Corporations kill culture, it's not about people getting together for them, just about being as consumable as possible. People become part of a culture because of a shared interest, once that context is lost, it can years or even decades to recover that social context and in some cases it may never return.
I think that is true to a point, but I think street wear came to prominence linked with rap culture quite frequently and so many of the problems we are seeing are a reflection of that. Rap often embraces thug culture or gang culture. The issue is that if you leave that behind for more mainstream success then now what are supposed to be the roots? Skating isn't common enough for it to be the roots. You are left with a conundrum. Streetwear is often incompatible by design with: working in an office, blue collar work where baggy clothes get you hurt, kids/moms and so who is left? Bored younger people before they get jobs and the criminal crowd? People wealthy enough to not have to go to an office?
@@LotusesGalaxyOcean Streetwears roots are deeper and more nuanced than 'rap' and 'thug or gang culture', its directly related to the context of local cities. Back in the day someone from SF would be exposed to certain brands (huf, benny gold, thehundreds), while someone in another would be exposed to another set of local brands with their own identity thats informed by the local culture. Thats what corporations destroy. As far as when you can wear streetwear, it depends on good judgement and personal style, I've seen streetwear in the office and on construction sites, you make it work
@@diemes5463 My man, u sound too bitter, yes corpos destroy culture, but they fueled by the people and their money and their desire to be 'cool'. Its simple really, what is being 'cool', what it really means is status, well it means that to the majority, only a very small percentage understand what real cool is and thats a whole other topic on its own. For the rest of us sheep, we care about status (a very primal thing that u could argue is necessary and natural), fashion trends keep changing cuz the poor people try their darnest to catch up to what the rich peeps wearing and the rich try their darnest changing what they wear so they don't look like poor people. Cuz rich people want people to know how rich they are so they get the best mates and the best people to get access to their stuff, and poor people want people to 'see' how rich they could be hoping to be invited to the club. If corpos be killing culture, then the people themselves are killing culture.
That is why when Virgil said “Streetwear is dead” I tried to dig deeper rather than going crazy like other people And he definitely had some points and this year it is becoming more evident Your video has definitely opened peoples eyes more Great vid
Hearing all that actually explains why it was always so hard to define what "streetwear" is. Because by today's standards it just means regular clothes that the youngsters wear
yeah when I was a kid in the late 90's early 2000's, I remember we all wore baggy sweatshirts and things because it was comfortable and practical. I'm the youngest in my family so I would wear everyone's hand-me-downs, which is part of why they were always big and baggy, and my parents liked it because that meant I could wear them longer because if it's too big I can grow into them. like there were actual just practical everyday reasons for this "look".
My 2 favorite definitions of Streetwear come from Virgil and Bobby Hundreds Virgil: Streetwear is clothing made with very limited resources (printed graphics on blanks). Bobby: (I’m summarizing his book) Streetwear isn’t about the clothes, it’s about what the graphics & logos represent. You should be able to get to know and have a conversation with someone based on their participation in Streetwear garments. It’s about community. It’s about The Hundreds of people you align with. That being said, I do think there can be a sense of culture in wearing a few popular luxury brands: Raf, Rick Owens, CDG mainline & even Balenciaga for those that love irony. These luxury brands have a core dna that resinates with fans and an aesthetic that mirrors a street influence because those designers come from it. I also think modern brands (brands created within the last 5 years) are using the term “Streetwear” so they won’t get critiqued as a luxury brand. Using Virgil’s definition, you can’t be a Streetwear brand selling cut & sewn jackets, pants and knitted sweaters. Cut and sew is a luxurious process and an exercise of resources.
@@jalensplash697 yep because thats what im going for with my brand I’m starting with blanks and will always have them just with higher quality material and I’m keeping the lower quality material for the more affordable options I’m gonna have for people who can’t afford the luxury pieces I drop
As Yogi Berra said once, "..no one goes there, it's too crowded ". An old head here, streetwear to me and my friends was basically heading out to Bridgewater Mall in NJ and jacking Polo stuff in bulk. It was basically most of us wearing Polo overall. Then Union opened up on Spring Street and we saw UK brands come to NYC - where we all kinda low-key wanted to be in the Madchester scene. Things will always change.
I agree with a lot of what you said Reggie. It’s very obvious to people when a trend is organic or forced, so when one that was organic is commodified by unfamiliar companies, it tarnishes the trend’s authenticity, this usually diminishing its exposure. While I think some products like slides, dad hats, Fanny packs, and other items have never been out of the wheelhouse of either a athletic brand or a luxury brand, it really sticks out in a bad way when say Balenciaga wholesale adopts a massive FILA or adidas logo for a ‘luxury’ piece.
I recommend watching interviews with Walter van Beirendonck and the death of subculture. There are still people passionate and dedicated to streetwear, but they live in their own circles.
I think the deeper level it goes into how from the 2010’s we have entered a hyper capitalism consumerist culture that’s accelerated from the GFC. This meaning all parts of daily life has worsened in quality for quantity. Think about how cinema has devolved into marvel and corporate films. How music is being no longer about albums but your 7 second attention span. Think about how your current phone no longer lasts as much as it once did. Even buildings see more damage in a short time span than before. This hyper capitalist accelerated culture has been bred from 08 onwards. And thus fashion was to suffer the same fate. It’s mostly controlled under a couple of corporate heads Bernard Arnault to say for one (one of the richest men in the world) thanks to conglomerating all the fashion houses and absorbing culture into profit. It’s very post modern to be ironic and replicate the for example. “Punk aesthetic” but selling it kind of defeats the ethos of punk? It’s all about aesthetics which leads to hyper trends and so on. You see I agree with all these points but the only people you can blame are the elites in all aspects not just fashion for turning current culture into what it is now. An economy like this that’s fast accelerated cannot last forever and thus it will soon implode on itself. You can’t get any shorter than micro trends on tik tok for people to consume. It’s all going to collapse and … in that moment when the system fails many. Like we have seen in centuries before. It will birth a new culture of anti movements that will delve into art and design from music fashion etc etc you’ll see a reaction to what is happening now.
As someone not involved, it's come up a handful of times recently where I've told people that if they never understood it, it wasn't for them. Mostly it's been in response to people saying that streetwear sucks, when what they mean is a trend they didn't understand in the first place is (actually) dying and now they don't have to pretend they did anymore. It's the same thing you see when people look back on their past participation in fashion subcultures and call it cringe- it wasn't genuine and that causes embarrassment they try to justify by saying that it never was, but if they'd found something that resonated, it either stuck or is something they can look back on with understanding, since those are the thought processes and influences that they grew from. With the way things have changed recently I wonder if we'll actually see a resurgence every few years, or if we're moving into time periods over subcultures since the latter seem to be becoming less identifiable because our collective attention is focused on online spaces where newer expressions aren't as present in (and so aren't readily decoded) or in online spaces that are more socially interconnected but less visually homogeneous (and therefore get sorted into separate 'aesthetics' despite being the same.)
Luxury definitely changed Street wear. As someone who grew up pre hypebeast era heavily into fashion but only really learning and discovering my personal brand of fashion around the hypebeast era, I saw the rise and fall of a lot of brand identity and culture. I watched the crowds they drew and recognized that I wasn’t a part of their cultures. Slowly I saw those crowds change in demographic as luxury brands began to commodify and distort the audience to the point where it felt like anyone could essentially buy their way into those spaces.
