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The History of Streetwear: Urban Beginnings

Streetwear has been a hot commodity for about 30 years now, and there's a clear reason as to why that is. The youth these days always want the right kind of fashion, wearing specific brands or types of clothing is a great way to go about expressing yourself. Everybody has something to express, and doing it through the use of clothing has never been easier. Streetwear has pretty much urban roots, and when you realize how far it's come you're probably going to be shocked. Everything has to start from the ground up, even something as large as streetwear. This industry gives everybody a voice, and it gives hope to designers who feel like they're about to make that big break. It wouldn't be this way if the past hadn't paved a way for the present, and that's exactly what this article is going to talk about. There isn't a specific historical event that would mark the making of streetwear. In fact, nobody really knows when it was initially introduced into the world. One thing is for sure though, streetwear is taking the world by storm (and it's probably going to stay that way for the foreseen future).

Think about it, all of your favorite actors and singers are wearing streetwear, so it only makes you want to own it more. There are a lot of things that go into the construction of a streetwear brand, especially one that's going to resonate and really start to sell. Within the past 30 years or so, streetwear has been represented in many different lights. Every single decade that passes brings a brand new style to the table, and that's what we're covering today. We're going to delve deeper into the history of streetwear, as we'll look at some of the most influential names and styles to ever hit our society. Clothes mean a lot more to us than some would think! It initially started in the 80's, which is where Shawn Stussy started a streetwear uprising. This is the era of people wearing bell-bottom pants and spandex whenever they'd like, so you can imagine how much buzz streetwear was building when it was released at first.

There is a considerable amount of change that has happened throughout the years when you're talking about streetwear. If there wasn't change, would we really need to cover the history of this industry? In particular, the 90's really presented a strong case when it comes to the "strongest streetwear" phase throughout the years. Then again, who's to say we won't go streetwear crazy like the 90's all over again? That is, if we haven't already!

Shawn Stussy

Shawn Stussy was just a normal surfer back in the 80's, which is the era where skating or surfing "punks" would rule their humble neighborhoods. Streetwear will always have a youthful influence about it, because that's who they're targeting when all is said and done. Shawn Stussy was the first person to actually start creating streetwear tees, and he did it by simply printing his board logo onto shirts. He initially started up this business because it was a great moneymaker, and it happened to cut the costs he had to deal with when making is hand-made surfboards. He could only make about one of these boards per day, so the money that he was earning just wasn't going to be enough. Needless to say, selling t-shirts out of the back of his car was a fantastic idea (to say the least). He wanted to build up a cool and innovative brand (as far as streetwear went), but he also wanted it to be somewhat "hard to get".

Rare streetwear is now one of the most idolized things in the world, with shoes and specific pairs of clothing going for well over $500 a piece (and that isn't the regular retail price). Most of the time they're either customized pieces of clothing, or they were simply released on a very limited scale. You see, Shawn Stussy was essentially the pioneer for every single streetwear brand we know to date. He understood that having limited numbers of product would call for a demand, and he also understood that having a fantastic design was a necessity (something many aspiring up and coming streetwear designers tend to forget, they just throw a bunch of blurry clip-art on a t-shirt).

Source: https://advertanatomy.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/stussy-mood-board.jpg
In the late 80's graffiti started to get relatively popular, alongside break dancing and hip-hop music. The three turned the streetwear industry upside down, as it was making strides to become the most sought after clothing type in the world. Everybody wanted to get in on the action, it was full of crop tops and brightly colored spandex; something we had to deal with for way too long! This area can somewhat be applied to the 90's as well, as snap backs and baggy jeans were starting to make their come up (barely, of course).

Shawn Stussy was the first, but he definitely wasn't the last. There are thousands of aspiring streetwear designers these days, but not every single one of them is going to make it. You have to not only have a unique idea, but you've got to follow through as well; much like Shawn Stussy did.

Progression: The 90's Streetwear

This is where streetwear started to thrive much more than usual, because the music started coinciding with it. When you blended hip-hop with streetwear there was literally a super-drug created, and that super-drug was a lifestyle that everybody wanted to live (or at least look like they were living). The music scene that hip-hop was building allowed the clothes to really resonate within communities, and people started dedicating their lives to the stuff. People would develop designs for snapbacks of their very own, and puffy coats were also very high in demand (you probably couldn't walk a mile or two without seeing some shell-toe Adidas, which I still wear today). Le Coq Sportif was literally at its highest peak in the 90's as now it's a brand you barely hear of; ask anybody who was a teenager in the 90's and they'll let you know about it. Record labels started hopping onto the bandwagon, and as a result there was a lot more money being put into these particular ventures. Rappers started to become clothing moguls, a trend that you see continuing today; and everybody else just wanted a piece of the pie.

