You may think I should first write about subcultures, which have undoubtedly influenced streetwear and fashion in general. Still, the point is that everyone knows and has felt, as many say, that fashion is cyclical but with some changes (but while I agree with the first thesis, the second thesis is dragged by the ears). Because of the rapid spurt of contemporary designers, street and haute couture, as well as waiting for their time, all the subcultures of the past are forgotten and left in the dust of the past.
The rebel in all of us
People love to look for the roots of rebellion in anything, an object of art or music that they cannot or do not want to understand. I disagree with the statement that when certain people I want to talk about in this thread dress according to any rules, public opinion etc. They don’t dress to show something off to others or for personal self-assertion but to communicate with people.
It is correct to wear something you feel comfortable in, but this only applies to some. Some people don’t really care about how they look. They have problems communicating and interacting with other people have seen them having problems communicating and interacting with other people). But in any case, everyone prefers to look how they like and feel comfortable. It’s just a matter of taste and style here. But what if you dress as if it were part of your body, as if it were an extension of your skin, sharing your personality and inner state?
Streetwear and true personal identity
You feel like yourself. Your outer appearance reflects your gut, inner self, and personality.
Inner distortion, anxiety, fear and madness, inner radiance, kindness, striving for perfection, development. It is said that it creates an image that reflects the essence of a person, the impression that he will communicate with the world, surrounding people and the environment. This is different from saying that such people think about what to wear. It happens by itself – their emotions and internal state direct them to choose clothing and wardrobe. Regardless of social opinion, they wear what suits them, what suits them, what will make them feel like themselves, in their own skin.
This theme is close enough to Rick Owens. He declares that his clothes are autobiographical which he wears all the time.
Rick Owens – finding self through fashion
Not everyone can hear their individuality, listen to their soul, dressing up as they see it in
A picture or choosing clothes like the stylish guys in the street will always look ridiculous, like you’re trying to be something you’re not. Not all people think of clothes only as fashion and a way to ’embellish themselves. Some people share their ‘self’ in this way, often finding someone similar to themselves, finding a ‘connection’. The most striking example is when they put on their favourite band’s merchandise and a leather jacket and show off who they are. You can understand what such people live by, their tastes, and their inner essence. And if a person far from it tries to imitate them, it will be banal and look funny, like a little rabbit that decided to try on the fangs of a wolf. Clothes MAY be an extension, an extension of your body and gut.
Let’s move on to the topic itself, what the clothes are, who designs them or where they come from, who the designers are, what the streets are wearing and what the art has to do with it.
Speaking of the streets, if you expect me to start writing about what popular brands are choosing, how to match clothes or what trends, you can stop reading this article. It is more about feelings, emotions, how clothes reflect people’s lifestyle, and about designers, street designers who see their clothes not as objects of clothing but as objects of art.
Types of streetwear designers
I want to describe to you three types of streetwear designers:
Street fashion started as a way for people to express their individuality. Over the years, it’s become a source of disagreement and protest against any authority.
Fashion was primarily dictated by the high houses, and in the same way, it dictated what street style they should wear. However, as time went by, the cry of the
Limited edition streetwear
The first are people who have created their clothes аs a one-off, limited edition collection rather than being inspired by anything. I’m talking more about silkscreening at this point. Some teams (tattoo artists or a local band, musician, or a multi-crew with various activities) decided to do a collection of T-shirts, long shirts or hoodies with a print, pattern or the like they had created. Usually, it’s a limited edition collection with a limited number of people knowing about it. It’s possible that a simple guy made a one-off collection in his head, and he realized it. And then calmly went to create other things, projects. These things are made «by us for people like us». For those whose breath has been soaked in the street, whose boots have sunk into the beaten track of life’s asphalt. For those who appreciate their core artistry.
Streetwear design promoters
The second is designers for whom the streets alone are not enough, but from them, they take their starting point and become promoters. They bring fresh materials, sew, realize the most daring ideas with different stitches, details, and cuts, and aspire to reach a higher level and share their vision of style and lifestyle. A lot of people started out that way, didn’t they?
The true streetwear artist
The third type is the true artist, the artist who is not just a designer and weaver but also a performer and painter. The use of paint, spray paint, sewing any elements to the clothes (perhaps a picture painted on a linen cloth), unique stitches and connection with other arts. I am talking about custom, good and quality. Made on the streets for the streets. You rarely see a passerby on the road wearing this designer’s clothes, and not all of them were made for that. His clothes are more like works of art; he creates paintings and exhibits which end up on display at his local shows, which can no longer be called fashion shows but rather an exhibition. Artists and 2D animators also play a big part in streetwear. Prints, merch, painted jackets, and t-shirts with balloons are probably known to everyone. Let’s talk about street life and especially about the underground. We can’t help but mention the eclectic music, tattoo and art teams. They get money for their food and energy through T-shirts (not mainly, but it’s an important way of making money anyway). Anyone loves a great print on a t-shirt, don’t you?
Two sides to a parka
These designers share their visions, thoughts, lifestyles, aesthetics and feelings with the world just like artists do. Of course, there are always two sides to a parka – some do it from the heart, while others just parody their style, which is immediately apparent. You have to know how to distinguish the real from the fake.
We must refrain from talking about recycling when talking about streetwear. Recycling, especially second-hand clothes, is where people get their stuff. It’s an affordable way to provide yourself with stylish clothes or a way to feed other designers who make their own clothes out of them. Recycling allows you to wear what you like without spending considerable money but with some effort to find something that fits – that treasure. Many people set up little shops on social media, on various platforms, where they can share and earn money from their labour by searching for or setting up a clothing shop. A massive perk of Recycle is the eco-consciousness, accessibility of clothing and the ability to find any material needed to create new clothes. Vintage shops, resellers, buyers and lots of people who can look good are all thanks to Recycle.
Customers v designers of streetwear
I would like to draw a distinction between customers and designers. Customers are those who reconstruct and remake things using other things. Perhaps they could even be called multimedia artists – the use of materials for their clothes is really versatile. Using texts that are informative in nature and, as a result, sewn on clothes, thematic pictures or photos that carry the essence of an exciting or disturbing theme of the artist. Or just an aesthetic creation that conveys the artist’s inner state. They rearrange, stitch two different things into one, and remove and add details … Street designers, on the other hand, are inspired by the world around them.
They interpret their lived experiences and impressions in their clothes. They won’t create something that will sell, but rather spend time and effort on something you will wear yourself, which will perfectly characterize you – they make clothes in which the artist himself will feel in his own skin. Like any art, clothing interprets their life experience paired with their own tastes and aesthetics, which in any case, have been shaped by experience. This sets them on the path to becoming an authentic weaver and a master of threads, fabrics – ateliers.
Streets are breaths and live by their own rules, offers, and regulations. Nothing can change that rules except for only someone like them. Noone may inspire, while inspiration flows from the inner. Even at dusk, everything here glows and shines.
No matter what you wear, beauty has always been subjective, and style is even more personal. The point is that things on you do not make you uncomfortable in any way or even affect you but rather accentuate your inner nature, and only then can you shine the colour you are.
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