As a kid who grew up punk and heavily involved in the UKHC scene, a big part of me always wanted to dress more "goth" but I didn't feel comfortale doing that. My relationship with my gender identity has always been a bit odd and I felt like wearing clothes that seemed more "feminine" (read: not baggy jeans, a hoodie and baseball cap) presented a part of myself I was uncomfortable with sharing, and that the culture I was in was not extremely accepting of. When Streetwear started to become high fashion it not only gave the high fashions an "in" to street subcultures that was damaging, it did also open up some of those cultures to new aesthetic influences that were maybe seen as a little "taboo" beforehand. Hip-hop, hardcore punk etc. IN GENERAL is now significantly more accepting of androgyny and whatnot. A lot of that is due to wider cultural movements, but the merging of streetwear with high fashion definitely played a part. There are some positives from what might feel like an overall negative corporate ransacking of working-class cultures. I don't wear high fashion, despite my interest in it, but brands like Stay Cold, Blackcraft, Disturbia etc. do that Nu-Goth thing with a big ol' chunk of streetwear thrown in and I hope brands like that continue to exist. I work a very white-collar job, but I'll always be a hardcore kid at heart and my main social life is going to shows. You're not gonna find me at a beatdown show in an oxford shirt and loafers. Love you channel man, great content in this video as always. Insightful and balanced whilst not being afraid to be opinionated and speak your mind. Keep it up!
Bro, I live in Portland, Oregon and hearing Gorpcore talked about like it’s the new wave is super funny to me. All that super cool “Gorpcore” clothing is exactly what everybody wears over the age of 35 here and it’s always been like that. I see those dudes decked out in Arcteryx and cargos and feel like they’re about to go to a PTA meeting in a minivan.
You’re halfway right. Hypebeast culture and Resellers are half the blame because “we” started paying high fashion prices for streetwear brands due to this. Louie, Gucci, Dior all took notice at what we were spending on these “inferior” brands. LOL The fashion market reset itself a bit. High end brands started making more T-shirts and hoodies and we got collabs like Supreme/Louie, MCM/Puma, Guicci/Adidas etc. Think about it - there was never an I.O.U./Burbery collab or Triple Fat Goose/Gucci collab back in the day! LOL High end brands get to reach a younger consumer base who are already willing to spend the $$$$. Essentially the resale market got the next wave consumers used to paying high amounts for apparel they really wanted and its not even a big deal anymore.
so gen z is the culprit? I'm amazed how willingly kids want to spend paychecks and follow trends. As a millennial I haven't bought into sneakers or clothes until more recently but I know my limits and set a budget for the things I'd pay for.
@@alejandroramirez4470 To be fair they're being "raised" into this. It's all they know. And it seems they only care about the other brands, the ones in the middle of the pack is when they do collabs. Elder brands in the middle like Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, etc just don't have the Hype Best impact these days. And it's an all out war with the other middle brands like Staple, Palace, Kith, etc...
I feel like social media giving everyone an eye into the whole world made everyone want everything they see. So trending items are wanted by the world instead of a city. I'm from Toronto and there's no defining style just other styles all mixed in
Peak fashion content tbh. Rather than discussing superficial things about which items are trendy or what are the fashion trends rn, we should discuss the horror of those big fashion companies have done to the culture, to the people. Furthermore I actually sense that with the decaying of Balenciaga, the resignation of Alessandro in Gucci, the never ending quest of LV searching for CD, and the rise of minimalism/old money aesthetics, I hope we all really near the end of the hypebeastization or hypermechandising of high fashion. LVMH and Kering honestly need to be stopped.
Definitely made a lot of good points. I feel like luxury getting into street ware has almost made liking street ware that isn't from a high fashion brand uncool. If you have a slightly oversized black tee you found a thrift for $3 , compared to the same thing only with a small Balenciaga logo, the later is going to have way more praise and attention because people think that brand is cool, not the style itself. Nowadays it's more "cool" to spend $1200 on a jacket rather than $40 on a jacket with roughly the same quality just without the big brand name behind it.
@@ros8986 the tides have turned in this hyper-connected, social media driven world, at least for typically younger folks who connect to it. Validation is crowd-sourced via likes.
I will keep saying this till I'm blue in the face; the democratization of fashion destroyed the fashion ecosystem. Destroying barriers also means destroying the rules that held up the culture. If anyone can rock anything, then no one stays anywhere. Combine that with the infinite and blinding speed of the internet where everyone can just make up a trend for the gram for a hot second, culture can't grow. I'm starting to see some buds begin to sprout, but these are people that are actively refusing the entire system to build up some semblance of community and culture.
I agree with a lot what you say. But I think it's nuanced, for me street wear was not clothes or brands but styles that become trends that go on to become articles of clothing. The problem for street wear was the drip,the increasing importance of labels. Started in the 90s even earlier if you go way back to the custom Gucci leather tracksuits of Dapper Dan, but back then, it was a cultural take on luxury. It evolved from Wu wearing high end Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger sailing jackets and oversized chinos, less bespoke, but same approach, culture making status symbols for their own. But the mainstream hip hop and street culture of now, is all about the drip, as many labels as you can and chucking them together. Not saying it isn't stylish or cool, but it's all about the drip and nothing else, and more so the collabs. I think it is because the big fashion houses have seen the milage they can etfrom co-opting artists and pushing the narrative toward them. That's an old heads view on things.
Yes. I think they did. But also, kinda stole it. I really didnt care about it until Dior did a Jordan 1. I was like, "Why?" and "What for...?". If we go way back to the beginnings, icons like Dapper Dan have always played with famous luxury brands when making custom pieces to artists. But that was different. It was OF the culture. And a very different time in streetwear and design too. Today, I wonder if its almost the other way around. Gucci looking at hip-hop and streetwear brands and copying what they think we want. I'm one of those who thinks luxury brands should stay in their lane and do suits and button up shirts, suede boots and plaid coats and stuff. Luxury brands should stay boring. And leave the colorful camo cargos and pattern hoodies to us. We whom actually appreciate the raw and loud in the culture that it comes from. The street.
I agree, for me streetwear has always been about the brands behind them. Guys who care about the culture and made clothes for it. I have a channel on streetwear brand history, and I find that most of them lost their soul when they sold out to big business
you killed it fam! streetwear was 1000% invented on hbcu campuses, at their homecomings, the artists seeing their audience and taking notes, hip hop, black ivy the whole gang was commercialized and now its on to the next "bop" lol honestly its all streetwear to me now, an amalgamation of people copying tweaking inspiring reaching and posing lol. love the video bro!
@@zergbong hip hop and black culture informed streetwear period. Europe isn't progressive enough for hbcu's. Look at streetwear and just try to deny the hip hop influence, you can't. No whitewashing when the proof is evident bb ;)
i dunno anything about streetwear i just found your page for the tokyo thrifting but i grew up skateboarding (2004-2015 basically) and learned how to dress thru skateboarding. andd i am a girl. it was just part of the lifestyle. i remember when it started to leak into other subcultures.. but the style was very core and limited. and i always thought it was goofy when luxury imitated it. nowadays everything is so streamlined i don't think much about it anymore. excepttt i think japanese fashion is doing things lately. cuz that stuff was really never on my radar. (cept like harajuku fruits mag type stuff)
Big up dude! Although i like my skatepants, lowkicks, highkicks, hoodies, etc... I funny agree with you! I wear them because I like to combine my closet.
my opinion: street wear during my time is all about expressing, wearing something different - rebellious, not wanting to be the mainstream fashion, a lot of varieties. skate, hiphop, not stepping into the luxury, high end fashion. nowadays, streetwear become luxury, luxury wants a piece of streetwear scene. everything went sky high with the price, its more of a flex than a self expression.
