Supreme is a streetwear brand that has a cult-like following of up to 13 million dedication consumers on Instagram. The interesting question is how did Supreme reach this outstanding status? The founder of the brand, James Jebbia, started the brand in April of 1994. At first, it was merely a skateboarding shop located in New York. Now, people line up as soon as the new products are announced to be in stores to buy Supreme apparel and accessories. It is almost mind-boggling that people would go out of their way to spend their nights on the street and a high amount of fortune on a brand that has fairly simple designs compared to other high-end brands.
Is it about Fashion? The first thing that comes to mind is the place of Supreme in regards to fashion. Someone who might not have seen the designs might conclude that it has stunning and gorgeous pieces that are irresistible to the point of hype. However, Supreme offers almost identical clothing, footwear and accessories with slight variations in every collection. It can be stated that Supreme is not so much about staying in fashion as much as it is about following a certain trend. In the words of the business owner, Jebbia, “We don’t want to get stuck with stud nobody wants.” The Streetwear Hype Streetwear culture has significantly grown in the past few years to a point that everyone feels like they must own at least two products from famous brands like Nike, Adidas or Supreme, etc. However, Supreme remains the leading choice among people of all age groups. Whether it is fashion bloggers on Instagram or young teenagers learning about the hype, Supreme is popular among all equally. Other factors that might have played a role in the growth of the business are the association of hip-hop artists and rappers with the brand. We have all seen Drake and Kanye dressed in Supreme in Paparazzi pictures. This kind of celebrity association simply stresses the consumers’ minds that they must own similar objects to look trendy and fit in. The Individual Representation Another important thing that can be credited for Supreme’s huge success is the focus of consumers on authenticity and representation. Fashion has remained a personal statement for centuries. Wearing Supreme, similarly states a person’s association with the streetwear culture along with their relationship with the brand and what it stands for. From a Startup to Huge Success It is quite easy to interpret, given the reasons, the reason for the Supreme to be a huge and successful business. The products re-sell for up to 1200% more for their original retail price because of the popularity and demand. The owner of the Supreme startup, Jebbia, has the net worth of $400 million now. It is safe to assume that the numbers will continue to grow because, despite the transition of generational values, the place that Supreme has earned in the heart of consumers keeps expanding with every new collection.
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The old-fashioned attire for business requires a person to dress formally. This might mean a suit and a tie or pencil skirt and stilettos. One can call this business attire the uniform that was accepted worldwide. However, with generational gaps, shifting workplace values and hiring of the millennials by the millennials, workplace attire has changed as well.
How Are Millennials Dressing Up for Business? Millennials who are owners of business or startups share their uniforms now. Usually, one can start with footwear which is usually a pair of expensive streetwear brand. Be it Nike or Adidas, you will notice that the selection of brands is limited to streetwear. On the other hand, the rest of the attire has also turned to the inclusion of comfortable clothing. We can take a look at tech entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley including Mark Zuckerberg who is usually seen wearing t-shirts with earthy tones or hoodies with soft material. It has almost become a status symbol for the millennials in the business world. In the words of Avery Hartmans at Business Insider, “For many of the Valley’s elites, the right pair of kicks is a trademark accessory carefully selected to convey a mix of power, nonchalance, creativity, and exclusivity.” It is not only the famous CEOs like Jack Dorsey or Kevin Systrom that are adopting the streetwear culture while tackling business but the millennials at large who are entirely altering business attire. Many times, the high-end streetwear brands including Jordans, Balenciaga, Gucci and Acne Studios are called ‘ugly’ too. However, the counter-argument of the millennials is that they are cool and comfortable. The younger generation taking over the enterprise world prioritizes comfort over other factors for dressing up. High-Fashion Catering to Millennials At the start, there was a lot of resistance to make any space for millennials to dress in the streetwear as business attire. However, fashion brands are not behind and they are quickly catching up with consumer demand to provide comfortable sneakers and laid back clothing to youth handling enterprises. Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief at Vogue said, “There are sneakers everywhere.” Fashion designers and fashion editors are taking into account that fashion is not the same as it used to be. What was conventionally considered casual and ugly is being adopted as cool and everyday dress-up for dealing with work. However, millennials now feel more confident as they dress-to-kill-it instead of dress-to-impress. Future of Business Attire We can expect more people to adopt streetwear during work hours and business dealings rather than wearing something that makes them feel like wearing a costume. In an interview with Bustle, a woman shared her perspective saying, “We already have to be at work for 8 to 9 hours, 5 days a week and we shouldn’t have to put on a show and be uncomfortable for that amount of the time.” That being said, the streetwear for work seems to be here for a long stay. It can modify and improve the way the millennials perform and interact during business hours. It is noticeable that many people, especially youngsters, are being made aware of animal cruelty and environmental sustainability. The millennial and Gen-Z population is starting to switch to brands that cultivate the same ethics in their brand. The youth of today especially seeks brands that honor the same values and offers cruelty-free products. So, if you are one of them on the lookout for vegan streetwear brands, here is a comprehensive list for you:
