Street Wear free essay sample

These became instantly popular with all the local skaters and grew to worldwide fame from there. Perhaps the most amazing thing that came of Stussy is what makes street wear what it is today, which is even as the popularity grows is seems to remain as something underground. Many have attributed this to how street wear has become a subculture, one that emphasizes that the independents rule. The most popular street wear sites, stores, and brands have steered away from being bought out by million dollar corporations making it mainstream. Even numerous boutiques are phasing out the large corporate brands, while keeping their support to the independent brands. Shawn Stussy started the movement of the surfer from California expressing himself through his clothes, which led to the hip-hop culture getting involved. In that time period the African Americans had no voice in the media nor were they being marketed to. Fashion was used as a form of art, expression, and communication. We will write a custom essay sample on Street Wear or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Without mainstream media, this underground movement marketed itself through the droves of individuals with their street clothes. Hip-Hop encouraged all to self-expression and that is what street wear has become, the clothing maker expresses something they feel but when you put it on it becomes you. Something that you have to say. All though the surf, skate, and hip-hop community all had their roots in street wear. Japan emerged on the scene in the 1980s as well. The Japanese youth wanted everything American, however, by the early 1990s they were helping pioneer the way to what street wear has become. Brands like BAPE and Real Mad Hectic became trendsetters by coming out with limited edition apparel, with background stories, and very high price points. These factors led to obsessive followings, where many claim Asia/Japan get all the great sneakers and apparel. These three movements have continued to progress into what street wear is today but street wear finds its roots in these movements. Movements that have been led by a non-mainstream subculture of self-expression and individuality. Huge numbers of people find brands that are not even marketed heavily, creating the street wear phenomenon that we live in today. Bobby Ruiz started Tribal Street wear on the 20th of November in 1989 with his brother Joey. When Bobby was looking for sponsors for a graffiti art/benefit show in San Diego, Carl Arellano, who had a silk screening business offered to sponsor the show. It was at that point when we became friends and started to talk about him getting involved with Tribal, says Bobby. Bobby had a concept with artwork. Both Joey and Bobby started with blank white T-shirts that they had bought from people on the streets and factories. Joey was designing tattoo graphics and Bobby started designing graphics too which they used to apply on the T-shirts. Inspired by his graffiti background Bobby wanted to use strong graphics that speak for themselves. Most graphics were Aztec and Mayan influenced. This is how they came up with the name Tribal. They started working with graffiti artists who made hip hop inspired graphics. Tribal’s start was rough but Bobby and Carl pulled through it and succeeded in making Tribal successful. Tribal expanded from T-shirts to apparel and accessories. Now almost 20 years after its start, Tribal Street wear is still representing the streets internationally. TRIBAL STREETWEAR Tribal Street wear or simply as Tribal was launched in 1989 by Bobby Ruiz and his brother Joey as a Southern California lifestyle inspired clothing brand. Tribal represents a lifestyle that isn’t defined by a music style or culture. Tribal makes a consistent effort to transcend boundaries, labels and stereotypes. TRIBAL ARTISTS OG Abel For Abel, life wasnt always as kosher as it is now. As a child, he grew up in a rugged section of Los Angeles, California, and at a very young age he would witness not only the rough and tumble streets, but also find himself void of a beloved brother who fell victim to that same violence. But this is when Abels tragedy literally turned into triumph, as he felt empowered by his love for his brother to carry on his dream to be an artist. I feel as if he lives through me, says Abel. I feel like hes always right here besides me when I create and if anything he was a much better artist than I was. This passion to realize his brothers dream has taken Abel on a 360-degree turnaround. From being a troublemaker to getting into school, this artist has turned his life around for the better. He attended Los Angeles Trade Tech to take courses in graphic design and hes turned his hobby into a business, which has him working alongside some of the worlds most power brands. From Fiat, Low-rider Magazine to Tribal and Converse. Abel is taking the world by storm and literally scaring the competition. AS. Vince Vince, is a Filipino graffiti artist based in Makati, Philippines. His hobby is wall painting, but when Bobby Ruiz ask him to participate in Tribal street wear. He join the