When you mixed a famous face with streetwear it was almost like an immediate success, just ask brands like Timberland or even FUBU. When a product is endorsed so much by "famous" names, it's going to do a lot as far as sales go. That's why streetwear made such a large come up in the 90's and that's why it continues to rapidly grow in today's society. The 90's weren't all good for the streetwear industry though, as it also allowed for an abundance of copycat companies to come out of the woodwork. Companies would come out and produce low-quality clones of the products you knew and loved, and some people would buy them without even thinking twice. People began looking for retro pieces of clothing like sneakers and hats, which caused the prices for these items to hike up immediately (it's exactly like the rare streetwear world of today, it's all about supply and demand).

The internet was also growing at a rapid rate during this time as well, and that allowed for many more sellers/buyers to get what they needed so direly. Sellers could communicate with buyers and vice versa, which is the beginning of every single online streetwear retailer you'll come across in modern times. Did I mention that there was a kids rap-duo called "Kriss-Kross" that wore their clothes backwards? Yeah, that actually happened! Now I'm really showing my age. LOL

Keep it Moving: The 00's Streetwear

This is where streetwear started to morph and blend into something "new-age". You see a lot of musicians and such making use of sports-related clothing, and jerseys were absolutely in. You'd see many clothing companies trying to create football jerseys of their own, except instead of using an official NFL logo, they'd use their own brands logo. This allowed for people to wear unlicensed football jerseys, as well as pay a lot less than they would for them (and they might even just prefer the streetwear alternative). Seeing as it was supposed to have a youthful feeling, people felt like it was only right to progress it that way, which is why you see a lot of the "skinnier" styles right now. People are always trying to innovate, in the 90's it was baggy, and now it's slim-fit. It's all about getting with the times, as a streetwear company you have to be willing to adapt. Streetwear brands started to adapt in the 2000's, as they started producing fitted caps and even baggier jeans than usual (that is until way later, like 2006-2010 when Filthy Dripped opened its doors on Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA).

Musicians jumped on the bandwagon once again, and rode it all the way to the bank. Songs like "Air Force Ones" by Nelly (and the St. Lunatics) were essentially commercials to the public, only presented in a song form. Not only that, but they were catchy songs to boot! That's like the perfect way of getting your product sold, and streetwear brands were getting a lot smarter around this time. They finally understood that they're the majority when it comes to clothing now, especially in urban/city-like areas. Street art has always been a way to go about expressing yourself, and throughout the 00's people were expressing themselves at every possible point they could.

Things almost seem to go full-circle as well, as a lot of the retro looks that people sported in the 90's are sought after these days. Brands and clothing that have been well-preserved from that era will score you a pretty penny, and snapbacks have made a very strong comeback as of recent.

As a result, we were given dozens of amazing streetwear companies, some that are actually still around today. Some of the most popular names I can name off the top of my head would be: BAPE, Supreme, LRG, and even some non-mainstream brands like Breezy Excursion. Now you'll see the likes of jogger pants, which are almost like sweatshirts for your lower half. They come to a crimp at the ankle, so you don't need to worry about baggy leg-holes ruining your outfit. We've adapted quite a bit as far as streetwear goes, especially when you look at it over the years. We went from neon pinks to darker tones of whatever we feel like, and it couldn't have happened in any other way (well, any other preferred way that is; I loved wearing snapbacks back in the day and today!).

Streetwear Today

In conclusion, streetwear had to start somewhere; and the fact of the matter is that it was destined to grow. As a human race we're always going to look for ways to go about doing things differently, that's what makes us so unique. If we did the same stuff and wore the same clothes throughout the years, there simply wouldn't be any innovative things happening. We owe it to ourselves to progress as quickly as possible, no matter what we're progressing in. Streetwear has allowed many people to go about expressing their artistic values through clothing, and it's going to continue to do so all the way until a new trend comes along. That's probably going to take a long time, though, so don't think that we're going to be holding our breath.