I completely agree. Corporations grab whatever seems unique and not popular yet, wrap it, and then sell it to the masses. The history, culture and overall reason of existence of these styles get completely thrown out the window and marketed so that younger and more impressionable people want to buy it. And all of this ties into everyone now wanting to have a “unique personal style” and not knowing what to do. Because the meaning and culture of the clothes are completely erased and no one really wants to do any research in order to understand what they are wearing and think if it fits their personality, who they are and what they like. I’m just gonna stop rambling now lol
I agree with this idea mostly, I guess I'm thinking, is there no fix if you're trying to create a subculture/base off of a subculture that brings people together through clothes? Ig that's the point you're making is it can't stand on it's own legs and needs a subculture but idk I need to use the discord more
Great topic, We live in the universe of Street wear vs the mainstream since day 1. Our goal was to keep it underground Being the 1st graffiti fashion brand out of our city designing cut and sew pieces. We aimed to be a step towards luxury in terms of quality ppl. / consumers always seemed to equate both based off price and the feel of fabrics. But seeing the mega fashion houses re-strategies to compete with homegrown brands its bugged. Watching million dollar empires logo slap there brand's names on a hoodie, bucket hat and over tax customer is the problem. It feels like yesterday it wasn't even Fashion to them.Coming from the school of self taught designers. We knew myself personally a starting with a screen printed tee wasn't enough to show our city we meant business. So for a big company to do the opposite of elevating the design capabilities than grab a famous superstar/ media influencers is wack! The war was looking winnable until they appointment our guy Virgil. That's a story for the future. We champion what that did for our Culture and why it suffers after.... Not to mention the environment. Yo @Reggie different discussions Slow fashion and why we do it?
i agree with you so much but i think it started b4 luxury infiltrated to me i couldnt tolerate the new "culture" basically when supreme overtook rocking "gear" like avirex, sean john, dickies, rocawear, and so on
Sigh I can’t stand skinny jeans and jordan hi’s. High tops are good with cargos, joggers, stuff that either tapers or you can tie off like military cargos. But that’s just my opinion 🙂 luxury def ruined it tho. I agree completely. I always think off the LV “skate team” that is no longer advertised on their social media since Virgil passed. I couldn’t stand those two dudes filming at local skate parks dripped in LV doing some kick flips 😂😂
I think ‘We The Best’ will be a litmus test if the culture is officially dead, if both the sail and crimson bliss don’t sell out in droves around Easter 2023.
I feel like the blame is a much bigger conversation than just 'luxury killed it'. Subcultures in general are changing/no more in the way they once were, due to the internet. I'm a millennial, and was in college when the Hipster faze landed. I remember noticing at the time that the 'look' had no real culture behind it, and this felt like a first since I had grown up hearing/seeing punk/skate/hip hop/other looks from a subculture, and the hipster look was more of this weird uniform that came with certain flavors of hobbies. Corporations are doing the same thing with fashion as they are with movies, just recycling because the data says people like buying things they already know, new ideas are more of a chance. I'm so curious what conversations like this will be like in 20-30 years, once we've had a few generations that have grown up in this post smartphone/social media world.
completely agree!! I miss the true inspiration of the "street"people showing up at the fashion week now they are only logos wearers: how boring!!! I also "shrug" at people buying distressed jeans or clothes with holes from luxury designers: how these big brands CEO must laugh all the way to the bank!!!
tbh i always thought while it might well and truly be dead in the broader sense (imo brought about by a deadly combo of tiktok online gentrifiers and luxury brands, celebrities etc) for those who get the culture and have been on this for way longer itll stay much the same and eventually return from oversaturated/borderline annoying and overdone to normal. comforting thought to me lol but man they really had me tired of it all lol
Celebrity fashion became the popular thing you see now how it all about celebrities is wear that is what killed "Streetwear" corporate saw how new fashion celebrities could use to make" Streetwear " trending and now we have no end where it basic what shoe is next trending but I say it individual art style for niche who like use interest to express with clothing where it wasn't about the clothing it was using what I have a look for me not buy every shine new piece of clothing and shoe but express everyday life with what is normal. (need more editing)
Luxury killed "streetwear" as a commoditie, but in the global south we have a strong streetwear couture And yesterday LVMH selled off-white in the birthday of Virgil. That hurted in the guts. F you Bernard Arnault
this was some insightful ass shit Mr. Casual. Now I'm just confused. I'm just hunting for crap i like but not seeking to emulate anything in particular. Am I culture-less for not conforming to one sub-culture or the next? I'll say luxury brands sometimes offer pieces with construction choices that aren't profitable/possible at lower price points but so much of the luxury landscape is a monogrammed wasteland.
Well said 🎉I pretty much agreed with everything all the way until u said puffer jackets aren’t streetwear lol but I get it every brand has a puffer now a days and reaching making it seem like that’s validating the entire line as streetwear.
Environment defines the culture, e.g. hip hop wearing timberland to borrow from the real working men who really owned that style. MJ shoes was a basketball shoe, how many kids you think even know how to play Bball wearing mj. My point, fashion is tries to borrow those real ‘culture’ from working men, to athletes, yoga, now real tech nerd going to be adopted into fashion.
I feel if you follow the mainstream, you will always find yourself worn down. I like to just follow ppl with stories I enjoy, and if that being hooked, they gotta do a shit ton of work😅
@@thatguysixx im not disputing that and i agree tbf, but the hip hop rap culture thats inexplicably tied to street wear is ONLY wearing designer now and i think that's more than partially to blame for the death of street wear
@@thatguysixx yeah thats definitely true and i guess thats kinda what i felt like. its not mainstream but im sure theres other countries and subgroups where it thrives as well
This is arguing for the sake of arguing; however, there’s still a somewhat valid point. I disagree WRT the industry killing streetwear. They cannot kill something that they do not control. Contrary to popular belief, celebrities aren’t the only influencers/influences driving what people wear/enjoy. Add in the pandemic, the geographical region, the age, belief, access, pay scale, etc. Long/short, there are many things that drive streetwear & clothes in general. It’s funny that you mentioned street, originators & showed a picture of Malcolm X. All of these things have since evolved, some for better, others for worse. I could go on; however, I will digress & leave with this. Streetwear or your attire is whatever "you" like it to be, people who follow what they’re into & what they like will be forever cool/validated in their own lives. Master yourself & your likes, you’ll see yourself & surroundings differently.
The pic of Malcolm was due to quoting one of his most memorable lines. It by no means was meant to relate to the conversation other than that. Looking further into my background you’ll find I actually hate the term “streetwear” as it is a purely commercial term that has no bearing whatsoever on the various cultures it pulls from. That fact that so many have adopted the term is what bothers me most. Further, the fact that by in large most clothing is marketed and sold off the backs of celebrity and influence makes your point admirable but simply not completely accurate. Sure there are people who have other influences but the numbers and dollars show a huge tilt in favor of one direction. Ultimately however I WANT to agree with your outlook. But working in this industry, and seeing how the needle moves on a day to day will leave you cynical about the future. The power the industry holds is incredible and it would take a Herculean effort to change tip the scales.
