Shawn Stussy has become one of the first names associated with urban fashion, but his fame came about almost by accident. Stussy opened a surf shop in Laguna Beach under his name in 1979. The scribbled signature that forms the brand's logo was the only direct line to the brand today. In the world of urban fashion, more than 10 years in the game give a brand the status of a grandfather. There are some names from the 80s and 90s that have adapted and evolved with the times to continue competing today.
Some of them even dictate the direction in which urban fashion is heading. Due to the constant change in trends, economic recessions and the tastes of people who opt for men's clothing, it's impressive how long these brands have stayed on their feet. Read about the oldest urban clothing brands that exist today. Contemporary urban fashion has a growing influence on haute couture and, in turn, has been influenced by fashion shows.
Designers such as Virgil Abloh and Raf Simons have had a major impact on the evolution of urban fashion through their influence on hip hop and popular culture. Other designers, such as Demna Gvasalia, creative director of Vetements and Balenciaga, championed trends such as the chunky sneaker and the oversized hoodie. In addition to sharing the latest collection of urban clothing or reporting on the main launch parties, the blog also covered social causes and topics of the day. This model of managing an urban clothing brand didn't exist before Stussy and soon became the model for future generations of urban clothing brands.
This was a reflection of Takizawa's growth as a designer and his exploration of other forms of urban clothing. As the creative mind behind Undercover, Takahashi is revered by both urban fashion and haute couture fans. Just take a look at The 50 best urban clothing brands and you'll see that, for various reasons, many of them don't exist today. In the 90s I saw urban fashion emerge in an incredible way, with pioneers like Stüssy and Dapper Dan leading the way.
It is generally accepted that the urban style was born out of the New York City hip-hop culture of the late 1970s and early 1980s, with elements of Los Angeles surf culture. Fujiwara began experimenting with urban fashion in the 80s, and then became closely associated with the Harajuku scene. In 1997, he channeled that rebellious energy into the WTAPS, creating urban clothing with military guerrilla touches. After being part of the urban fashion boom in the early 2000s, The Hundreds's blog also served as an archive and an excellent information point.
Starting an urban clothing business may seem easy, but it's difficult for a brand to remain relevant while continuously striving. In turn, their creations often reflected the changing palette of the urban fashion scene and kept Neighborhood relevant for decades. When you think of Japanese urban clothing, Bape is probably one of the first brands to pop into your mind. Complex magazine named Stüssy, Supreme and A Bathing Ape as the main urban clothing brands, and many collaborated on precious haute couture capsule collections, such as Supreme x Louis Vuitton, Fila x Fendi, A Bathing Ape x Commes des Garcons and Stussy x Dior.
With a growing trend of prominent brands and logos in clothing, a hyper-bestial culture related to urban fashion has developed starting in the mid-2000s.