It's a serious business, where we now have dedicated clothing conventions to streetwear like AGENDA. Everybody has hobbies, you might like to play video games whereas certain people are strictly interested in the designing of clothes. If you aren't a clothing fanatic by now you should probably consider it, there's a lot to learn (and even more to wear) when it comes to streetwear brands. I don't think there's any other industry in the world that's going to have a story like this one, especially since we're all aware of a few iconic streetwear pieces. Remember those pants MC Hammer used to wear? They were pretty much baggy ass joggers.

Time passes and styles change, but streetwear will never die. It might not look the same, and it might not even feel the same at some point; but you know exactly what you're getting into. The history of streetwear is relatively deep though, but the information is very scarce; this article is probably just scratching the surface of what we need to know!

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The Most Incredible Article About Streetwear You'll Ever Read

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The History of Streetwear: Urban Beginnings Streetwear has been a hot commodity for about 30 years now, and there's a clear reason as to why that is. The youth these days always want the right kind of fashion, wearing specific brands or types of clothing is a great way to go about expressing yourself.

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Think 'animal print' in the context of fashion, and you'll no doubt picture leopard spots. Bold, overstated, and able to look luxurious in the right hands and cheap in the wrong, leopard dominates the fashion plain. But for autumn/winter '18, designers have riffed on the rump of another wild animal that's often overlooked: the zebra.

In the fashion world, this is another beast entirely. Thanks to the naturally monochromatic colour palette, zebra stripes are bold without being brassy. While leopard print is still ubiquitous this season, zebra stripes are somewhat rarer - so you're unlikely to match half the restaurant of an evening.

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Why zebra - not leopard - is the print to try now

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Think 'animal print' in the context of fashion, and you'll no doubt picture leopard spots. Bold, overstated, and able to look luxurious in the right hands and cheap in the wrong, leopard dominates the fashion plain. But for autumn/winter '18, designers have riffed on the rump of another wild animal that's often overlooked: the zebra.

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Flannels | Luxury Designer Fashion for Men, Women & Kids..

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Shop men’s, women’s and kids’ luxury clothing, shoes and accessories from the most coveted designer brands at Flannels. Shop the latest collections now.

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Flannels | Luxury Designer Fashion for Men, Women & Kids

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Shop men's, women's and kids' luxury clothing, shoes and accessories from the most coveted designer brands at Flannels. Shop the latest collections now.

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Designer Fashion, Accessories & More - Shop Online at Selfridges

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Voted the best department store in the world, Selfridges has all the latest designer collections, must-have toys & gifts for all the family.

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Due to the spread of COVID-19, we have taken measures to ensure the health and safety of our customers and staff. These include temporarily closing our stores in the U.S. and U.K., and enacting company-wide policies to safeguard our employees, products and supply chain. The online store will remain open. Next week's release will be online only. Shipping fees will be waived on all orders over $150 in the U.S. and E.U.

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Supreme. The official website of Supreme. EST 1994. NYC.

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We offer a contemporary, unique and world leading brand mix including Thom Browne, VISVIM, Nigel Cabourn, Stone Island, Comme des Garcons and many more, to a discerning customer base through the friendliest and most helpful service.

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Ridge Cargo Hiking Short - Women's Shorts & Trunks | Stussy

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Stussy womens shorts and trunks, another reinterpreted outdoor classic. These multicolored shorts have to front flap packets with and adjustable waist. Shop Stussy womens shorts now!

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The hype machine: Streetwear and the business of scarcity

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Streetwear brands are using scarcity and social media hype to supercharge the traditional supply-and-demand model – and fuelling a remarkably lucrative resale industry in the process

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Comment: How are Gen Z shopping for fashion?

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Generation Z – those born since 1995 – are the all-important next generation of consumers. So how are they shopping for fashion?

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Seasonal Range Plan Stores New all pdf(1)

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As well as looking online at competition I also visited Selfridges to look at different styles of streetwear clothing.

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Fashion trends mirror generations. With trends that come and go over time, some classic pieces just never run out of style. Claiming old trends as vintage fashion, we like to give it a little modern twist. In the '90s, f anny packs are nothing but a practical bag that tourist dads usually wear on family vacation. Fast forward to 2018, fanny packs are worn as a cross-body bag by trendy fashionistas you see on Instagram.