@@THECASUALco we are in agreement. You’re insight, tenure & expertise lends to the calculus, from a business perspective. I’m approaching from my lived, individual experience. Both of these can be correct; however, as you stated celebrities & influencers have a significant influence on the bottom line. Thanks for the clarifications & comments. I’ve been a subscriber for quite some time; however, I may have forgotten your stance on streetwear. At the same time, because of my extensive travel, the term means so many different things to me. I’ve lived abroad & it’s a mixed bag. A great endeavor & learning experience. My lived experience changed drastically & for the better once I a) traveled & b) worked out. There are brands that I’ve discovered that I’d never discuss for fear of them becoming mainstream & hype. I was on to Stone Island way before Drake made it popular. However, at the same time, I begrudgingly admit, Ye turned me onto Japanese thermals, which for many reasons are superior to most, especially American brands. I’m a quality, versus quantity person, with a sense of fashion. When FOG did a collab with Ermenegildo Zegna, I knew what that was & hoped to experience the experience. LVMH tapping Virgil for Louis Vuitton & how the industry broke up the innovative conglomerate, which Ye had, but lost. This is very OT, but connected. When Ye went on Sway & yelled at him that he didn’t have the answers. I knew what his frustrations were/are… Is it possible for you to delve into that topic? Not now or soon, because I’m sure that you’re busy, with things already in the works. However, it would be interesting to see a biopic on what became of Ye & his crew, and how tough it is to really make it, in fashion. Thanks for all that you do; looking forward to consuming more of your content. P.S. Sorry for the random rant.
So their main buyers are into a more mature look because they grew up and so now the whole baby gets tossed out with the water. Sounds like another thing that was pure for what it was for, fell victim to corporations. Whatever the group coming up is into is next. What's dead is luxury brands involvement because the money isn't there for them. Were the people who were into streetwear of a street culture? No, just fashion people who don't have a style of their own looking to be told what to wear and suddenly everything they own is off limits. The people that genuinely dress "street" are street so the culture reverts back to its natives roots or evolves while everyone else is looking at the flash. Old brands that started as "streetwear" hopefully didn't become too big that the fall off puts them out of business. Find themselves in an interesting tough spot where they're looked at as being luxury or designer. Can't ignore that they too had a helping hand in all this. Even so, there will be smaller brands to take their spot who are still of their roots. Wouldn't be surprised if something new has grown unbeknownst. A lesson for any subculture/niche to always put their history first. When the brands come knocking, leave them at the door. One thing I think I understand about fashion is that people/brands that are all about fashion don't care about roots or history. That's not inclusive enough for marketers trying to reach the masses. But I guess that's the problem, can't market culture. But there is a culture working behind the scenes, the one of capitalism. That bottom line that company's want to progress. With that it mind how do you keep something from going mainstream and losing itself? Can't help what others like big corporations do, especially if they want a piece. They'll steal, copy, repackage and resell, then move on to the next. But doesn't that put them in a bind when everything is "streetwear?"
Virgil's collection at LV : "The Art Heist" takes a whole new meaning now, the dude really stole the art as the DA of the most famous luxury brand and then proceeded to get unalived by an uncurable disease
@@OwnD1 virg's collection was about how luxury could enhance cultures through mixing them together : "stealing elements", the point of this vid was how luxury by taking on the aesthetic of streetwear erased its culture, making the attempt of virgil's a failure on the enhancing the culture instead blending the aesthetics of various street cultures into one single mess that is now what the mainstream refers to as "streetwear", no more skate culture no more surf culture, no more hip hop culture : just street culture and thus streetwear. This is analogous to how occidental media percieve african aesthetics as one big block of kante fabric, while erasing the fact that there are hundreds of different cultures and thus aesthetics on the continent, not just Ghana and Nigeria. I don't doubt the will of virgil, but we have to acknowledge that he was instrumental in the erasure of the deepness of streetwear in luxury fashion and fashion in general. Especially since he died before he was able to expand on his vision enough for it to go beyond "general" street luxury.
@@levector2445 appreciate the further explanation. Reminds me of the current trend going now, with the AI scraping millions of arts online and producing its own art with some phrases (Dalle 2.0 and Lensa). However, I think the inspirational part of Virgil was the amount of achievements in his extremely limited time. He essentially completed 4 careers with his deteriorating health I don’t know if his method will mean we’ll be having less creative fashion output, but we shall see
@@OwnD1 definitely true, don't see my comment as hating on him, but more as wishing for him being able to stay longer and elaborate on what he debuted, the problem isn't with his method really since he understood what he was doing and was doing it with respect, the problem is with those that copied the aesthetic without the respect or the understanding to do it well. by well i mean creating something new with the elements "stolen", because stealing is taking something to make it your own, while copying is just taking the aesthetic without its meaning, I think virgil explained it better in his shownotes which are publicly available if I'm not mistaken.
I think when reading fashion commentary, it is important to never forget that the commentary is a business that needs to continually come up with a new product (the writing) to sell to us the readers so the business receives ad revenue. The commentary needs to be punchy, dramatic, edgy (but not too edgy), etc.
Corporations kill culture, it's not about people getting together for them, just about being as consumable as possible. People become part of a culture because of a shared interest, once that context is lost, it can years or even decades to recover that social context and in some cases it may never return.
I think that is true to a point, but I think street wear came to prominence linked with rap culture quite frequently and so many of the problems we are seeing are a reflection of that. Rap often embraces thug culture or gang culture. The issue is that if you leave that behind for more mainstream success then now what are supposed to be the roots? Skating isn't common enough for it to be the roots. You are left with a conundrum. Streetwear is often incompatible by design with: working in an office, blue collar work where baggy clothes get you hurt, kids/moms and so who is left? Bored younger people before they get jobs and the criminal crowd? People wealthy enough to not have to go to an office?
@@LotusesGalaxyOcean Streetwears roots are deeper and more nuanced than 'rap' and 'thug or gang culture', its directly related to the context of local cities. Back in the day someone from SF would be exposed to certain brands (huf, benny gold, thehundreds), while someone in another would be exposed to another set of local brands with their own identity thats informed by the local culture. Thats what corporations destroy.
As far as when you can wear streetwear, it depends on good judgement and personal style, I've seen streetwear in the office and on construction sites, you make it work
@@diemes5463 My man, u sound too bitter, yes corpos destroy culture, but they fueled by the people and their money and their desire to be 'cool'. Its simple really, what is being 'cool', what it really means is status, well it means that to the majority, only a very small percentage understand what real cool is and thats a whole other topic on its own. For the rest of us sheep, we care about status (a very primal thing that u could argue is necessary and natural), fashion trends keep changing cuz the poor people try their darnest to catch up to what the rich peeps wearing and the rich try their darnest changing what they wear so they don't look like poor people. Cuz rich people want people to know how rich they are so they get the best mates and the best people to get access to their stuff, and poor people want people to 'see' how rich they could be hoping to be invited to the club.
If corpos be killing culture, then the people themselves are killing culture.
Facts, would have said that too... & what you said.