team and participate in every T-Shirt Designs . He said I feel to be special that time =)) Mr. Cartoon Mark Machado, better known as Mister Cartoon, is a Mexican American tattoo artist and graffiti artist based in Los Angeles, California. Machado designed the logo for Cypress Hill. He has tattooed the bodies of Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Eminem, Method Man, Travis Barker, Scott Raynor, Justin Timberlake, and Beyonce Knowles. In addition to tattoos, Machados work has been used by Nike, Tribal, Toyota, T-Mobile and in Grand Theft Auto. Munk One Munk One a. k. a. Jose A. Mercado is a contemporary American Illustrator and Fine artist. He is most noted for creating Artwork for bands including Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance, and many more who’s merchandise can be seen throughout the world. Munk’s fine art paintings in gallery shows have gained much attention with no signs of slowing. INFLUENCES Latino community Tribal Street wear is a lifestyle clothing brand that has made an impact from West to East U. S. A. and even overseas. Tribal became popular in countries like Germany and Japan where the interest in Latino culture has paved the way for California designers to sell street wear. Bobby wanted his clothing to appeal to everyone, not just Hip Hop heads and Latino’s. â€Å"We never boxed ourselves in by using one thing that we are into†, explains Bobby â€Å"We have a skate team, b-boy team, graffiti artist, and ultimate fighters†. Tribal finds inspiration in graffiti, Hip Hop music and the street culture which are characteristic of the South-Californian Latino lifestyle. Breakdance Tribal is a supporter of break dancing all over the world. The tough style of Tribal matches the Breakdancing aesthetics. Over the years Tribal has sponsored Breakdancing events and dancers such as Lil Rock, Moskito, Ruen, Crumbs, Lil Bob, Rainen, Franky Flav, Nabil, and Anthrax. Graffiti Ever since the inception, Tribal street wear has been surrounded by renowned artists. Whether a piece from Los Angeles, California artists OG Abel or Mr. Cartoon (both legends in the arte and low-rider scene) or Daim or Seak (who are from Germany) or San Diego, California, hometown homeboys Hasl, Brisk or Pursue, the Tribal warehouse where the artwork now provides a good example of the power of urban, hip-hop street art When Bobby started Tribal he had a concept with artwork. His background as a graffiti artist inspired him to use strong graphics that speak for themselves. Tribal provides a canvas where artists can express their creativity. Over the years the lifestyle brand has provided work for as many as 200 graffiti artists. Celebrities Tribal has a heavy assortment of support from artists. By building relationships Bobby was able to expose his line to consumers via celebrities. TV Famous artists like Rock Steady Crew, Korn, Delinquent Habits and Linkin Park have worked with Tribal. Other famous supporters of the brand include Snoop Dogg, KRS1, Gotti, P. O. D. , Limp Bizkit, Los Lobos, Crazy Legs, Tony Touch ISAAC RUIZ bobbo ruiz (his sons) and Q-Unique. Distribution The Tribal collection is sold in selected stores in Europe, Asia and to the United States of America. MODERN URBAN STREETWEAR Modern urban street wear was born out of the sub-cultures in American Metropolis such as New York and Los Angeles. The movement was generally accepted to have been born out of the surf culture in late 1970s / early 1980s in LA. Local Surf Board designer Shawn Stussy started printing his tag on T-shirts and sold them on the beaches. Early street wear brands took inspiration from the DIY aesthetic of Punk, and later Hip Hop cultures. Established sportswear and fashion brands attached themselves to the emerging early 1980s Hip Hop scence such as Le Coq Sportif, Kangol and adidas The Nike capture of soon to be superstar basketball protege Michael Jordan from rivals adidas in 1984 proved to be a huge turning point, as Nike dominated the urban street wear sneaker market in the late 80s and early 90s. Other clothing brands such as Champion, Carhaart and Timberland were very closely associated with the scene, particularly on the East coast with hip hop acts such as Wu Tang Clan and Gangstarr sporting the look. The mid to late 90s saw the professional American Sports franchises have a huge impact on the look of the scence, from the LA Raiders and Chicage Bulls caps and jackets in the early 90s to the oversized team uniforms of the late 90s that were very popular. With the advent of Bling culture, the turn of the century saw an increase in established luxury brands beginning to make inroads in to the market such as Burberry, Gucci and Fendi all making appearances in Hip Hop videos and films. The most popular shoe of the era was undoubtidly the Nike Air Force One, immortalized in the song by Nelly. Brand launches by the chief execs of record companies were the next fad in the scene with Russell Simmons of Def Jam launching his Phat Farm label, Sean Combs of Bad Boy with Sean John, and Jay-Z and Damon Dash of Roca-Fella launching Roca-Wear. Rap superstar 50 Cent a few years later launched his G