The definitive history of the world’s most influential fashion trend from the people who wore it best The story begins in 1972 in Jersey City, the birthplace of Trash and Vaudeville, the first- ever streetwear shop; it then moves on to the start of punk, which was a decisive influence on what is considered “streetwear” today. From the dresser/casual movement born out of British soccer culture to the skater scene of California, from the paninari poseurs of Milan to the surfer dudes of Hawaii, the authors show how streetwear has permeated a vast range of seemingly disparate tribes. Streetwear recounts the remarkable history of how subcultural fashion trends have grown into a multi-billion-dollar global industry taking both high-end and fast fashion by storm. The intent behind streetwear remains the same: a powerful sense of identity and belonging. With more than 500 photographs and illustrations, exclusive interviews, profiles of industry pioneers, spotlights on significant brands, and snapshots of key cities, this is the complete history of fashion’s fastest- growing and most influential trend.

Streetwear has become a global phenomenon. From their origins in American workwear, via west coast subcultures, extreme sports and incorporating the best in graphic design, the leading streetwear brands have become influential beyond the sphere of fashion alone, with connections to the worlds of art, advertising, music and interiors that make them as potent as "designer" brands many times their size. Showcasing 32 cult streetwear brands, this book focuses not on the endless me-too labels, but the exciting pioneers that have shaped the market since the late 1980s. Cult Streetwear tells the stories of the people behind the brands—from entrepreneurs to graffiti writers, DJs to surf dudes to sneaker nuts, from LA to NYC, London to Tokyo. Addict • Adidas • A Bathing Ape • Ben Davis • Billionaire Boys Club • Burton • Carhartt • Converse • Dickies • Evisu • Fred Perry • Fuct • Goodenough • Lacoste • Maharishi • Mambo • Mecca • Mooks • Neighborhood • Nike • Obey • One True Saxon • Puma • Red Wing • Spiewak • Stussy • The Hundreds • Timberland • Triple 5 Soul • Vans • X-Large • Zoo York

With over 750 streetwear designs and product photographs, and a global directory of the key streetwear boutiques, websites, brands and designers, here is the definitive guide to cool clothes created or inspired by urban living around the globe.

The story of The Hundreds and the precepts that made it an iconic streetwear brand by Bobby Hundreds himself Streetwear occupies that rarefied space where genuine "cool" coexists with big business; where a star designer might work concurrently with Nike, a tattoo artist, Louis Vuitton, and a skateboard company. It’s the ubiquitous style of dress comprising hoodies, sneakers, and T-shirts. In the beginning, a few brands defined this style; fewer still survived as streetwear went mainstream. They are the OGs, the “heritage brands.” The Hundreds is one of those persevering companies, and Bobby Hundreds is at the center of it all. The creative force behind the brand, Bobby Kim, a.k.a. Bobby Hundreds, has emerged as a prominent face and voice in streetwear. In telling the story of his formative years, he reminds us that The Hundreds was started by outsiders; and this is truly the story of streetwear culture. In This Is Not a T-Shirt, Bobby Hundreds cements his spot as a champion of an industry he helped create and tells the story of The Hundreds—with anecdotes ranging from his Southern California, punk-DIY-tinged youth to the brand’s explosive success. Both an inspiring memoir and an expert assessment of the history and future of streetwear, this is the tale of Bobby’s commitment to his creative vision and to building a real community.

"One of the most provocative entrepreneurs of our time, who started Eckō Unltd out of his parents' garage and turned it into a media empire, Marc Eckō reveals his formula for building an authentic brand or business. Marc Eckō began his career by spray-painting t-shirts in the garage of his childhood home in suburban New Jersey. A graffiti artist with no connections and no fashion pedigree, he left the safety net of pharmacy school to start his own company. Armed with only hustle, sweat equity, and creativity, he flipped a $5,000 bag of cash into a global corporation now worth $500 million. Unlabel is a success story, but it's one that shares the bruises, scabs, and gut-wrenching mistakes that every entrepreneur must overcome to succeed. Through his personal prescription for success--the Authenticity Formula--Eckō recounts his many innovations and misadventures in his journey from misfit kid to the CEO. It wasn't a meteoric rise; in fact, it was a rollercoaster that dipped to the edge of bankruptcy and even to national notoriety, but this is an underdog story we can learn from: Ecko's doubling down on the core principles of the brand and his formula for action over talk are all lessons for today's entrepreneurs. Ecko offers a brash message with his inspirational story: embrace pain, take risks, and be yourself. Unlabel demonstrates that, like or not, you are a brand and it's up you to take control of it and create something authentic. Unlabel is a groundbreaking guide to channeling your creativity, finding the courage to defy convention, and summoning the confidence to act and be competitive in any environment"--