Miakoda Miakoda is one of the top brands that give you a sustainable and ethical alternative to other streetwear brands. This business prides itself on making comfortable and soft clothing which is made from plant-based material instead of using animal fiber. Moreover, Miakoda has chic and laid back streetwear ideal for anyone who wants to look trendy. The huge range at Miakoda clothing is wonderfully cozy and can be worn casually if you want to look fashionable every day. Rombaut Rombaut is a brand that claims to produce designs that match the pace of modernization. This vegan and the cruelty-free brand has high-end and gorgeous streetwear based on the strong ethics of the designer, Mats Rombaut. He is a visionary who believes that the aesthetics and progressive thought process go hand in hand. The business is based on the idea that we need to change the world fundamentally for the sustenance of mankind. Not to forget the fact that their designs are equally stunning. Stella McCartney If you are looking for a well-established brand for streetwear, you should check out Stella McCartney. This is a brand that believes that the world that we inhabit is precious therefore we should be responsible for the sustenance of beauty around us. Stella McCartney makes streetwear without using leather or fur for their designs. They are using technology in a way that they would also protect the forests and wildlife when they make their clothes. Dont Eat the Homies Don’t Eat the Homies was a startup run by Jordyn Weekly and Enrique Sanchez-Rivera. It is now a successful business as it has given a spin of punk to the streetwear. Their clothes are based on playful ideas along with the ideology that veganism must remain the foundation for their brand. Don’t Eat the Homies is one of the most original brands and if you are looking for some unique cruelty-free streetwear, you will find it all in this one place. Basti Basti This is a brand based in Germany producing high-end and cruelty-free streetwear clothes. Basti Basti shows off a broad range of chill and laid back designs for men and women who want to look trendy. All of their collection is made from products concerning veganism. Basti Basti is a favorite among vegan people who enjoy the casual yet gorgeous streetwear looks. The fusion of style with ethical values can shape our world into a more tolerant one. Furthermore, you can always stay in style with brands that are eco-friendly and changing the world with their ideas. Streetwear is loosely defined as common clothing items for casual wear that gain significance in the lifestyle of a people. Usually, one can trace the roots of streetwear culture to California in the 80s when skating was quite in fashion. Later on, it was adopted as hip-hop culture taking over everywhere including Japan. However, in the past few years and especially in 2018, streetwear became more commonly appreciated and prominent with Yeezy, Supreme, Nike, and Adidas.
The millennial and Gen-Z are now the growing consumers of the fashion and they seek products that offer a sense of community along with trend. It can be speculated that streetwear culture is about an attitude towards trends and fashions, therefore, becoming a lifestyle rather than a reduced fashion statement. How is Streetwear Becoming Common? Social media and technology are not the same as it used to be. Once a trend is adopted by famous people, it is then hyped by fans and social media influencers. On Instagram, it is easier to see the trend of social media influencers and celebrities to promote a common style or trend which later trickles down to the common man before the next new thing is introduced. Most of the people who hype up the culture are young people who share their taste for certain things. For instance, a shared love for ‘indie’ music and ‘alternative’ bands gave rise to people who dressed similarly. Similarly, the streetwear culture is something of a representation of the people, their taste in arts, music, and fashion. In other words, this type of trend encompasses a broader population and allows everyone to participate. It is only natural that more people would dress up trendy when the trend is easily accessible and in fact, introduced by the people rather than high-end fashion brands or magazines. Which Brands Fall Under Streetwear Culture? Although people can wear fake or alternative things, the brands still take up much of the space in the streetwear. Brands such as Nike, Adidas, Supreme, Off-White, and Obey. Most of these brands are equally reciprocated by men and women equally. However, there are others like Stussy, A-Cold-Wall*, Kith and Heron Preston which have refined collections for women who want to wear streetwear. These brands make the desired large-sized hoodies and t-shirts and huge sneakers. The trend usually includes graphic logos and animations which especially cater to the youth on Instagram. There is an interconnected nature of fashion consumption fueled by social media and street culture. The Market for Streetwear Culture While big names like Supreme or Adidas and many others remain a preference among consumers, they are not limited in their choices. Many people are now starting their own business or startup to cater to the streetwear culture which would be more affordable for people with different income levels. There is a wide market for anyone who has unique ideas to present authentic and fashionable streetwear to the people who are inspired by hip-hop culture in 2019. In fact, you can even resell the items and they sell out within hours. |
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