinidad James rea sense of urgency and exclusivity leased his song “All Gold Everything” and leads the customer to believe which contained the line “Hypethat they must purchase the product beasts we know aboutchea, don’t quickly, in order to own an exclusive
6 - Wearables
When these new products “drop” in stores every week, without fail, there will be customers will be queuing for miles down the street in order to get their hands on the latest releases and obviously there is no better marketing for a brand than passers by seeing queueing down the street to get into your store.
MOST WEARABLE-HYPES: SUPREME NIKE YEEZY ADIDAS POLO RALPH LAUREN STÜSSY CHAMPION
‘‘THE HYPE WHICH SURROUNDS THE BRAND AND THE BRAND NAME CAN BE LINKED BACK TO THEIR FOCUS ON CLOTHING DROPS”
- Wearables
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The evolution of streetwear is a fascinating one. The subgenre of casual fashion has gone through a metamorphosis over the years, with no period more eclectic and diverse than right now. OGs like Stüssy, Undefeated, and Supreme are still among some of the most recognizable brands today. Others that once reigned supreme—no pun intended—like The Hundreds, Crooks and Castles, and Diamond Supply Co., helped push streetwear into the mainstream in the late 2000s, when Fairfax Avenue was the epicenter of the culture. But there’s a new crop of brands currently pushing the needle. Today’s definition of “streetwear” might be a little looser than before thanks to the marriage of street fashion and luxury, which has birthed brands like Fear of God, 424, and Rhude. There might be no better example of this than Virgil Abloh’s appointment as men’s artistic director of Louis Vuitton or legend8 - Gift Guide
ary street artist Kaws working with Kim Jones on design elements for his inaugural spring 2019 collection for Dior Men—two things that would have seemed unlikely a decade ago. With the evolution of streetwear in mind, we rounded up the 15 Best American streetwear brands around today. There are a lot of brands that would cause a public outcry (perhaps there’s an omission that’s inspired that vitriol, regardless). But not having Supreme on a list of the greatest American streetwear brands? That would be a travesty. It’s not the originator of the style, but when you’re trying to define what a streetwear brand is, NYC’s Supreme is the template. The brand makes sellout collections season after season, each with new ideas or reworked concepts inspired by everything from politics and music to high and low art. Outside of Nike and Jordan, it’s a brand that’s almost single-handedly created and
fostered the online reselling culture that’s so pervasive today. Supreme has become all about hype, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t creating good product. The spring 2019 collection features a D-ring trench coat, a leather blazer, and a silk shirt covered in a Guadalupe pattern. This is interspersed with covetable collaborations with The North Face, Stone Island, and unexpected novelty items like a hand-painted porcelain cupid made by Meissen. Websites worth checking out for the most hyped weareables from head to bottom. END UNION LOS ANGELES SLAM JAM SOCIALISM HAVEN NOMAD SUPPLY GOODHOOD TRÈS BIEN NEED SUPPLY CO. FIRMAMENT
‘‘SNEAKER CULTURE IS AT AN ALLTIME HIGH, AND EVEN ELITE FASHION HOUSES ARE DESIGNING SNEAKERS’’ Streetwear and athleisure is the norm now, and men are flexing with egregiously priced hoodies and jeans designed just so they can better show off their sneakers. As a result, the term “sneakerhead” no longer applies solely to a small group of committed collectors. A lot of guys now classify themselves as sneakerheads, even if they don’t have hundreds of rare Air Jordans in their closet and weardrobe. Because sneakerheads know about the best kicks before anyone else, shopping for them can be difficult. As a result, sometimes the best gifts for sneakerheads are not more sneakers. Rather, if you need gift ideas for the sneakerhead in your life, consider shoe cleaning kits and other accessories in addition to shoes.
We have compiled a list of just that below. 1. JASON MARKK PREMIUM SHOE CLEANER 2. SNEAKERFREAKER: THE ULTIMATE SNEAKER BOOK 3. SUPREME UTILITY BAG RED 4. BAPE X SPALDING ABC CAMO BASKETBALL 5. MISSLO NYLON TRAVEL SHOE BAGS 6. OFF-WHITE TIE-DYE SOCKS 7. GIFT-HERO SNEAKER AIRPOD CASE 8. HOMAR NO-TIE SHOELACES 9. OFF WHITE/IKEA “KEEP OFF” RUG 10. MEN’S ADJUSTABLE KEEP SHAPE SHOE TREES - Gift Guide 9
The Complete Beginners Guide to Every Off-White x Nike Releases Virgil Abloh and Nike’s “The Ten” collaboration was the biggest sneaker event of 2017, with Highsnobiety readers voting Abloh the most influential person of the year and electing his Nike Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” design the best sneaker of 2017 in our annual Highsnobiety Crowns.