Every generation came up with fashion trends that redefined how we see clothing today. Whether it's inspired from a certain film, book, or a Hollywood celebrity, it's amazing to see how these generations shaped itself based on how people dress at that time. Every generation is unique and with them, came with different tastes in fashion. Here are fashion trends based on generations X, Y, and Z.

Generation X (born 1965 to 1980)

Most likely, Gen X's are your parents. Believe it or not, your mom's generation was stereotyped as lazy and unenthusiastic because they were only interested in MTV, rock n' roll, and other pop culture shenanigans. Crazy, right? So think classic movies such as The Breakfast Club, Clueless, and The Wizard of Oz.

In terms of fashion, they saw the rise and fall of shoulder pads. But other than that, it was the era of alternative rock music - so grunge looks and punk rock was everyone's go-to style. Think oversized denim jackets, leather jackets, metallic studs, and unkempt hair. Girls would draw their eyes with black, bold eyeliners and spray their hair with an overwhelmingly amount of hairspray.

Molly Ringwald, Cindy Lauper, Boy George, David Bowie

Generation Y a.K.a "The Millennials" (1978-1998)

Millennials have seen pretty interesting stuff that no other early generations would expect. Witnessing the rise of the Internet, they have gained unlimited access to information, so they tend to have different strong opinions and beliefs. In this era, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are what kept them busy. This was also the era of popular illuminati theories and mobile phones. Their childhood TV shows are Hannah Montana, iCarly, Punk'd and Gossip Girl. Their obsession with Harry Potter, Star Wars, and High School Musical also includes this list.

A new trend was made popular among millennials is the minimalist fashion . It's basically the definition of "less is more" where millennials are decluttering their closets and upgrading it with a curated wardrobe in various shades of black, white, and gray. Pieces such as fresh white sneakers, denim jacket, a white button-up shirt, and black skinny jeans are one of the few must-haves for that minimalist wardrobe.

Fashion icons: Johnny Depp, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Alicia Silverstone, Justin Timberlake, Winona Ryder

Generation Z (born 1998 to 2010)

For being the first generation to not remember a time where smart phones, the internet, and social media did not exist, kids from Gen Z are the natives of digital content. They mostly rely on the internet for instant access to information and entertainment. Appls like Netflix, Uber, and Spotify for the win, hands down. This generation is considered as the golden age of TV shows; Stranger Things, Riverdale, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, and more are what Gen Z's obsess over. They also fan over popular Youtubers, to name a few are Lelepons, DanTDM, and Pewdiepie.

Their fashion choices are leaning towards gender fluidity and body positivity. Their style is mostly influenced by popular internet personalities on Instagram where furry sandals, sock booties, tracksuits, body suits, colorful sunglasses, and feminist graphic shirts are examples of their fashion taste. Other than these statement pieces, luxury streetwear fashion is also a popular choice. When sweat shorts are once used to wear as pajamas, they are now a streetwear fashion piece that are considered stylish. Hence to normcore fashion style, this is a type of fashion that are composed of outfits that make you blend in with the norm but actually makes you stand out. Confusing, right?

Fashion icons: Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Jaden and Willow Smith, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Luka Sabbat

By: Abby Atienza

Art by: Merrill Chan

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Fashion Trends According to Generations X, Y, and Z

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Fashion trends mirror generations. With trends that come and go over time, some classic pieces just never run out of style. Claiming old trends as vintage fashion, we like to give it a little modern twist. In the '90s, f anny packs are nothing but a practical bag that tourist dads usually wear on family vacation.

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[UPDATE] March 8, 2018 6.45 a.m. EST: This article has been updated to include details of a new plan to fight sexist imagery in ads, as announced by a group of France's advertisers and the country's broadcast watchdog.
Read our updated story below.
It's not exactly breaking news that streetwear is a boys' club. The entire scene is overwhelmingly run by men who cater to a male audience. Even at its most basic level, most companies only produce clothes in men's sizes. But this is Highsnobiety, I don't have to tell you that streetwear is more than clothes, it's a culture - and it's one that is shutting out women.

If we look at streetwear in purely functional terms, it could be argued that the style is actually less sexist than traditional women's fashion. While rigid beauty standards pervade pretty much every aspect of our lives, streetwear focuses on loose, comfortable fits, which are a relief from restrictive clothing. That's why a lot of women are drawn to the scene in the first place - not everyone wants to wear heels or form-fitting outfits.