Also true, would have touch more on that side of it too... In our comments
That is why when Virgil said “Streetwear is dead”
I tried to dig deeper rather than going crazy like other people
And he definitely had some points and this year it is becoming more evident
Your video has definitely opened peoples eyes more
Great vid
I keep having the same thought: "Yeah, it seems that Virgil was right"
Hearing all that actually explains why it was always so hard to define what "streetwear" is. Because by today's standards it just means regular clothes that the youngsters wear
Sorta, what your seeing is really just fast fashion.
yeah when I was a kid in the late 90's early 2000's, I remember we all wore baggy sweatshirts and things because it was comfortable and practical. I'm the youngest in my family so I would wear everyone's hand-me-downs, which is part of why they were always big and baggy, and my parents liked it because that meant I could wear them longer because if it's too big I can grow into them. like there were actual just practical everyday reasons for this "look".
I’m glad streetwear is dead to the mainstream, but for me long live streetwear (skate, punk, house music/house dance)
It’s the only way to get a break from getting pillaged.
My 2 favorite definitions of Streetwear come from Virgil and Bobby Hundreds
Virgil: Streetwear is clothing made with very limited resources (printed graphics on blanks).
Bobby: (I’m summarizing his book) Streetwear isn’t about the clothes, it’s about what the graphics & logos represent. You should be able to get to know and have a conversation with someone based on their participation in Streetwear garments. It’s about community. It’s about The Hundreds of people you align with.
That being said, I do think there can be a sense of culture in wearing a few popular luxury brands: Raf, Rick Owens, CDG mainline & even Balenciaga for those that love irony. These luxury brands have a core dna that resinates with fans and an aesthetic that mirrors a street influence because those designers come from it.
I also think modern brands (brands created within the last 5 years) are using the term “Streetwear” so they won’t get critiqued as a luxury brand. Using Virgil’s definition, you can’t be a Streetwear brand selling cut & sewn jackets, pants and knitted sweaters. Cut and sew is a luxurious process and an exercise of resources.
I believe what you said last could be genre’d as luxury streetwear
@@jalensplash697 yep because thats what im going for with my brand I’m starting with blanks and will always have them just with higher quality material and I’m keeping the lower quality material for the more affordable options I’m gonna have for people who can’t afford the luxury pieces I drop
As Yogi Berra said once, "..no one goes there, it's too crowded ". An old head here, streetwear to me and my friends was basically heading out to Bridgewater Mall in NJ and jacking Polo stuff in bulk. It was basically most of us wearing Polo overall. Then Union opened up on Spring Street and we saw UK brands come to NYC - where we all kinda low-key wanted to be in the Madchester scene. Things will always change.
I agree with a lot of what you said Reggie. It’s very obvious to people when a trend is organic or forced, so when one that was organic is commodified by unfamiliar companies, it tarnishes the trend’s authenticity, this usually diminishing its exposure. While I think some products like slides, dad hats, Fanny packs, and other items have never been out of the wheelhouse of either a athletic brand or a luxury brand, it really sticks out in a bad way when say Balenciaga wholesale adopts a massive FILA or adidas logo for a ‘luxury’ piece.
Can you bring back the JEEZOZ one time for Christmas Reggie?
Long time viewer. Great content.
Well said 👏👏 I feel you covered all bases on the this topic of discussion, I fully agree with your perspective!!
I recommend watching interviews with Walter van Beirendonck and the death of subculture. There are still people passionate and dedicated to streetwear, but they live in their own circles.
I think the deeper level it goes into how from the 2010’s we have entered a hyper capitalism consumerist culture that’s accelerated from the GFC. This meaning all parts of daily life has worsened in quality for quantity.
Think about how cinema has devolved into marvel and corporate films. How music is being no longer about albums but your 7 second attention span. Think about how your current phone no longer lasts as much as it once did. Even buildings see more damage in a short time span than before.
This hyper capitalist accelerated culture has been bred from 08 onwards. And thus fashion was to suffer the same fate. It’s mostly controlled under a couple of corporate heads Bernard Arnault to say for one (one of the richest men in the world) thanks to conglomerating all the fashion houses and absorbing culture into profit. It’s very post modern to be ironic and replicate the for example. “Punk aesthetic” but selling it kind of defeats the ethos of punk? It’s all about aesthetics which leads to hyper trends and so on.
You see I agree with all these points but the only people you can blame are the elites in all aspects not just fashion for turning current culture into what it is now.
An economy like this that’s fast accelerated cannot last forever and thus it will soon implode on itself. You can’t get any shorter than micro trends on tik tok for people to consume. It’s all going to collapse and … in that moment when the system fails many. Like we have seen in centuries before.
It will birth a new culture of anti movements that will delve into art and design from music fashion etc etc you’ll see a reaction to what is happening now.
As someone not involved, it's come up a handful of times recently where I've told people that if they never understood it, it wasn't for them. Mostly it's been in response to people saying that streetwear sucks, when what they mean is a trend they didn't understand in the first place is (actually) dying and now they don't have to pretend they did anymore.
It's the same thing you see when people look back on their past participation in fashion subcultures and call it cringe- it wasn't genuine and that causes embarrassment they try to justify by saying that it never was, but if they'd found something that resonated, it either stuck or is something they can look back on with understanding, since those are the thought processes and influences that they grew from.
With the way things have changed recently I wonder if we'll actually see a resurgence every few years, or if we're moving into time periods over subcultures since the latter seem to be becoming less identifiable because our collective attention is focused on online spaces where newer expressions aren't as present in (and so aren't readily decoded) or in online spaces that are more socially interconnected but less visually homogeneous (and therefore get sorted into separate 'aesthetics' despite being the same.)
This is a fucking great reply whoever wrote this..
The fact that this has one like and now two like including me shows how clueless people are
Fashionlover4 covered how the LVMH head has had a part to play and I think this level of awareness in the community will help change some attitudes
Shoutout fashionlover4. One of the best fashion commentator here.
shoutout fashionlover4
Luxury definitely changed Street wear. As someone who grew up pre hypebeast era heavily into fashion but only really learning and discovering my personal brand of fashion around the hypebeast era, I saw the rise and fall of a lot of brand identity and culture. I watched the crowds they drew and recognized that I wasn’t a part of their cultures. Slowly I saw those crowds change in demographic as luxury brands began to commodify and distort the audience to the point where it felt like anyone could essentially buy their way into those spaces.
You should make a vid about how shibukaji lead to the start of the harujuku streetwear scene
my sentiments exactly, how can it be streetwear, when it didnt originate in the streets?
I could not agree more, the best part? Soon street will be ours again
This is why new brands need to form. Ppl alsp need to focus on individual style a lot more.
As a kid who grew up punk and heavily involved in the UKHC scene, a big part of me always wanted to dress more "goth" but I didn't feel comfortale doing that. My relationship with my gender identity has always been a bit odd and I felt like wearing clothes that seemed more "feminine" (read: not baggy jeans, a hoodie and baseball cap) presented a part of myself I was uncomfortable with sharing, and that the culture I was in was not extremely accepting of.
When Streetwear started to become high fashion it not only gave the high fashions an "in" to street subcultures that was damaging, it did also open up some of those cultures to new aesthetic influences that were maybe seen as a little "taboo" beforehand. Hip-hop, hardcore punk etc. IN GENERAL is now significantly more accepting of androgyny and whatnot. A lot of that is due to wider cultural movements, but the merging of streetwear with high fashion definitely played a part. There are some positives from what might feel like an overall negative corporate ransacking of working-class cultures.