Senior Swoosh staff such as senior design director Nate Jobe and VP of footwear design Andy Caine were heavily involved in the project from the beginning, working with Abloh to realize his designs. Caine himself participated in “OFF-CAMPUS” events held in North America and Europe, where guests including The Off-White™ “The Ten” project Bloody Osiris, Tremaine Emory, and included sneakers from Nike as well others talked about the cultural imas Nike-owned brands Converse and portance of the collaboration. Jordan. From late October to early November in 2017, the first releases Limited merchandise was availableat were split into two packs of five. The “OFF-CAMPUS,” including T-shirts “REVEALING” pack contained the and tote bags. You can find footage Off-White™ Nike Air Jordan 1, Air from the events on YouTube. Max 90, Air Presto, Air VaporMax, and Blazer Mid. The “GHOSTING” To supplement the collection, Nike pack included an Off-White™ Nike and Abloh also released a comAir Max 97, React Hyperdunk, Air prehensive 258-page book, docuForce 1, Zoom Vaporfly, and Conmenting Abloh’s design process and verse Chuck Taylor All Star. revealing key facts about each of the shoes in the collaboration. You “It’s larger than design culture,” said can find a digital version of that book Abloh at the time. “These 10 shoes here. have broken barriers in performance and style. To me, they are on the In early 2020, famed designer Hiroshi same level as the sculpture of David Fujiwara revealed that the collection or the Mona [Lisa]. You can debate it was initially intended to include deall you want, but they mean somesigns from himself as well as Abloh, thing.” creating pack that included shoes designed by Fujiwara and Abloh. The collaboration was teased on “We had kind of started doing… mayInstagram months ahead of its be he did ten, and I was supposed release, leaving sneakerheads hotly to do ten. But, [he] kind of won the anticipating the deconstructed kicks’ game, and I lost it,” said Fujiwara. release dates after they were heavily “The thing he did was beautiful, and I cosigned on social media by the likes understand why everyone goes crazy of A$AP Rocky, Drake, Kim Jones, about it. So, I’m a loser this time.” and even Naomi Campbell.
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Where to buy Nike x Off-White™ Sneakers from Abloh and Nike’s collaboration are globally available at select stockists, with the exception of regional-exclusive models. Key Nike x Off-White™ retailers include the following: Europe Solebox Sneakersnstuff END. Clothing Voo
Asia Lane Crawford I.T mita Sneakers Sports Lab by atmos
North America KITH BAIT Undefeated A Ma Manière Notre Shop Concepts
Other StockX Stadium Goods Grailed GOAT
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Materialism in Hypebeast Culture
Sneaker Exchange Worth $1 Billion
In pop culture, ”hypebeast” is a derogatory term used to describe an individual who collects luxury apparel, shoes, and accessories to increase their status. Hypebeasts usually wear a mishmash of streetwear name brands such as Supreme, Off-White, Vetements, Antisocial Social Club, and Bape. If Los Angeles has Melrose Avenue and London has Soho, then Tokyo has Urahara―a paradise for hypebeasts and fashion enthusiasts alike. But then this begs the question: how did hypebeast culture come about?
About halfway through our conversation, StockX founder Josh Luber tells me something that sounds impossible. “Three years ago, [sneaker and streetwear resellers] StockX, GOAT, Stadium Goods didn’t exist,” he says. “Now, all three of those are worth at least $150 million.” A small amount of Googling reveals that Luber’s right, somehow. Crazier still: Grailed was founded only a year earlier, took on $15 million in investment this year, and is now in the neighborhood. Up until this point, StockX, which Luber says is “considerably bigger” than the other platforms, has “only” taken on $6 million in investment. That changes today, as StockX is getting a company-changing $44 million investment. The money comes from Google’s investment arm GV and Battery Ventures, plus a couple names you might recognize, like Don C, Steve Aoki, and Karlie Kloss. (Eminem, Mark Wahlberg, and Scooter Braun are already invested.)
more laid-back than modern-day hypebeasts, the first wave enjoyed a culture that was about self-expression, belonging, and a genuine love for the community. Nowadays, this isn’t always the case.
