Streetwear has been around for decades. The style of dressing – originating from skate, surf and hip-hop cultures – is however, a current staple of luxury fashion. Just take a look at some of the people working for major fashion houses.
Kim Jones of Dior (who even dressed K-pop boyband BTS), Virgil Abloh of Louis Vuitton and more recently, Matthew Williams of Givenchy. What do these designers have in common? They all share a love (or at least, a strong affinity) for streetwear.
The Spring 2017 menswear collaboration between cult streetwear label Supreme and Louis Vuitton remains one of the most talked-about shows in history. It largely paved the way for hoodies and sneakers to regularly appear in luxury collections.
Last year, suits made a comeback at Paris Fashion Week. Fashion observers saw it as a sign that the trend of luxury streetwear would soon be over. The appointment of Williams as the head of Givenchy last week, put the belief to rest.
Here, we round up some of the most defining moments in the intersection between streetwear and luxury fashion. Scroll through the picture gallery below and have a look at how it has redefined the industry.
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Louis Vuitton's collaboration with Supreme in 2017 created a major buzz. Presented at the Autumn/winter 2017 Paris Fashion Week, it gave the idea of luxury streetwear a solid stamp of legitimacy.
Photo: Louis Vuitton
Can streetwear be luxury? Can luxury be streetwear? Vetements, founded in 2014 by a then-unknown Demna Gvasalia, answered with designs that melded the two elements together. The label's 2016 debut at the prestigous Paris haute couture week certainly raised eyebrows.
Photo: AFP
Kim Jones' Spring/Summer 2019 Dior menswear runway show paired sneakers with suits, as well as caps with trench coats. It was the perfect mix of high-low style. He even commissioned pop artist Kaws to make a 10-metre high statue for the centrepiece.
Photo: Dior
Heron Preston, artist, clothing designer and DJ, is somewhat of a youth culture phenomenon in the Instagram generation. His debut collection (presented at Paris Fashion Week in 2017) answered the oft-asked question of "What is modern streetwear’s place in fashion?"
Photo: Heron Preston
Dapper Dan, a Harlem-based designer famous for recasting luxury for the streets with bootleg creations, was sued by fashion labels in the past. Gucci then reached out to him in 2017, resulting in a collaboration that continues to this day.
Photo: Gucci
