Let’s be real; Louis Vuitton would not be the luxury fashion house it is today without the likes of Virgil Abloh, and for good reason. Virgil had an innovative perspective on fashion not many had, which made him one of the world’s most noteworthy designers to date. Abloh opened up a conversation for streetwear to be accepted within a predominantly white space that once ridiculed Black culture for many of today’s most celebrated trends, such as sneakers, jewelry, unisex clothing, loungewear and sagging pants that are now fashion staples from Balenciaga, Gucci and the likes.
We’ve all heard the saying, “The world simply does not move without Black creativity,” and in this case, streetwear is one of the largest industries that have not only profited off the Black dollar but off the culture in full. We’ve seen this firsthand within the music industry, the beauty and hair space and most predominantly within the world of fashion, where the ideas, movements and trends of Black culture have either been popularized or exploited with little to no reference to our contributions.
What many don't know about the glamorized industry of streetwear is that aside from the many trends that it has inspired, streetwear was a way for us to share a love of self-expression that made us feel accepted in a racially binding world. During the early ’80s to late ’90s — a time plagued by AIDS, gang violence, poverty and substance abuse — we used the scope of streetwear to connect with others by helping bridge the gaps that tried so hard to divide us.
Unlike how the world may view it, our love of streetwear was beyond the surface level. Whether it was Dapper Dan influencing luxury fashion houses or Michael Jordan pushing the sneaker culture to high limits, streetwear has always been praised within the Black community, and here are a few key trends that have helped to push, if not inspire, the world.
Sneaker Culture
Micheal Jordan’s 1985 classic Jordan 1 silhouette can serve as a prime example of how the luxury sector has directly been influenced by Black culture. One of the most highly-anticipated releases from Dior was the Jordan 1 Retro High collab. Released on the shelves back in 2020, Kim Jones, the creative director of Dior, is highly credited for implementing the brand’s luxury softness and streetwear edge; however, we must ask where Jones garnered his creative direction from.
According to TheRealReal's streetwear and sneaker valuation manager, Carlos Santos, the source of Dior’s iconic Jordan 1 silhouette was inspired by Michael Jordan’s original 1985 Air Jordan sneakers.
“The main inspirations for the Air Dior Jordan 1 are the original 1985 Bred Jordan 1 and 1985 Neutral Gray Jordan sneakers. Sneaker fanatics can argue all day about which Jordan 1 silhouette ‘era’ is best, but most will tell you that the original is unparalleled.”
And though Jordan could be considered a role model for the entire world in and out of fashion, this wasn't the first time we’ve seen his sneakers as a form of inspiration for luxury fashion houses to take note of. The highly-anticipated release of the Supreme x Jordan 5 silhouette was also the first look into the beginning of the cult-like luxury craze. Founded by James Jebbia in 1994, Supreme is one of the many streetwear labels that have thrived off Black creativity.
“Reputable news sources like The New York Times, Who What Wear and GQ primarily attribute the movement’s success to the brands Supreme and Stussy. While it’s true Supreme and Stussy (as well as other high-fashion brands like Vetements and Louis Vuitton) have made a significant impact in further popularizing the term ‘streetwear,’ all of these articles omit that it was America’s Black diaspora which pioneered streetwear’s essence,” Lithium magazine reports.
Tracksuits and Athletic Wear
The notorious tracksuit dates back to the 1930s and is still one of the most iconic pieces of clothing to date. And though tracksuits were a key fashion staple within the world of hip-hop during the ’80s and ’90s, its origins are broadly attributed to sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith during the 1960s. The dynamic duo was seen sporting matching tops and bottoms that were made from cotton using buttons instead of zippers. The iconic fashion statement was later swept up by Adidas in a collaboration with German football player Franz Beckenbauer.
Now seen as a key ready-to-wear piece for Gucci, Celine, Fendi and Balenciaga, to name a few, brands have paid little to no homage to the tracksuit's true origins.
“Streetwear is, of course, indisputably associated with hip-hop, another area where keeping it real is held in high regard. Streetwear staples such as tracksuits and logo T-shirts have been, broadly speaking, the uniform for rappers from Grandmaster Flash to Kendrick Lamar,” reports The Guardian.
Gold Jewelry
Streetwear would not be the industry it is today without jewelry, and in this case, notable jewelry pieces, such as grills, gold chains, hoop earrings and rings. And though these iconic pieces are must-have statements within Black culture, luxury fashion houses often appropriate said trends. Script necklaces and Bamboo earrings are just a few examples of pieces that have been known and loved by the community for centuries but were often deemed ghetto or ratchet by others.
“The history of the hoop earring is as long as human history itself. They have never been just a trend, which is why they have become a charged accessory in the cultural appropriation debate. Take the “White girls, take off your hoops!” message that was spray-painted at Pitzer College in March 2017, a response to the fact that the fashion industry is claiming this accessory as the newest trend, without realizing that it’s an essential part of many women of color,” reports Refinery29.
Gold-plated jewelry such as grills, in particular, dates back to ancient Egypt around 200 BC to 800 BC. The gold-encrusted mouthpieces were once worn to display wealth and stature and later used as a pivotal fashion statement that was associated with rap culture. Since the notorious uprising of this key staple, the Black community ultimately highlighted, if not brought back, a centuries-old tradition to be worn and praised within the 21st century.
“Like the Great Migration, grill culture spread from the north down to the south, where places like Atlanta and Houston welcomed the exaggerated fashion embellishment with open arms. Soon, rappers like Lil’ Jon, Paul Wall, Flava Flav and more made grillz as important of an accessory as their diamond necklaces, fresh sneakers or iced-out jewelry,” reports In The Know.
Oversized Clothing
Most known as unisex clothing, baggy clothes ranged in a variety of different styles, such as oversized t-shirts and denim jeans. Oversized statements were one of the biggest fashion trends that were often overlooked by society, until recently.
Fresh Dressed, a documentary dedicated to reporting the history of urban fashion, opens up the spectrum of streetwear trends that often go unnoticed. In an interview with The Guardian, director Sacha Jenkins touches on how streetwear has developed over the past decade within the Black community, stating, “People were buying their pants too big but no one was monetizing it. People were like: ‘Wait a minute, there’s a business model here.” From DMX to Nas, the oversized game of streetwear was often used against Black people by enforcing limiting stereotypes that often attributed our clothing as “unprofessional,” though it is now praised by luxury fashion houses worldwide.
Sagging pants, a once-scrutinized fashion statement that was deemed ghetto and gang-related, is now a part of this new collective. The fashion statement recently garnered viral social media attention and received criticism after Balenciaga released its very own version for $1,190.
Though the streetwear sector has opened up a broad world for consumers worldwide, the fact remains the same. Many of today’s trends are the root of Black creativity, inspiration and the many overlooked movements that have pushed the world forward.