Clearly the problem doesn't lie with streetwear itself. It's the boys' club attitude that permeates so much of the culture, as well as the sheer lack of prominent women at all levels of the industry.

Of course there are women who are killing it in streetwear - people like Vashtie, Christina Paik, Erin Magee, Aleali May, Leah McSweeney and Emily Oberg, who are enriching the culture to a huge extent - but just because a few women have found success, it doesn't take away the scene's wider problems.

Similarly to other male-dominated fields like gaming or tech, there is a dearth of female representation - and what is there, is in many cases incredibly problematic.

The image of a girl wearing nothing but a T-shirt is so common now that it's become a streetwear lookbook cliché. But it's not just something to roll your eyes at while scrolling through your feed - it's insidious.

There's a phrase coined by American activist Marian Wright Edelman that's often used when discussing lack of representation, "you can't be what you can't see." In most streetwear imagery, women are either used as props, or they're non-existent. Seeing imagery like this time and time again, women are reminded that the scene is not for us, and that frankly, we're not very welcome in it. If women aren't being shown positive images of themselves in the industry, why would they want to be involved in streetwear at all?

For younger women trying to find themselves in the scene, the problem is even more compounded. There's no doubt that streetwear would be presented differently if there were more prominent women in the scene - women tend to portray themselves as more than sex objects - but this sexism is alienating women and preventing many from fully embracing streetwear.

This sort of blatant misogyny affects how we take in a brand's image in their future endeavors, whether that's an Instagram pic or a collaboration with a lad's mag. Collaborating with Playboy or Penthouse doesn't need to be sexist - nudity isn't the problem here - but when there's little or no women on your creative team, or the images reduce women to a mere collection of body parts, these collaborations leave a bad taste in your mouth.

What it basically comes down to is the double standard that we treat male and female bodies and the male gaze present in so many images. No one bats an eyelid when Supreme features a naked woman on a T-shirt - but could you imagine the headlines if they dropped a cap with a dick pic on it?

The images themselves aren't just objectifying, their very existence shows how little streetwear companies value our business. Women are clearly into streetwear - there's not some special ingredient in testosterone that makes men obsessed with copping a box logo - but brands just aren't paying attention to us.

It's not like these labels don't know that women wear their clothes, it's that they just don't care.

Of course, this isn't all streetwear by any means. Brands like MadeMe and MISBHV are producing authentic work made for-and-by women, but a brand doesn't need to be marketed exclusively towards women to not alienate them.

Across streetwear, labels such as Stray Rats, Only NY and Ader Error talk to both sectors of the market by portraying men and women in the same way - without being condescending or objectifying. Not every brand needs to empower women, but if you're shelling out your hard-earned cash, it's nice to give it to someone that sees you as human.

It's gotten better too. If we had Instagram 10 years ago, virtually every major brand would have been posting problematic images, but the fact that it's happening in 2017 at all still means we have to talk about it.

Anti Social Social Club x Penthouse

What makes things even more frustrating is that streetwear is non-conformist at its core. It might not seem that way now now, but streetwear came from a place that was against the system. So why does it still reaffirm archaic sexist values?

It's especially strange that streetwear has been this slow to evolve at a time when, for better or worse, promoting activism has become a legit business model for brands.

As another Highsnobiety contributor argued, all advertising is inherently disingenuous, designed to fool us into thinking the advertiser is on our side. While that's certainly true, it's also true that representation is vitally important. Personally, I would take better and more representations of women over none - even if they're just trying to sell me stuff.

In France, advertisers and the country's broadcast watchdog just unveiled a plan to fight sexist advertising. Under the new scheme, broadcasters and advertisers will be sanctioned for "excessive" ads that feature sexist stereotypes or gratuitously use sex to sell products.

Stephane Martin, the head of the country's advertising regulator, said that "Nudity can be acceptable" in ads, but only when it has a purpose and "not to sell a car" - or in this case, a new T-shirt. While there's very little chance of France's plan going international, it shows that there's a real need to change the type of imagery we're exposed to.

When it comes down to it, we need to hold streetwear to a higher standard. Things may be getting better, but that's not good enough. If a brand posts a trash image, say it. Social media means that companies get real-time responses to their work so if they get dragged for thoughtlessly posting a sexist picture, maybe they'll think twice next time.

