One of the most common trends I’ve seen throughout SJSU campus is a minimalistic, red box logo that spells out “Supreme” in white italics. This design can cost you up to $150 for a sweatshirt, or even $200 NWT (new with tags) through resellers on websites like StockX or Grailed. This is just one of many iconic pieces that defines streetwear culture to the millennials and Gen Z kids. Outsiders often ask “What is the story behind this? Why are people spending so much on resold clothes, or on such a simple design you could recreate yourself?” Allow me to introduce you to “Hypebeast” culture and fashion. This lifestyle is often judged, misunderstood, and odd to the older generations; but to some of the millennial and Gen Z kids, it can be enthralling to find like-minded hypebeasts and to “cop” the latest clothing drops with: Supreme, Palace, Bape, Anti Social Social Club, and even more “higher end” brands like Virgil Abloh‘s Off-White and Fear of God.These brands are deemed “streetwear”, but with an expensive price tag.
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This culture thrives off of the exclusivity factor, or the marketing concept of “Scarcity drives demand”. Supreme is the most iconic streetwear or “hypebeast” brand to sell out of their clothes on the day of their release, which is 10AM EST. People will camp outside the flagship store in New York City, and surround the skate shops in Los Angeles in order to “cop” or purchase their brand new merchandise, which either stays true to the iconic box logo design, or collaborates with other designers in order to spread interest, such as the Supreme x Louis Vuitton collaboration, or Supreme x Van Gogh.
Additionally, celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian being spotted in these clothes spreads awareness, ultimately making it more sought after. People love the idea of emulating the celebrity lifestyle, or the ability to look like they’re “trying without trying too hard”. Having the ability to “cop” or obtain these pieces on the day of the release can be exciting, extremely difficult, and expensive–even with taxes and shipping. However, this can be the confidence boost that people need–as they can find likeminded people, and only a certain amount of people can “truly” appreciate the culture and fully grasp the emotional satisfaction of rocking expensive streetwear.
The next time you see someone wearing a BAPE shirt with the iconic ape logo, or even a Supreme shirt–instead of judging them or questioning their decision of how they spent their money, remember, that it is no different than people splurging on art or any hobby or lifestyle. This helps gives people a sense of identity and ultimately, fashion becomes more than just clothes–but something that allows people to express their interests and personality.
mallorys.fashion.blog 