STREETWEAR STATUS

WORDS: HUNTER GADWELL AND MICHAEL CASEY PHOTO: RACHEL HITCHCOCK

We wear it to class, the grocery store and tailgates. We see it on rappers, models and reality show stars. It’s innovative, expressive and quite frankly, cool. It’s everywhere—a powerful force that has beat the test of time. It’s streetwear.

While the origin of streetwear is still up for debate, it’s believed to have gained mainstream popularity in California in the early 1980s. The social scene was dominated by skateboarders and surfers, influenced by the growing popularity of hiphop music, who longed for a style that expressed their individuality. Surfer Shawn Stüssy had an idea that, despite it’s simplicity, would act as the catalyst to a fashion revolution. He began printing T-shirts with his surfboard’s logo in graffiti style and sold them from the back of his car. The shirts were limited in quantity, but there was no lack of people vying to get their hands on them. What started in a trunk ended in showrooms spanning from New York City to Paris. And

thus, streetwear was born. the collaborations between $185 billion in sales. One of This increasingly popular popular celebrities and the more famous streetwear style made young designers—such as Kanye resale companies emerged Americans want to West and Adidas, Off-White just 90 miles east of Michigan immerse themselves and Nike and Travis Scott and State University in Detroit, in a culture of social Jordan—instantly increases Michigan: StockX. StockX rebellion, or at least the demand from consumers. sells streetwear sneakers, look like they did. clothing and collectibles and The streetwear culture is is currently partnered with Streetwear has increasing exponentially every Eminem. Four guys from transformed beyond year. According to Hypebeast Detroit were able to transform just a fashion style S&P of the PWC Network, their love of streetwear into a and into an ever- the sales from the global billion dollar business. growing market. streetwear market alone make Streetwear is everywhere, Popular streetwear up for 10% of all clothing and from Los Angeles to brands, like shoe purchases worldwide, East Lansing. As we Supreme, Stüssy checking in at approximately evolve, it evolves with us. and Bape were able to “Streetwear is Transformative in nature, streetwear accomplish their everywhere, from isn’t going away anytime soon. heightened success Los Angeles to East through the specific marketing Lansing” tactics of limited stock and collaborations with celebrities. Brands carry out their limited stock tactic by releasing a clothing “drop,” in which they decide a designated day and time when the brand makes their products available for purchase. This allows brands to build up the “hype” through social media and advertisements for a one and only chance to purchase their products. Streetwear brands’ large presence on social media matched with