The same goes for anything sus a brand posts. It's on you to make sure who you wear also aligns with what you think, because by wearing a label's logo, you're automatically repping them. And why would you represent a brand that doesn't represent you?
The views and opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of Highsnobiety as a whole.

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Sexism In Streetwear: Why Is It Letting the Whole Scene Down

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UPDATE] March 8, 2018 6.45 a.m. EST: This article has been updated to include details of a new plan to fight sexist imagery in ads, as announced by a group of France's advertisers and the country's broadcast watchdog. Read our updated story below. It's not exactly breaking news that streetwear is a boys' club.

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END. presents our new London flagship store on Broadwick Street, Soho with this exclusive photo set from Peter Cook.

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UK-based retailer END. Clothing recently unveiled images of its new London storefront, making it the imprint's third and largest space to date. Artistically in line with both its Glasgow and Newcastle outposts, the new location, too, utilizes a mix of marble, stainless steel, mirror and maple in which to fabricate innovative landscapes and imaginative product displays.

Revered for carrying pieces from some of fashion's most prevalent tastemakers, the expansive 8,500 sq ft store will house on-trend items spanning two floors, with a vast sneaker wall that wraps around the entire corner of a glazed façade. The main floor centers its focus around a grooming area, alongside a conceptual space dedicated to new product activations and promotional campaigns of the like. Be sure to flip through the gallery above for a closer look at END.'s new London-based chapter.

In case you missed it, the Moncler Genius building opened its doors in NYC.

END. London
59 Broadwick Street
Soho, London
W1F 9QS
United Kingdom

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A Look Inside END. Clothing's New London Flagship

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UK-based retailer END. Clothing recently unveiled images of its new London storefront, making it the imprint's third and largest space to date. Artistically in line with both its Glasgow and Newcastle outposts, the new location, too, utilizes a mix of marble, stainless steel, mirror and maple in which to fabricate innovative landscapes and imaginative product displays.

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Premium menswear independent End is planning to open a London store, Drapers understands.

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Changing the perspective, on "International Women's Day," Billionaire Girls Club (BGC) held a panel event, aimed to broaden the way we view women in the industry and dive into their responsibility for much of today's culture.

"A Conversation about Women in Streetwear," welcomed young women from the Lower East Side Girls Club and members from local women empowerment groups; Through our Lens Inc. and Applauding Power for a night of discussion and growth.

Taking a seat on the panel stage was a lineup representing the many different lanes in streetwear; Va$htie Kole (DJ/Director), Karizza Sanchez (Complex), Joy Yoon (Adidas), Olivia Anthony (LIV Streetwear), and Angela Chavez (OVO).

Moderating the boss group was none other than Miss Info, who in many ways has a staple in hip hop culture and media for almost two decades.

It was interesting to hear each panelist's definition of what it means to be a "woman in streetwear" and what drew them into the industry individually. As a collective, they all seem to have fallen in love with streetwear in a very natural, creative way.

Anthony recalled watching her older sister mirror her boyfriend's swagful clothes during the 90s and models her fashion line, LIV Streetwear after those moments.

"As a designer, all of my clothes are unisex. I've been inspired by just my sister matching her boyfriend going to the mall. I've always been inspired by women wearing men's clothes."

Similar to Anthony, Sanchez found herself drawn to streetwear by admiring women who have grown within and navigated the industry from different verticals aside from actual design.

The panel was a great example of how one can truly take something they are passionate about and make it a permanent part of their lifestyle. Streetwear is often just looked at as brands and clothes that are usually associated with a household name or perhaps a model, but it's so much more.

Everyone from the photographer that shoots the campaigns, to the editors that discuss the culture around in which those clothes are flexed in, are all apart of streetwear. Sanchez expressed,

"Growing up, there were women who I saw in these positions not just as designers but behind the scenes. There are a lot of 'behind the scenes' women that people don't know about or care to know about. Part of it is on us to do the research...

She continued,

"There are so many brands that people like in streetwear where so many women are actually the ones doing the work. They may not be the founders but they're the ones shooting the photos or designing the graphics."

Streetwear is a multi-dimensional universe where men and women can shine in several respects. But, now at this point in time, society has reached a pivotal point because women who occupy interest in areas that are most common dominated by men are often looked at as novelties or are ultimately "othered."

