Streetwear lost its Soul

Fashion in my opinion is one of the purest forms of self-expression. Before even meeting someone just by looking at what a person is wearing, you could get a glimpse into that person’s favorite color, what they stand for or against, what music they listen to, what they enjoy doing in their free time, or even get a glimpse into a piece of a story that is meaningful to the individual. Clothing can make you feel big, when you’re small. Clothing can reflect your current mood or even empower you to be the best form of yourself.

When I first discovered streetwear, it was something special. It was organic; it was a product from niche communities: Skateboarding, surfing, underground music, etc. You bought the clothes because you were a part of the community and respected the culture. It created a sense a belonging and it was a way to recognize another “one of us”. However somewhere along the way the culture began to shift. The product became more than the culture itself. Instead of asking what does this piece mean? We asked how much is it worth? Who designed it? Who wore it? Brand logos became more important than the brand story. Streetwear became overtaken by hype, algorithms, scarcity, and status signaling rather than genuine self-expression, art, and community.

You can scan the social media and see an infinite number of new brands with new designs every single day. Yet why does it all feel so empty. A new logo, a new graphic, a new collaboration, a “viral” drop, another piece of clothing signaling who we could become if we bought it. Streetwear didn’t die; it just lost its soul.

Now I ask: What would it mean to put the soul back into clothing? Clothing needs to mean something again. A reason for existing. The world doesn’t need another streetwear brand or another shirt. We don’t need to buy clothes to tell us who we should become. We should want to wear something because it represents something already in us.

Our community, our joy, our suffering, our beliefs, our soul.