Mastering Streetwear Expansion is a deep dive into the next phase of streetwear entrepreneurship, offering a strategic roadmap for brands looking to grow beyond their initial success and establish a long-lasting impact in the industry. Written by Craig D. Washington, a trailblazing designer and entrepreneur, this book is more than just a guide—it’s a blueprint for those aiming to take their streetwear brand from niche to global. The book addresses the challenges of scaling a streetwear label in a highly competitive market, providing actionable insights on everything from product diversification and brand storytelling to digital innovation and global expansion. Each chapter equips readers with advanced strategies, real-world case studies, and industry best practices, ensuring that every aspect of growth—whether in production, marketing, or community building—is meticulously covered. But Mastering Streetwear Expansion goes beyond business tactics. It explores the cultural relevance of streetwear, showing how it intersects with music, art, and lifestyle to create a movement that’s both powerful and profitable. Washington’s unique perspective offers readers a holistic approach to navigating the evolving landscape of streetwear, staying ahead of trends, and creating a brand legacy that resonates with diverse communities worldwide. For those ready to elevate their brand to new heights, this book is a must-read. It empowers designers, entrepreneurs, and creative visionaries to turn their streetwear labels into influential, boundary-pushing brands that set the pace for the future of fashion.

With over 750 streetwear designs and product photographs, and a global directory of the key streetwear boutiques, websites, brands and designers, here is the definitive guide to cool clothes created or inspired by urban living around the globe. All fashion designers, stylists and buyers, retail, branding and advertising professionals will adore this book, as will the millions who love buying and wearing streetwear.

Tribal Streetwear is lifestyle streetwear brand that seeks to represent a variety of southern California sub-cultures that includes graffiti, street art, skateboarding, surfing, tattoos, hip hop, breakdancing, punk, lowriders, and custom culture. Based in San Diego, California, Tribal has strong Chicano roots in its aesthetic and spans the globe with retail stores on several continents. The text presents a series of articles, essays, and personal reflections that explore the various dimensions of Tribal Streetwear, and how the impact of their designs continues to balance the precarious act of being relevant and responsible with their resources. The book is divided into four sections. Section 1 features essays that set a context for the text. This includes a history of Tribal and where it fits within the history of streetwear, a personal narrative of the founding of Tribal, and lastly an essay on the uniqueness of southern California aesthetics and the fascination with this southern California inspired fashion. Section 2 is a series of interviews with notable artists, musicians, and cultural tastemakers that have contributed toward street culture and Tribal. These include Mr. Cartoon (tattoo artist), RISK (graffiti artist), PERSUE (street artists), Mike Giant (tattoo artist), Dyse One (graffiti artist), Craig Craig Stecyk III (skateboard culture), Bob Hurley (surf culture), and the Beastie Boys (hip hop). Section 3 includes a series of invited and peer-reviewed academic articles on distinct subjects within the street culture genre that further dive into the inputs and influences of Tribal Streetwear. They include breakdancing, surfing, skateboarding, graffiti, street art, tattooing, music (hip-hop/punk), lowriders, custom culture, and Chicano Studies. Section 4 is a series of photo essays that capture the three decades of Tribal Streetwear and serves as a visual history of the brand and the evolution of its graphics.

African-American fashion designer Willi Smith, pioneer of streetwear and visionary collaborator, finally gets his due in an exuberant celebration of his life and work. Before Off-White, before Hood By Air, before Supreme, there was WilliWear. Willi Smith created inclusive and liberating fashion: "I don't design clothes for the queen, but the people who wave at her as she goes by," he said. A rising star from the time he left Parsons, Smith went on to found WilliWear with Laurie Mallet in 1976 and became one of the most successful designers of his era by his untimely death in 1987. Smith broke boundaries with his streetwear, or "street couture," and trailblazed the collaborations between artists, performers, and designers commonplace today in projects with SITE Architects, Nam June Paik, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Spike Lee, Dan Friedman, Bill T. Jones, and Arnie Zane. Essays by leading figures from the worlds of fashion, art, architecture, and cultural studies paired with never before-seen images and ephemera make Willi Smith essential reading for the history of streetwear culture and the evolution of fashion from the 1970s to today.

The concepts of artification and sustainability are now both at the heart of luxury brand marketing strategies; artification as an ongoing process of transformation in the world of art and sustainability as an indispensable response to the issues of our times. The Future of Luxury Brands examines three interrelated luxury-marketing segments—the art world, fashion and fine wines including hospitality services—through the dual lenses of sustainability and artification. From safeguarding human and natural resources to upholding labor rights and protecting the environment, sustainability has taken center stage in consumer consciousness, embodying both moral authority and sound business practices. At the same time, artification—the process by which non-art is reconceived as art—applies the cachet of art to business, affording commercial products the sacred status accorded to works of art. When commercial products enter the realm of aesthetic creation, artification and consumer engagement inevitably increases. This pioneering book examining artification and sustainability as strategic pillars of marketing strategies in the luxury industry will be essential reading for practitioners working in luxury product companies, as also students of luxury brand marketing.