A style of casual clothing which became global in the 1990's. It grew from California
surfskate culture and New York hip hop fashion to encompass elements
of sportswear, punk and Japanese street fashion.
In the late 1980s, surfboard designer Shawn Stussy began selling printed T-shirts
featuring the same trademark signature he placed on his custom surfboards. Initially
selling the items from his own car, Stussy expanded sales to boutiques once popularity
increased. Then as sales peaked, Stüssy moved into exclusive sales to create product
scarcity, which firmed up the ultimate baseline definition of streetwear: T-shirts and
exclusivity.
After California, the look became popular with youth culture scenes, especially within skateboarding and hip-hop circles in New York.
But it was brands such as NYC-based Supreme, which started in 1994 as a skateboard and clothing shop, that propelled the trend further.
Started by James Jebbia, the label quickly garnered a cult following that has only grown over the years.
The decline of formal wear led to the rise of streetwear fashion. High-end and luxury brands began to develop
"luxury sportswear", for example Alexander Wang, Gucci, and DKNY. Among this type of "luxury sportswear",
luxe fabrics were used to produce their sportswear fashion for a high contrast on the sporty silhouette. Fabrics
like silk organza, washed satin, leather, neoprene, and wool crepe were used to produce the "luxury sportswear".
These types of fabrics may help experiment a garment with texture, and may assist in capturing a
modern-sports spirit of the season.
Details of the designs in "luxury sportswear" looks are pulled directly from
actual active wear. The two words, "luxury" and "minimalism" were first used together for sportswear in fashion,
to interpret a fresh sports look which is sleek and clean, but bearing recognizable athletic influences.
Common
mix-and-match combination of "luxury sportswear" on streetwear are track pants under basketball shorts, with
bold patterns and sumptuous fabrics for men; and light colored pencil skirts, with bomber jackets and sleek tops,
cut in satin or tweed, for women.
As always, to make anything go stratospheric, the A-list needs to be involved,
and streetwear is no different. From Kanye West and his Yeezy line to Rihanna's
Fenty x Puma collections plus various celebrities becoming the faces sportswear
brands (Kylie Jenner for Puma, Bella Hadid for Nike, and so on), celebrities have
been heavily advocating this sense of style both on and off the runway, as well
as on and off duty.