With teens queuing down streets in New York and London high fashion has it eyes on the ‘hypebeast’ scene and consumers hungry for whatever hyped streetwear is released in a given week. Supreme Originally a small brand in 1994 New York has took over the world with its collection of clothing and peculiar merchandise and now receives recognition from the major designer labels who have sort to collaborate with Supreme and other major streetwear brands.
Stylist Lotta Volkova, fashion’s current favourite mouthpiece, caused a stir last year when she declared “there are no subcultures any more”. But the hypebeast scene has all the characteristics of one, both in the gathering of young people on street corners and the obsession over the “right” item to be part of the tribe. High Fashion as seen the hype around these brands and is trying to capture it for itself.
Streetwear is, of course, indisputably associated with hip-hop, another area where keeping it real is held in high regard. Streetwear staples such as tracksuits and logo T-shirts have been, broadly speaking, the uniform for rappers from Grandmaster Flash to Kendrick Lamar. It wasn’t long ago when designer labels wouldn’t want to be associated with hip-hop but thanks to the influence of urban clothing high fashion wants every hiphop star in their clothes.