Unit clothing label, with the sneaker rights given to Reebok. There seems to have been a slight back lash against the over-exposed, easliy available street wear brands from major followers of the scene, and vintage / limited edition sneakers and apparel have become popular. Original Air Jordan MK1s have been seen on ebay for $800. There are web sites dedicated to hard to find sneakers and apparel. Japanese streetwear giant Bathing Ape revolutionized the scene with its 2004 US launch. The camouflage items are often difficult to obtain, and come at a premium price. INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE The immediate influence of Japanese street fashion is said to be China, Korea and Taiwan. Geographical and cultural affinities are said to be among the most important factors. The similar body shape and figure also made Japanese style an easier sought-after than that of European or American. However, the influence is not direct emulation. See Chinese clothing, Korea Museum of Modern Costume and Shiatzy Chen. Japanese street fashion is also said to influence the West Coast of the United States. [citation needed] High-end fashion brands like Comme des Garcons have played a big role in the global industry since the 80s, especially through frequent cross-over guest design with other brands. Rei Kawakubo recently designed for Louis Vuitton and HM. Tomoko Yamanakas work was featured at London Fashion Week, 2010. Social motives The motives driving the pursuit of fashion in Japan are complex. Firstly, the relatively large disposable income available to Japanese youth is significant. Many argue this was made possible through youth living at home with their parents, reducing living expenses. In addition, the emergence of a strong youth culture in the 1960s and 1970s that continues today (especially in the Harajuku district) drives much of the striving for new and different looks. The rise of consumerism to an important part of the national character of Japan during the economic boom of the 1980s and even after the bubble burst also contributes to the pursuit of fashion. These factors result in swift turnover and variability in styles popular at any one time Cult street wear Josh Sims From its origins in American work wear, via west coast subcultures, extreme sports and subsequent commercialism, street wear has become to fashion as hip-hop has to music: a global phenomenon. Incorporating cultural codes of dress, the best in graphic design, as well as exemplary brand-building – the products not of corporate giants but cottage/tenement industries – the eading street wear brands have become influential beyond the sphere of fashion alone. Street wear may form a fundamental look for out-of-office-hours dress for teenagers and middle youth alike, but its leading lights have connections with the worlds of art, advertising, music and interiors that make them as potent as ‘designer’ brands many times their size. Showcasing over 30 of the most exciting and – importantly – pioneering of street wear brands, this book focu ses not on the endless me-too labels, but those that have shaped the market since the late 1980s. Cult street wear tells the stories of the people behind the brands – from entrepreneurs to graffiti writers, DJs to surf dudes to sneaker nuts, from LA to NYC, London to Berlin and Tokyo. It explores each brand’s cultural resonance, and explains why so many have gained a cult following while continuing to break new ground in a market with unlimited scope for innovation. Josh Sims is a freelance style writer, contributing to the likes of The Financial Times, The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, Mail on Sunday, Channel 4, the BBC, Esquire, GQ, Wallpaper and i-D. He is also author of Rock/Fashion (Omnibus), A Dictionary of Fashion Designers (Collins), Mary, Queen of Shops (BBC Books) and contributor to several fashion books from Taschen. He has extensive contacts within the style and mainstream. INFLUENCE OF STREET WEAR IN FASHION Fashion throughout last century has been continually changing, but only for the last sixty years has youth culture and the emergence of highly identifiable street wear trends had such an influence on popular fashion. The Beginning of street wear The 1950s was a time of change for the entire Western world, particularly with the post-war materialisation of popular culture via the media. The term ‘teenager was coined during this period, after the influences from film, music, television and magazines were for the first time, shaping a generation. The 1950s was particularly important as for the first time in history, young people had disposable money available to spend on themselves and they had the freedom to do so. Two particular styles came to light during this decade: Greasers and Preppies. The Greaser era took the biker look set by Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953), and reinvented it for daily life with one key stable shining through: the denim jean. This was supplemented later in the 50s by the Preppy look, focused on fastidious tidiness and immaculate grooming, as enforced upon youth culture by collegian