Since the beginning of streetwear as we know it, streetwear has grown and expanded over the years. With its history starting in New York in the 1980s/90s, streetwear has only become more popular.
Growing from the street style of skateboarders and hip-hop styles, this early influence can now be seen around the world.
Unique branches of streetwear have adapted in different countries, each having its cultural styles woven into each piece.
From streetwear being seen as a political statement in countries such as China, to the evolution of the UK streetwear scene- streetwear has restyled the world.
Let’s explore where streetwear has influenced restyling the world:
In China, streetwear sales have boomed in recent years. Reports have shown that spending from 2015 to 2020 displays that consumers are spending 4x more on streetwear than non-streetwear.
Social media has played a large part in the growth of the streetwear trend. The tag page for the Chinese Street Fashion page on TikTok has amassed nearly 8 billion views.
This impressive feat is contributing to Chinese streetwear becoming a streetwear world fashion hub.
Rap music has gained popularity in China in recent years with shows such as The Rap of China popularising rap culture. Many of the stars of the show dress wearing streetwear styles influenced by American rappers.
However, a 2019 survey showed that half of their respondents saw streetwear as a political statement.
Japan has adopted the streetwear style to a great extent. Japanese style has always been progressive, with major popular fashion trends such as Harajuku fashion gaining news coverage worldwide.
The bright colours of Japanese culture add to the Japanese adaptations of the streetwear trend.
Brands started to collaborate with western brands to gain exposure.
Japanese streetwear brands are now popular in both Japan and the western world, with brands such as A Bathing Ape becoming popular.
Much of the streetwear trends in South Korea have stemmed from the popularity of K-Pop, which has become increasingly popular within western countries too.
Much of a K-Pop idol’s stage presence comes from the intricacies of their stage clothes. Streetwear became more popular, as more of the music started incorporating rap and hip-hop elements.
The breathability of streetwear also allows the K-Pop stars to be able to have long dance breaks still looking effortless
Some musicians also have released their streetwear lines, such as the K-Pop icon G-Dragon. He started his streetwear brand PEACEMINUSONE in 2016, following various collaborations with Nike Air Force.
K-Pop idols also popularised the modernising of their traditional clothing into a streetwear style. This includes the Hanbok, an outfit that is worn during traditional ceremonies.
A streetwear version of the Hanbok was featured in BlackPink’s “How You Like That” music video. This video amassed over 1 billion views, displaying South Korean streetwear to a mass audience. It was also said that one of the member’s modern hanbok sold out following the release of the music video.
The UK was an early adopter of the streetwear trend. This is due to the heavy presence of hip-hop and rap music within UK culture.
As rap became more popular and branched into new subgenres, such as grime, the streetwear game in the UK was also adopted.
Two of the biggest UK rap stars, Dave and Stormzy, are supporters of various streetwear brands such as Trapstar. With the prominence of football culture, the importance of footballers wearing similar brands has also helped the UK streetwear scene to grow.
Brands like the UK-based Perverse Demand have promoted slow fashion practices by providing quality products that are made to last- streetwear has now gone environmental.
Streetwear has succeeded on the global stage. It has made its way and has been adapted across the world to restyle those from all different cultures.
Each country has evolved its streetwear style to fit into its own culture.
Streetwear has grown so much that it is constantly adapting and growing. The streetwear hype is continuing. With new ways to style streetwear, the evolution will continue.
We are Perverse Demand: your favourite luxury clothing brand. Combining the classic 70’s LA skate culture with a preppy chic, we offer a new genre of fashion and produce only the highest quality long-lasting, and well-fitting streetwear.
To learn more about unique streetwear fashion, including tips and the latest trends, check out our blog page or get in touch via contactus@perversedemand.co.uk to speak to a member of our customer service team.
Written by Luthien for Perverse Demand.
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