I don't wear high fashion, despite my interest in it, but brands like Stay Cold, Blackcraft, Disturbia etc. do that Nu-Goth thing with a big ol' chunk of streetwear thrown in and I hope brands like that continue to exist.
I work a very white-collar job, but I'll always be a hardcore kid at heart and my main social life is going to shows. You're not gonna find me at a beatdown show in an oxford shirt and loafers.
Love you channel man, great content in this video as always. Insightful and balanced whilst not being afraid to be opinionated and speak your mind. Keep it up!
Bro, I live in Portland, Oregon and hearing Gorpcore talked about like it’s the new wave is super funny to me. All that super cool “Gorpcore” clothing is exactly what everybody wears over the age of 35 here and it’s always been like that. I see those dudes decked out in Arcteryx and cargos and feel like they’re about to go to a PTA meeting in a minivan.
this is why i subscribed to THE CASUAL a long time ago
i am 24 rn and did not need that little message lol
😅 my bad!
You’re halfway right. Hypebeast culture and Resellers are half the blame because “we” started paying high fashion prices for streetwear brands due to this.
Louie, Gucci, Dior all took notice at what we were spending on these “inferior” brands. LOL The fashion market reset itself a bit. High end brands started making more T-shirts and hoodies and we got collabs like Supreme/Louie, MCM/Puma, Guicci/Adidas etc.
Think about it - there was never an I.O.U./Burbery collab or Triple Fat Goose/Gucci collab back in the day! LOL
High end brands get to reach a younger consumer base who are already willing to spend the $$$$. Essentially the resale market got the next wave consumers used to paying high amounts for apparel they really wanted and its not even a big deal anymore.
Good take
so gen z is the culprit? I'm amazed how willingly kids want to spend paychecks and follow trends. As a millennial I haven't bought into sneakers or clothes until more recently but I know my limits and set a budget for the things I'd pay for.
@@alejandroramirez4470 To be fair they're being "raised" into this. It's all they know. And it seems they only care about the other brands, the ones in the middle of the pack is when they do collabs. Elder brands in the middle like Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, etc just don't have the Hype Best impact these days. And it's an all out war with the other middle brands like Staple, Palace, Kith, etc...
I definitely agree with a lot of your sentiments and I think fast fashion also helped push it to this place in its in as well
I feel like social media giving everyone an eye into the whole world made everyone want everything they see. So trending items are wanted by the world instead of a city. I'm from Toronto and there's no defining style just other styles all mixed in
Peak fashion content tbh. Rather than discussing superficial things about which items are trendy or what are the fashion trends rn, we should discuss the horror of those big fashion companies have done to the culture, to the people. Furthermore I actually sense that with the decaying of Balenciaga, the resignation of Alessandro in Gucci, the never ending quest of LV searching for CD, and the rise of minimalism/old money aesthetics, I hope we all really near the end of the hypebeastization or hypermechandising of high fashion. LVMH and Kering honestly need to be stopped.
Definitely made a lot of good points. I feel like luxury getting into street ware has almost made liking street ware that isn't from a high fashion brand uncool. If you have a slightly oversized black tee you found a thrift for $3 , compared to the same thing only with a small Balenciaga logo, the later is going to have way more praise and attention because people think that brand is cool, not the style itself. Nowadays it's more "cool" to spend $1200 on a jacket rather than $40 on a jacket with roughly the same quality just without the big brand name behind it.
I am confused - isn't the most un-cool thing is to care what someone else thinks is cool?
@@ros8986 the tides have turned in this hyper-connected, social media driven world, at least for typically younger folks who connect to it. Validation is crowd-sourced via likes.
I will keep saying this till I'm blue in the face; the democratization of fashion destroyed the fashion ecosystem. Destroying barriers also means destroying the rules that held up the culture. If anyone can rock anything, then no one stays anywhere. Combine that with the infinite and blinding speed of the internet where everyone can just make up a trend for the gram for a hot second, culture can't grow. I'm starting to see some buds begin to sprout, but these are people that are actively refusing the entire system to build up some semblance of community and culture.
Love the vid 🍾
Also, interesting to see how STREETwear was impacted by the lockdowns
I can’t lie you fully inspired me to create my own TH-cam channel
You are spittin today brotha !!!
I agree with a lot what you say. But I think it's nuanced, for me street wear was not clothes or brands but styles that become trends that go on to become articles of clothing. The problem for street wear was the drip,the increasing importance of labels. Started in the 90s even earlier if you go way back to the custom Gucci leather tracksuits of Dapper Dan, but back then, it was a cultural take on luxury. It evolved from Wu wearing high end Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger sailing jackets and oversized chinos, less bespoke, but same approach, culture making status symbols for their own. But the mainstream hip hop and street culture of now, is all about the drip, as many labels as you can and chucking them together. Not saying it isn't stylish or cool, but it's all about the drip and nothing else, and more so the collabs. I think it is because the big fashion houses have seen the milage they can etfrom co-opting artists and pushing the narrative toward them. That's an old heads view on things.
Unfortunately, I fully agree! Please put up more videos like this.
3:14 nahhhh bro u did me dirty this is literally me, I thought I was too old to be part of Gen Z but apparently I am.
Yes. I think they did. But also, kinda stole it. I really didnt care about it until Dior did a Jordan 1. I was like, "Why?" and "What for...?". If we go way back to the beginnings, icons like Dapper Dan have always played with famous luxury brands when making custom pieces to artists. But that was different. It was OF the culture. And a very different time in streetwear and design too. Today, I wonder if its almost the other way around. Gucci looking at hip-hop and streetwear brands and copying what they think we want. I'm one of those who thinks luxury brands should stay in their lane and do suits and button up shirts, suede boots and plaid coats and stuff. Luxury brands should stay boring. And leave the colorful camo cargos and pattern hoodies to us. We whom actually appreciate the raw and loud in the culture that it comes from. The street.
I agree, for me streetwear has always been about the brands behind them. Guys who care about the culture and made clothes for it.
I have a channel on streetwear brand history, and I find that most of them lost their soul when they sold out to big business
you killed it fam! streetwear was 1000% invented on hbcu campuses, at their homecomings, the artists seeing their audience and taking notes, hip hop, black ivy the whole gang was commercialized and now its on to the next "bop" lol honestly its all streetwear to me now, an amalgamation of people copying tweaking inspiring reaching and posing lol. love the video bro!
Amazing take
bullshit. did people oversees went to hbcu? how many hbcu are in europe where most of those trends are copied from. Ignroramus
@@zergbong hip hop and black culture informed streetwear period. Europe isn't progressive enough for hbcu's. Look at streetwear and just try to deny the hip hop influence, you can't. No whitewashing when the proof is evident bb ;)
So is this a good time to start a streetwear brand .
i dunno anything about streetwear i just found your page for the tokyo thrifting but i grew up skateboarding (2004-2015 basically) and learned how to dress thru skateboarding. andd i am a girl. it was just part of the lifestyle. i remember when it started to leak into other subcultures.. but the style was very core and limited. and i always thought it was goofy when luxury imitated it. nowadays everything is so streamlined i don't think much about it anymore. excepttt i think japanese fashion is doing things lately. cuz that stuff was really never on my radar. (cept like harajuku fruits mag type stuff)
Bro you said every I’ve been thinking especially gorpcore when I seen it I’m like outdoor hiking gear then they act like it’s a new thing
Big up dude! Although i like my skatepants, lowkicks, highkicks, hoodies, etc... I funny agree with you! I wear them because I like to combine my closet.