The whole thing pretty much feeds a cycle of women who have to consistently defend and prove their authenticity amidst stigmas fueled by sexism.

Kole has been a cultural creator and producer for over a decade and grew up hanging around mostly boys, and shopping in the "boys section," but shared a struggle similar to many women, who loved sneakers but had to search high and low to find one in their size or their preferred color.

The cultural expectations for how men and women dress has plagued the sneaker industry for many years, segmenting different styles and colors for kicks with presumed colorways that women should wear. Major turn off.

"They'd used to term 'shrink it and pink it' so if there was a cool Jordan sneaker, they would take it and made it smaller and in pink for girls. They would make the assumption that all I want is pink. I think it's interesting because the market is obviously changing and social media is helping," said Kole

In 2019, it is much more common to see a girl in baggy pants and oversized tees and not automatically call her sexual preference into question, but it wasn't always like that. Through apps like Instagram, more images of women wearing different street fits from all different skin tones, shapes, and ages are redefining how we look women in the industry.

Wearing baggy clothes, or sneakers to work isn't a faux-pas or seen as less professional, but rather an admirable reflection of comfort. High fashion has picked up on this and many designer labels have been incorporating a streetwear-fashion into their collections, especially winter collections for women.

It's a reality that circles back to Miss Info's first question to the panel - 'Is there more inclusion now that women in streetwear are trendy?'

Yoon, Studio Director at Adidas Program Creative Farm took a major pivot to follow her dreams at an early age, where her parents weren't supportive of her diving into what seemed like unchartered territories for her. "I was planning on being a doctor, or rather, my dad was planning on me being a doctor..." she said.

"I was enrolled in school and two weeks in I decided I didn't want to do it anymore-it didn't make me happy. Happiness was the main driver for me, which at 18 was somewhat of an epiphany because a lot of people don't realize how important happiness is until they're a lot older."

After hearing the news, Yoon's father cleared her bank account.

There's more to life, so why spend time doing something that doesn't fulfill you? Why wear the clothes that society expects you to? The conversation around the panel not only translates to women in streetwear but essentially any male-dominated industry that women have to navigate.

The ladies answered questions from the young, aspiring ladies that filled the audience at SoHo's BBC flagship store, urging them to both stay true to themselves as creatives and hold themselves accountable.

Let's be honest, as much as it sucks, women are quickly scrutinized and scape-goated so consistency is truly key. Despite any shade, someone can throw your way, being a girl trying to do _____, your resume and reputation is factual proof of what you can produce, so uphold it the best you can.

Another strong sentiment the panel touched on was women supporting other women.

"It's all about supporting. As women, we need to support each other and keep each other up and if there are more women designers out there, lean towards that because they are making it for us," said Anthony.

Embracing your fellow ladies will only, in turn, elevate your voice as an individual and make these outdated narratives about gender more obsolete.

The Billionaire Girls Club panel was a refreshing way to celebrate the holiday that in actuality should be celebrated every damn day.

Giving young women exposure to a safe space that dives into this issue is blessing our young queens with the knowledge that will guide them to further broaden equality in all parts of the kulture.

Peep the drip from the event below.

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How Billionaire Girls Club is redefining women in streetwear

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Changing the perspective, on "International Women's Day," Billionaire Girls Club (BGC) held a panel event, aimed to broaden the way we view women in the industry and dive into their responsibility for much of today's culture. "A Conversation about Women in Streetwear," welcomed young women from the Lower East Side Girls Club and members from local women empowerment groups; Through our Lens Inc.

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https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pharrell-announces-billio_n_1064562

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From ClutchMagOnline.com: Skateboard P has announced that he will be expanding his Billionaire Boys Club clothing line to include a women's divsion to be called- surprise- Billionaire Girls Club. The musician-turned-clothes maker told Women's Wear Daily that the new line will have a full range of ladies' clothing and is set to launch in the Spring of 2013 (which is kind of a long time for now, especially considering the fickle nature of urban clothing trends).

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Pharrell Announces 'Billionaire Girls Club' Clothing Line

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From ClutchMagOnline.com: Skateboard P has announced that he will be expanding his Billionaire Boys Club clothing line to include a women's divsion to be called- surprise- Billionaire Girls Club.