How did streetwear brands start?

Urban fashion as we know it today originated in the 90s, in the hip-hop scene of New York, in the surf, skate and graffiti culture of Los Angeles and in the nightlife of Japan. James Jebbia has said that his influence as a designer “was definitely the young skaters of New York. Urban fashion is a casual clothing style that went global in the 1990s. It grew out of New York's hip hop fashion and California's surf culture to include elements of sportswear, punk, skateboarding and Japanese street fashion.

Over time, haute couture became an influence. It usually focuses on casual and comfortable garments, such as jeans, t-shirts, baseball caps and sneakers, and on exclusivity through intentional product shortages. Enthusiasts follow certain brands and try to get limited-edition releases. Urban fashion as we know it now began in the 1980s and 1990s.

While that may not be feasible for everyone, there are still ways to incorporate urban fashion into your look. Thanks to the worldwide popularity of K-Pop bands such as BTS and Blackpink, urban fashion is expanding their musical taste. Urban fashion should not be seen as a trend within fashion, but as the driving part of a major change that has empowered popular culture that encompasses fashion, art and music, and which is largely driven by black culture. Urban fashion is a trend that will remain on the market for quite a long period of time, especially when it comes to reaching the urban public.

Designer Dapper Dan played a fundamental role in turning urban clothing into luxury as early as the 1980s in Harlem, New York, creating styles for hip-hop artists that traditional luxury brands of the time rejected. The communities that originally led urban fashion were largely dominated by men and, as such, the style was originally adopted and driven by men, representing traditionally masculine styles. The value of each urban clothing brand is derived from a variety of sources, including product quality and design, celebrity fans, musicians and artists. They produce most of the highest-value items in urban fashion, sneakers, which gives them incredible financial power in the urban fashion industry.

Like other major cultural movements, urban fashion grew rapidly simultaneously in major cities and regions around the world. Urban fashion hasn't always focused on limited editions and key marketing campaigns through select delivery dates. Brand loyalty is an important part of urban fashion culture, so it's rare to see a true fan combine different urban clothing brands in one look. In the early 1990s, burgeoning record companies associated with popular hip-hop groups, such as Tommy Boy Records, Def Jam Recordings and Delicious Vinyl, began selling branded products embroidered on Letterman jackets and workwear manufactured by companies such as Carhartt.

Jeff Staple's vision and designs have inspired Umahoin in his own creative store, ensuring a deeper connection with the urban clothing brand. Urban fashion fans often wear loose-fitting jeans, oversized sweatshirts and other loose-fitting garments, breaking the rules of proportion to achieve a modern effect. Due to the scarcity of products, popularity increased and, therefore, sneakers became very important for urban fashion. Sportswear brands include leading sports brands whose sportswear and sneaker offerings are an integral part of urban style.