Btw i don't even own any Nike airs or Jordons :D Neither balenciaga, or Nike x Louis vuiton :D
my opinion: street wear during my time is all about expressing, wearing something different - rebellious, not wanting to be the mainstream fashion, a lot of varieties. skate, hiphop, not stepping into the luxury, high end fashion. nowadays, streetwear become luxury, luxury wants a piece of streetwear scene. everything went sky high with the price, its more of a flex than a self expression.
THANK YOU🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉!!!!!!!!!!
I completely agree. Corporations grab whatever seems unique and not popular yet, wrap it, and then sell it to the masses. The history, culture and overall reason of existence of these styles get completely thrown out the window and marketed so that younger and more impressionable people want to buy it. And all of this ties into everyone now wanting to have a “unique personal style” and not knowing what to do. Because the meaning and culture of the clothes are completely erased and no one really wants to do any research in order to understand what they are wearing and think if it fits their personality, who they are and what they like. I’m just gonna stop rambling now lol
Couldn't have put it better myself
I agree with this idea mostly, I guess I'm thinking, is there no fix if you're trying to create a subculture/base off of a subculture that brings people together through clothes? Ig that's the point you're making is it can't stand on it's own legs and needs a subculture but idk I need to use the discord more
And saturation killed fashion.
I’m sure it’s coming already but could you cover your take on Adidas x FOG collab?
Great topic, We live in the universe of Street wear vs the mainstream since day 1. Our goal was to keep it underground
Being the 1st graffiti fashion brand out of our city designing cut and sew pieces. We aimed to be a step towards luxury in terms of quality ppl. / consumers always seemed to equate both based off price and the feel of fabrics. But seeing the mega fashion houses re-strategies to compete with homegrown brands its bugged. Watching million dollar empires logo slap there brand's names on a hoodie, bucket hat and over tax customer is the problem. It feels like yesterday it wasn't even Fashion to them.Coming from the school of self taught designers. We knew myself personally a starting with a screen printed tee wasn't enough to show our city we meant business. So for a big company to do the opposite of elevating the design capabilities than grab a famous superstar/ media influencers is wack! The war was looking winnable until they appointment our guy Virgil. That's a story for the future. We champion what that did for our Culture and why it suffers after.... Not to mention the environment. Yo @Reggie different discussions Slow fashion and why we do it?
i agree with you so much but i think it started b4 luxury infiltrated to me i couldnt tolerate the new "culture" basically when supreme overtook rocking "gear" like avirex, sean john, dickies, rocawear, and so on
Sigh I can’t stand skinny jeans and jordan hi’s. High tops are good with cargos, joggers, stuff that either tapers or you can tie off like military cargos. But that’s just my opinion 🙂 luxury def ruined it tho. I agree completely. I always think off the LV “skate team” that is no longer advertised on their social media since Virgil passed. I couldn’t stand those two dudes filming at local skate parks dripped in LV doing some kick flips 😂😂
Then : Supreme, Vetements, BAPE, Adidas, Off white
Now : Tom Ford, Armani, LV, Dior, Givenchy, Etc...
I think ‘We The Best’ will be a litmus test if the culture is officially dead, if both the sail and crimson bliss don’t sell out in droves around Easter 2023.
I feel like the blame is a much bigger conversation than just 'luxury killed it'. Subcultures in general are changing/no more in the way they once were, due to the internet. I'm a millennial, and was in college when the Hipster faze landed. I remember noticing at the time that the 'look' had no real culture behind it, and this felt like a first since I had grown up hearing/seeing punk/skate/hip hop/other looks from a subculture, and the hipster look was more of this weird uniform that came with certain flavors of hobbies. Corporations are doing the same thing with fashion as they are with movies, just recycling because the data says people like buying things they already know, new ideas are more of a chance. I'm so curious what conversations like this will be like in 20-30 years, once we've had a few generations that have grown up in this post smartphone/social media world.
I was like " right... right... RIIIIIIGHT..."
Ripe opportunity to get in and present something new in terms of ideology - ethics and style - please remember everything goes full circle
I honestly hate luxury fashion. It’s so tacky and takes away creativity out of fashion.
completely agree!! I miss the true inspiration of the "street"people showing up at the fashion week now they are only logos wearers: how boring!!! I also "shrug" at people buying distressed jeans or clothes with holes from luxury designers: how these big brands CEO must laugh all the way to the bank!!!
Yea I always wondered what the fuck is streetwear
Fast fashion killed everything!
tbh i always thought while it might well and truly be dead in the broader sense (imo brought about by a deadly combo of tiktok online gentrifiers and luxury brands, celebrities etc) for those who get the culture and have been on this for way longer itll stay much the same and eventually return from oversaturated/borderline annoying and overdone to normal. comforting thought to me lol but man they really had me tired of it all lol
Celebrity fashion became the popular thing you see now how it all about celebrities is wear that is what killed "Streetwear" corporate saw how new fashion celebrities could use to make" Streetwear " trending and now we have no end where it basic what shoe is next trending but I say it individual art style for niche who like use interest to express with clothing where it wasn't about the clothing it was using what I have a look for me not buy every shine new piece of clothing and shoe but express everyday life with what is normal. (need more editing)
my breaking point was when someone was like 'nice outfit man skater vibes' as i was on my way to the local lmao like what are yall on about
Luxury killed "streetwear" as a commoditie, but in the global south we have a strong streetwear couture
And yesterday LVMH selled off-white in the birthday of Virgil. That hurted in the guts. F you Bernard Arnault
this was some insightful ass shit Mr. Casual. Now I'm just confused. I'm just hunting for crap i like but not seeking to emulate anything in particular. Am I culture-less for not conforming to one sub-culture or the next? I'll say luxury brands sometimes offer pieces with construction choices that aren't profitable/possible at lower price points but so much of the luxury landscape is a monogrammed wasteland.
Reggie, watch the show. Its entertaining if nothing else.
I physically can't do it😂😂😂
Well said 🎉I pretty much agreed with everything all the way until u said puffer jackets aren’t streetwear lol but I get it every brand has a puffer now a days and reaching making it seem like that’s validating the entire line as streetwear.
what fuels your confidence? it shouldn't be through tenuous associations with depraved fashion houses. who are you really? express yourself people
Truuuuu wel spoken
Social media killed Street wear
The HBO series is fire though!
the internet ruined everything
Environment defines the culture, e.g. hip hop wearing timberland to borrow from the real working men who really owned that style. MJ shoes was a basketball shoe, how many kids you think even know how to play Bball wearing mj. My point, fashion is tries to borrow those real ‘culture’ from working men, to athletes, yoga, now real tech nerd going to be adopted into fashion.
Non luxury brand. But I despise and hate Nike SB
Based The Casual.
I feel if you follow the mainstream, you will always find yourself worn down. I like to just follow ppl with stories I enjoy, and if that being hooked, they gotta do a shit ton of work😅
You know what could of helped avoid or atleast delay this......gatekeepers
Exactly
Streetwear will be just fine, especially after the trend hoppers leave.
