Perverse Demand at Cardiff Fashion Week
In April 2024 we were privileged to be part of Cardiff Fashion Week. Cardiff Fashion Week the annual celebration of style and creativity, once again
May 3, 2024
First made popular in the 1990’s, streetwear is a casual fashion style that incorporates comfortable yet trendy clothing such as graphic tees, oversized hoodies, sweatpants, and expensive trainers. Streetwear takes inspiration from both hip-hop culture and skater style, with the added element of intentional product scarcity.
Since becoming popular, streetwear style has evolved massively and will continue to as time goes on.
The first streetwear brands emerged in New York City, when boutique skateboarding shops started producing designs inspired by the street style of Los Angeles skateboarders and surfers as well as hip-hop fashion.
In the 2000s, sneaker culture – which centres around collectors of expensive sneakers (trainers) – overlapped with and influenced streetwear fashion. The collaboration between graphic tees and athletic sneakers abounded.
In the 2010s, luxury streetwear was born. As young people and social influencers made streetwear an important part of pop culture, the fashion industry – from mainstream sportswear brands to high fashion brands – got in on the action.
Nowadays, streetwear can encompass a wide variety of fashion styles, but typically focuses on four basic elements: comfort, scarcity, contemporary art and menswear.
The general rule of thumb is, if you can’t skate in it, it’s probably not streetwear. This is why nowadays streetwear clothing consists of casual clothing and athleisure staples like sweatshirts and joggers.
Hype beast culture is all about limited-edition items. This perceived scarcity can make highly demanded items seem more fashionable.
Some of the most successful graphic tees and streetwear logos borrow from the work of contemporary artists.
Although streetwear is popular among all genders, it is closely tied to traditionally masculine items such as bomber jackets, oversized clothing and workwear.
If you need a little bit of inspiration and guidance when it comes to styling streetwear, we have you covered.
Brand loyalty is an important part of streetwear culture, so it’s unlikely that a true streetwear fan wears different brands in a single outfit. If you have a limited number of items from different streetwear labels, try showing off one logo at a time, and supplement the rest of your look with workwear and/or athletic clothing.
Oversized clothing is at the centre of streetwear, although there’s a difference between oversized and baggy. Loose clothing still roughly fits your form, while baggy clothes will simply swallow you whole.
When it comes to streetwear, oversized hoodies reign supreme, as do a wide variety of other loose fitting garments, such as oversized denim, bombers, joggers and cargo’s. In fact, streetwear brands have switched from slim fits to straight-leg shapes as they offer more movement on a skateboard and are more comfortable off one.
However, if you’re going loose, it’s a good idea to pair with a tighter item of clothing to create a contrast in your outfit. For example, pair your loose hoodie with tighter trousers and trainers or chunky boots.
It goes without saying that a good pair of trainers is the most important (and often most expensive) part of your streetwear look, especially if you want to make a big style impact with just one clothing item.
Despite the rise of intentionally ‘ugly’ trainers and chunky soles, it’s a good idea to avoid odd shapes to guarantee your shoes will look as good with your cargos as your joggers. You also want to go for trainers which you know will last and most importantly, defines your taste.
Although streetwear clothing has derived from skateboard culture, and were initially pieces of clothing you wouldn’t mind skateboarding in, modern streetwear style has stepped out of the skatepark and designers have reworked timeless pieces into garments you wouldn’t want to risk on the ground. This means upgrading utilitarian fabrics to something a bit more premium and luxury.
It may sound cliché, but streetwear’s origins lie in counterculture and the ‘do it yourself’ mentality. While it may seem full of guidelines right now, true streetwear is about being yourself. Don’t be afraid to put together unexpected combinations and get creative with it.
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 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 Kate, for Perverse Demand.
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