Hypebeast style varies across the world. For instance, Japanese hypebeasts are known for focusing on individuality, whereas Chinese hypebeasts tend to emphasise the trendiest items. Brand preferences also differ from one place to another: American hypebeasts tend to purchase Jordans and Supreme, while Hypebeast culture is a subgenre of British hypebeasts are more keen streetwear culture―a clothing style on Yeezys and Palace. Hypebeasts that emerged from Californian surf don’t think twice about purchasing and skateboard lifestyle. Streetstreetwear items worn by their fawear blends casual clothing such as vourite celebrities. Streetwear brands t-shirts, oversized sweaters, hoodies, have to generate brand value to stay jeans, and sneakers, with sportswear competitive—and in this day and age, and hip hop elements. Beginning with this is done with celebrity endorsea small surfboard business that sold ments. With the help of the Internet, and printed logo t-shirts in Los Ange- social media, and streetwear-clad les during the 1980s, Shawn Stussy of “off-duty” celebs, streetwear goods Stüssy is often credited with transcan go viral overnight. So it should forming streetwear from a subculcome as no surprise to hear that ture into a high-end luxury style. The items worn by celebrities sell out in streetwear movement grew worldseconds. wide in the 1990s as more and more streetwear brands were launched. In Streetwear brands also cultivate Japan, this was marked by a pivotal brand value through “drop culshift towards the creation of urban ture”, which was first introduced clothing lines by Urahara pioneers by Supreme. Drop culture involves like Nigo, founder of A Bathing Ape releasing limited-edition products or (or “Bape”). Those early consumcapsule collections at select stores, ers of streetwear formed the first without advertising. Driven by the wave of hypebeast culture. Much illusion of scarcity, hypebeasts queue 11 - Feature Story
for hours to get their hands on these lucrative goods. Some camp out overnight or travel across the world just to purchase these items. This sense of exclusivity cultivates materialistic tendencies—the more expensive and scarce the goods are, the greater the prestige. Hypebeasts ultimately find themselves buying these goods—Supreme hammers, Supreme air horns… Supreme bricks!—just for the sake of buying them. Hypebeast culture used to be a laidback cultural activity. The persistent use of “drop culture” and celebrity marketing to cultivate brand value by streetwear brands has, over time, turned the culture into a materialistic pastime. Nowadays, hypebeasts are increasingly encouraged to consume in order to stay “hype”—and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to do so. In the end, the most important thing is to be more conscious of the materialistic tendencies of hypebeast culture. The underlying motivation behind why we consume and how we consume streetwear makes all the difference.
‘‘THIS SENSE OF EXCLUSIVITY CULTIVATES MATERIALISTIC TENDENCIES—THE MORE EXPENSIVE AND SCARCE THE GOODS ARE,
The $44 million investment is just a piece of the massive pool of cash large firms are throwing at the sneaker and streetwear resale space. Goat picked up $60 million earlier this year. LVMH’s investment company put an undisclosed but presumably ungodly amount into Stadium Goods. Zoom out just a little and you can see just how aggressively firms are pursuing brands and companies in the sneaker and streetwear business. And if Supreme is now worth $1 billion, it’s not hard
to see why investors are flocking to companies that sell Supreme—with way less overhead. Luber wants StockX to be the most ambitious of all the resale platforms. The core of the company’s business is selling sneakers and streetwear, along with watches and handbags. But the grand vision for the site is to treat these goods like stocks, generating something like the true market value for an item. “MSRP [retail price] is dead,” Luber says at one point. Sneakers aren’t worth what companies want to charge—they’re worth whatever a teen with a speedy internet connection is willing to sell them for. But Luber understands that his end goal isn’t exactly practical. “If I have to teach every 14-year-old how to use the stock market, that’s probably an uphill battle that I don’t want to fight at scale,” he says. Luber points to a series of commercials StockX rolled out. There’s no mention of the stock market idea. Instead, the message is boiled all the way down: “Here’s where you can get the shoes you want,” Luber says. He feels a little guilty about it, obscuring his desires. But while he keeps one eye on the clouds—“You have to explain things that are truly revolutionary, right?” he says—for now, he just wants to sell more sneakers and Supreme tees than the next guy. That’s where the $44 million comes in.
Luber outlines his top priorities for spending the cash. The first is global expansion. While StockX can ship anywhere in the world, it’s not set up with operations, customer service, or marketing in any place but the U.S. Now, StockX will move into Europe and Asia. The second goal is to expand on the categories StockX is already in. What sounds simple is made difficult by the way the platform operates. Each product needs its own individual page, and that requires engineers to expand StockX’s streetwear category beyond the brands it’s already selling, like Supreme, Bape, Kith, Palace, and several others. The last item on Luber’s how-to-spend-the-fat-check list: getting into new verticals. Luber throws out street art and prints, wine, action figures, and Funko toys as potential candidates. The $44 million is jet fuel for StockX and Luber says the brand is ready to “to step on the gas.” “That’s certainly our goal,” Lee says when I ask if part of the reason for the investment was to push StockX to become the category leader, the winner that takes all. “That’s the whole reason we did the financing.”
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