People without personal taste (mass followers) eventually kill everything.
this is 100 percent spot on. niggas aint wearing supreme box logos no more... they got on balenciaga t shirts and sneakers
@@thatguysixx im not disputing that and i agree tbf, but the hip hop rap culture thats inexplicably tied to street wear is ONLY wearing designer now and i think that's more than partially to blame for the death of street wear
@@thatguysixx yeah thats definitely true and i guess thats kinda what i felt like. its not mainstream but im sure theres other countries and subgroups where it thrives as well
This is arguing for the sake of arguing; however, there’s still a somewhat valid point.
I disagree WRT the industry killing streetwear.
They cannot kill something that they do not control.
Contrary to popular belief, celebrities aren’t the only influencers/influences driving what people wear/enjoy.
Add in the pandemic, the geographical region, the age, belief, access, pay scale, etc.
Long/short, there are many things that drive streetwear & clothes in general.
It’s funny that you mentioned street, originators & showed a picture of Malcolm X. All of these things have since evolved, some for better, others for worse.
I could go on; however, I will digress & leave with this.
Streetwear or your attire is whatever "you" like it to be, people who follow what they’re into & what they like will be forever cool/validated in their own lives. Master yourself & your likes, you’ll see yourself & surroundings differently.
The pic of Malcolm was due to quoting one of his most memorable lines. It by no means was meant to relate to the conversation other than that.
Looking further into my background you’ll find I actually hate the term “streetwear” as it is a purely commercial term that has no bearing whatsoever on the various cultures it pulls from.
That fact that so many have adopted the term is what bothers me most.
Further, the fact that by in large most clothing is marketed and sold off the backs of celebrity and influence makes your point admirable but simply not completely accurate.
Sure there are people who have other influences but the numbers and dollars show a huge tilt in favor of one direction.
Ultimately however I WANT to agree with your outlook. But working in this industry, and seeing how the needle moves on a day to day will leave you cynical about the future. The power the industry holds is incredible and it would take a Herculean effort to change tip the scales.
@@THECASUALco we are in agreement. You’re insight, tenure & expertise lends to the calculus, from a business perspective.
I’m approaching from my lived, individual experience.
Both of these can be correct; however, as you stated celebrities & influencers have a significant influence on the bottom line.
Thanks for the clarifications & comments. I’ve been a subscriber for quite some time; however, I may have forgotten your stance on streetwear. At the same time, because of my extensive travel, the term means so many different things to me. I’ve lived abroad & it’s a mixed bag. A great endeavor & learning experience.
My lived experience changed drastically & for the better once I a) traveled & b) worked out.
There are brands that I’ve discovered that I’d never discuss for fear of them becoming mainstream & hype.
I was on to Stone Island way before Drake made it popular.
However, at the same time, I begrudgingly admit, Ye turned me onto Japanese thermals, which for many reasons are superior to most, especially American brands.
I’m a quality, versus quantity person, with a sense of fashion.
When FOG did a collab with Ermenegildo Zegna, I knew what that was & hoped to experience the experience.
LVMH tapping Virgil for Louis Vuitton & how the industry broke up the innovative conglomerate, which Ye had, but lost.
This is very OT, but connected. When Ye went on Sway & yelled at him that he didn’t have the answers.
I knew what his frustrations were/are…
Is it possible for you to delve into that topic? Not now or soon, because I’m sure that you’re busy, with things already in the works. However, it would be interesting to see a biopic on what became of Ye & his crew, and how tough it is to really make it, in fashion.
Thanks for all that you do; looking forward to consuming more of your content.
P.S. Sorry for the random rant.
Just realised that Pharrell is helping to gentrify streetwear .
sauce
I blame Kim jones
So their main buyers are into a more mature look because they grew up and so now the whole baby gets tossed out with the water. Sounds like another thing that was pure for what it was for, fell victim to corporations. Whatever the group coming up is into is next. What's dead is luxury brands involvement because the money isn't there for them. Were the people who were into streetwear of a street culture? No, just fashion people who don't have a style of their own looking to be told what to wear and suddenly everything they own is off limits. The people that genuinely dress "street" are street so the culture reverts back to its natives roots or evolves while everyone else is looking at the flash. Old brands that started as "streetwear" hopefully didn't become too big that the fall off puts them out of business. Find themselves in an interesting tough spot where they're looked at as being luxury or designer. Can't ignore that they too had a helping hand in all this. Even so, there will be smaller brands to take their spot who are still of their roots. Wouldn't be surprised if something new has grown unbeknownst. A lesson for any subculture/niche to always put their history first. When the brands come knocking, leave them at the door. One thing I think I understand about fashion is that people/brands that are all about fashion don't care about roots or history. That's not inclusive enough for marketers trying to reach the masses. But I guess that's the problem, can't market culture. But there is a culture working behind the scenes, the one of capitalism. That bottom line that company's want to progress. With that it mind how do you keep something from going mainstream and losing itself? Can't help what others like big corporations do, especially if they want a piece. They'll steal, copy, repackage and resell, then move on to the next. But doesn't that put them in a bind when everything is "streetwear?"
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Hmmm. Yes and no. Mainstream fashion has eaten up and spat out trends since time immemorial.
As long as the culture exists streetwear will exist.
"streetwear" died with supreme imo edit: when supreme hit the scene (worst brand ever)
W
Culture vultures. End.
Virgil's collection at LV : "The Art Heist" takes a whole new meaning now, the dude really stole the art as the DA of the most famous luxury brand and then proceeded to get unalived by an uncurable disease
Extremely terrible take
what the fuck are you on about
@@OwnD1 virg's collection was about how luxury could enhance cultures through mixing them together : "stealing elements", the point of this vid was how luxury by taking on the aesthetic of streetwear erased its culture, making the attempt of virgil's a failure on the enhancing the culture instead blending the aesthetics of various street cultures into one single mess that is now what the mainstream refers to as "streetwear", no more skate culture no more surf culture, no more hip hop culture : just street culture and thus streetwear.
This is analogous to how occidental media percieve african aesthetics as one big block of kante fabric, while erasing the fact that there are hundreds of different cultures and thus aesthetics on the continent, not just Ghana and Nigeria.
I don't doubt the will of virgil, but we have to acknowledge that he was instrumental in the erasure of the deepness of streetwear in luxury fashion and fashion in general. Especially since he died before he was able to expand on his vision enough for it to go beyond "general" street luxury.
@@levector2445 appreciate the further explanation. Reminds me of the current trend going now, with the AI scraping millions of arts online and producing its own art with some phrases (Dalle 2.0 and Lensa).
However, I think the inspirational part of Virgil was the amount of achievements in his extremely limited time. He essentially completed 4 careers with his deteriorating health
I don’t know if his method will mean we’ll be having less creative fashion output, but we shall see
@@OwnD1 definitely true, don't see my comment as hating on him, but more as wishing for him being able to stay longer and elaborate on what he debuted, the problem isn't with his method really since he understood what he was doing and was doing it with respect, the problem is with those that copied the aesthetic without the respect or the understanding to do it well.
by well i mean creating something new with the elements "stolen", because stealing is taking something to make it your own, while copying is just taking the aesthetic without its meaning, I think virgil explained it better in his shownotes which are publicly available if I'm not mistaken.
STREETWEAR IS NOT DEAD BRO!! FOH
I think when reading fashion commentary, it is important to never forget that the commentary is a business that needs to continually come up with a new product (the writing) to sell to us the readers so the business receives ad revenue. The commentary needs to be punchy, dramatic, edgy (but not too edgy), etc.
Derek Guy is also an excellent fashion blogger, Die Workwear.