institutes. Freedom Influences Fashion The 1960s were highly influenced by pop music and the freedom of speech. Baby boomers were speaking out about politics in a way their parents were never able to through music, a liberation that flowed through to the popular choice in unconventional or risque fashion choices. The Mod style saw mini-dresses and tapered pants popularised as a way to show skin like never before. Later in the 1960s, the Hippy style saw a rebellion against the Preppy style of the 1950s which was forced upon many, which resulted in influence from alternative eastern cultures beads, kaftans and so on. Tunics and other Indian-inspired looks followed through the early 1970s, and the emergence of polyester opened a new door for colour and pattern which spurred on the next streetwear trend for the decade. Clothing inspired by modern dance and athleticism saw flared pants, jumpsuits and wrap-around items come into popular wear because of their comfort and versatility. Icons Influence street wear Music, once again, was the key influencer in fashion when the 1980s came around. The nightclubbing era saw comfort and innovation in stretch fabric popularised, and key pop stars like Madonna proved influential over fashion, with looks revolved around layering and baggy tops with tight-fitting bottoms. The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the first emergence of Hip H0p culture onto fashion, with African American nationalism being brought into mainstream view. Baggy sportswear as street wear was made popular by both hip hops stars and sporting heroes such as Michael Jordan, and brands like Nike and Adidas became popular stables in street wear for the youth of this era. Fashion Starts to Relax The mid to late 1990s brought surf culture to light. While most surf brands (Rip Curl, Billabong, Quicksilver) were developed in the late 1960s or early 1970s, they were purely ‘cottage suppliers for surfers for several years. Professional surfing became a popular interest amongst the 1990s youth with stars like Kelly Slater becoming poster-bound for bedroom walls. Logos which had initially been on surfboards were being transferred to T-shirts, and the relaxed nature of board shorts meant they became the street wear of choice for young and old alike. Looking to the Past The early 2000s saw hip-hop culture re-emerge in fashion, along with other hybrids of street wear trends from the past. For the first time in history, a specific New Zealand-driven trend emerged; one encompasses local influences rather than international fads. NZ Design Influences in street wear The style of street wear today amongst New Zealanders is focused on national pride, with influences from Maori culture and Kiwiana showing through in popular fashion. This trend in street wear was actually started by New Zealand designers as a wearable representation of nostalgic New Zealand giftware and home ware, taken from childhood memories of ‘The Kiwi Household. Kitschy imagery of Kiwi bird symbols, Maori Koru designs, beach reeds, airlines and even trusted food products, condiments and kitchen utensils have become the new muse for a new kind of street wear. Retro images are ever-present on the New Zealand youth today. While printed t-shirts and other street wear commonly feature these images of Kiwiana, accessories such as hats and jewellery too, are encompassing these icons in their design. Subsequently, these giftware and home ware products themselves have re-emerged as desirable commodities of New Zealand design. Street wear today So how can we define street wear today? Individuality is key, and you can find influences from every one of the past trends from the last sixty years present in casualwear everywhere you look. New Zealand design is more present than ever before, and for the first time a part of the New Zealand street wear landscape has not been taken directly from an international source it has been born from pure New Zealand cultural influences. Streetwear History with Fats â€Å"Fatsarazzi† Shariff How would you describe your current style and how did it evolve over the years? My Current Style†¦careful, I changed twice yesterday†¦ok, so my style has always been A Mafia B-Boy who occasionally dons Ralph Lauren. You know Panama Hat, Shirt Tie, Perhaps an RL Cardigan, 10 year old fucked up jeans Nice Pair Kicks or maybe some Two Tone shoes†¦no wait, Patent Deck Shoes†¦but you get the vibe. You saw the whole streetwear movement developing and you have been part of it. If you would have to slice the development up into 5 year eras since you got into it and comment on each what would you say? Firstly I would like to try and remember it all. But good question none the less. ok so here goes forgive me for not doing them all as 5 year Eras: 1984-1990 (18yrs-24yrs) DEVELOPMENT FRUITION There were as there is now a menagerie of Styles Sub Cultures that you could or could not identify with. But street wear then was known for a minute as Skate wear, as it was small in comparison to today. The seeds had been set there on the West Coast, I say West Coast as that is where I first saw the beginnings of street wear.