Style Wars: Streetwear & Hip Hop Pt. 1

 

Posted by admin on 04.14.2010 in Stacy Gueraseva

This is a 2 part series written by a good friend of the Lounge, Stacy Gueraseva, author of Def Jam, Inc., she explores the impact of streetwear in Hip Hop culture. Exclusive interviews with Karmaloop and IM KING, and commentary from Crooks & Castles, 10.DEEP, and LRG.  This is the first installment.

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STYLE WARS by Stacy Gueraseva

Who would have thought that a pigeon—a much-maligned city bird with the dishonorable title of “a rat with wings”—would ever become part of an ultra exclusive, limited edition fashion craze. And yet, there it was, embroidered on the backs of Nike Dunk sneakers in February of 2005, inspiring a New York Post cover-worthy frenzy.

The location was The Reed Space, the trendy Lower East Side boutique owned by Jeff Staple’s Staple Design Studios, who were commissioned by Nike to design the special shoe. Only 30 pairs were being sold at the store, distinguished from the other 100 produced worldwide by the Staple logo lasered on the side.  Naturally, the demand had far exceeded supply (even at $300 a pop, despite Nike’s suggested retail price of $65) and some eager customers were lining up four days in advance of the sale. Once the doors opened, “we were seriously, without any exaggeration, on the verge of a full-blown riot scene,” recalled Staple.

Hip hoppers have always been shoe-obsessed, but this was on another level, and it exemplified what streetwear was becoming and would grow into in the years to come: A constant craving for unique, quality product that’s produced by independent companies in limited quantities.

If ten years ago, a hoodie and baggy jeans from urban brands like Phat Farm defined hip hop style, these days the look has shifted from cookie-cutter to individuality-driven. For one thing, the jeans have gotten slimmer and hoodies have been edged out by cardigans and buttondown shirts. Call it a style mash-up: Today’s streetwear mixes elements of skater culture, high end, preppy, dandy, indie rock, athletic—and makes it all work. “What you’re starting to see is people who want you to understand that, ‘This is me, this is who I am, I wear colorful things, because I’m a colorful person, so it matches my personality,’” says George Harris, former stylist for artists like Lloyd. “Like Andre 3000. It’s just him. If he wanted to get up on some George Clinton Parliament shit, it’s like, Ok, he can do that—that’s his personality.”

Streetwear also represents a return to quality. These are clothes and accessories that not only look good but are made well, with the designers controlling the product—putting extra thought into the graphics, material and fit—instead of relying on a big company. The story of hip hop fashion is littered with brands that started out making quality, unique gear, but eventually got over-commercialized and watered-down. Think Timberlands, which were originally well-constructed, durable work boots, made to last you a long time. Once hip hoppers began wearing them as part of a look and not necessarily for function, the company revamped the boot, diluting the quality and affecting its longevity.

A similar thing happened with brands like Triple5Soul, PNB, Akademiks, Phat Farm, Ecko. Now considered stars of the bygone era of urban apparel, they were actually founded with an aesthetic and attitude very similar to today’s streetwear. Back in the early ’90s, Triple5Soul was a little shop on Ludlow St. on the Lower East Side, catering to the downtown fashion forward set. Phat Farm was sold almost exclusively in its Prince St. boutique in Soho, which Russell Simmons was known to visit obsessively, overseeing quality control. All of these labels had their signature designs (Akademiks’ strong suit was denim) and tight graphics. Never mind the fact that many of the designers from today’s hottest streetwear brands have their roots in these labels: Jeff Ng of Staple interned at PNB; Dennis Calvero of Crooks & Castles worked at Ecko for many years.

Unfortunately, the quality and credibility of these urban brands declined once they entered mass production, moving from small boutiques to department stores like Macy’s, or selling/licensing out their company completely. Others simply failed to evolve with the times.

As urban wear was dying, premium goods were making their entry into the marketplace. Independents with small budgets began hand-making product in small quantities, because they couldn’t afford to reproduce it, like a big company, and charged 60 dollars and upwards for a t-shirt, for example. “It didn’t make sense,” says Harris, “but that was the spin behind it: ‘It’s limited. ‘I put the screen on it myself!’ Using the limited edition as an excuse for exclusivity started something.” The Japanese, who have always been ahead of the curve—creating cut-and-sew designs when U.S. brands were still focused on candy-colored t-shirts—as well the influx of brand and hype blogs have all contributed to the streetwear explosion. Certainly, celebrities have had their effect on the direction of the trends, with two hip hop names in particular, leaving an indelible mark: Kanye West and Pharell Williams. Back in 2006, West was already sporting fitted jackets as part of his on and off-stage look, and Williams’ position as a fashion icon who fluidly mixes luxury and streetwear in the same outfit is well-known.

Taking matters into their own hands, streetwear customers that demand higher quality and better looking product, have become entrepreneurs. “Before we did what we do, we were consumers just like every other kid out there looking for the next big thing; our consumers are reflections of ourselves,” says Alex Kuang of IM King, which is sold on Karmaloop and is known for its avant-garde graphics, including a t-shirt that shows a human skull with its eye sockets stuffed with cigarette butts (called the “stress tee.”)

Despite the global recession, the streetwear business has experienced an explosive growth. If four years ago, some of today’s top streetwear designers were still supporting themselves with day jobs, the last two years have seen streetwear actually become profitable. “I don’t really believe that this industry got hit too hard by the recession,” says Kuang. “Clothes are one of those things that you need and want at the same time.”

Streetwear’s higher profits have translated into a more high-end look. “It’s become more upscale in its appearance,”says Greg Selkoe, founder of Karmaloop.com, the number one retail site catering to the streetwear demographic. “Before, it was much brighter colors and much more loud and a little more crazy. Very anime and graffiti influenced. Now, you’re getting  much darker colors, a preppy kind of look—shawl necks and cardigans are really big right now. Kind of a dark, dirty look.” Selkoe’s favorite designer is Marc Jacobs; he says he would love to house more high-end brands like his on the site. Khaki pants are also staging a powerful comeback, as exemplified by the recent opening of a men’s-only J.Crew store in downtown New York City, where suburban preppies regularly rub shoulders with Kid Cudi look-alikes.

CONTINUE TO PART 2!

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