Streetwear - a defining sub-culture in fashion
Now a multi-billion dollar sector of the fashion industry, streetwear has come a long way from its humble beginnings.
From the surf and skate scene in LA to the hip-hop culture of New York, streetwear historically is known for its simplicity, comfort and casual clothing, but has evolved over the years into something much more. Streetwear typically comprises a set of base items but usually based on a statement pair of trainers and a quality t-shirt along with one other defining factor - exclusivity!
Once driven by a young male audience to combat the more elaborate looks of the time, streetwear has since been adopted by a female audience which skews to the younger generations often under the age of 25.
Stretching from the luxury brands to the highstreet mainstays, this once niche fashion culture has spread far and wide for all to wear. Let’s take a look at the defining influences on the culture and what defines a movement that is now driving the wider fashion industry.
So firstly, what has influenced the streetwear movement? It all starts with the foundational years between the 80’s and 90’s.
Board riders
Let’s take a trip to the California beaches in the late 80’s where surfboard designer Shawn Stüssy sold t-shirts out of the boot of his car with custom prints which he previously used on his surf boards. These custom T’s grew in popularity at which point he switched to selling out of stores and with continued growth he made a move that would lay the foundation of streetwear t-shirts and limited runs (exclusivity).
Later, skating became more popular and just like with surfing, it became cool to treat your t-shirt like your board - donning it with logos! This part of the streetwear story was really taken to another level by James Jebbia, founder of skate brand Supreme.
