As Gen-Z continues to challenge and improve society, their impact becomes increasingly apparent within the fashion industry. From extra-cropped shirts, super-mini skirts, see-through fabric, and unconventional accessories, my generation continues to unapologetically test fashion’s limits. Whether it be luxury, low-end, in-store, or virtual, we have evolved the meaning and value of streetwear. Covering a wide range of streetwear subgenres and archive aesthetics, these are 15 the dopest fashion brands for Gen-Z.
1. Hysteric Glamour
After graduating from Tokyo Mode Gakuen Fashion School in 1984, Nobuhiko Kitamura was encouraged by his coworkers to create his own fashion label, Hysteric Glamour. Inspired by rebellion and 70’s punk rock, people quickly took notice of the Japanese brand’s unique approach to street style. With over 13.1K listings on Grailed, it’s not a surprise this brand has collaborated with top-tier brands like RevengeXStorm and Supreme.
2. Supreme
Businessman and fashion designer James Jebbia is the founder of the iconic skateboard and clothing brand, Supreme New York. With the first location still up and running in lower Manhattan, the luxury streetwear label is now valued at approximately $2.1 Billion with 12 store locations around the world.
3. Urtekat
Founded in 2019 by Urte Katiliute, the Lithuanian contemporary clothing brand Urtekat was born. Before establishing her own label, Katiliute worked hard to receive a BA in fashion design as well as multiple internships with successful London-based fashion teams.
4. Vivienne Westwood
Known for her provocative visionary style, Vivienne Westwood began to work independently after 1981 when she split up with her husband/business partner, Malcolm McLaren. Reaching around 40 years of experience in the fashion industry, the British designer continues to pull inspiration from the ’70s and ’80s to create fashion that embodies the punk subculture from that era.
5. Rave Review
While studying at a fashion school in Sweden, Josephine Bergqvist and Livia Schück created a friendship that would later transform how society viewed sustainability and luxury under one roof. Ever since their first collection made out of old bedsheets, they’ve continued to evolve their innovative methods of using recycled and pre-existing materials.
6. Stüssy
What once was used to promote surfboards, is now a $50 Million fashion label that caters to a variety of subcultures. The brand Stüssy was founded in the early 1980s by Shawn Stussy, a regular surfer at Laguna Beach, California. The young creative began his business by selling surfboards and promotional clothing out of his car. Through time, the clothing line has evidently evolved through collaborations with brands such as Dior and Bape.
7. Blumarine
In 1977, Anna Molinari and Gianpaolo Tarabini created their fashion label, Blumarine. Over the years the Italian couple has developed a multitude of brands that encapsulate a broader range of consumers.
8. KNWLS
Charlotte Knowles worked with Alexander Arsenault to create their London-based fashion line that revolved around reconstruction and femininity. They debuted their first collection in 2017 at London Fashion week which marked only the beginning of the young designer’s successes.
9. Half Evil
10. Evisu
Specializing in denim, the Japanese fashion label Evisu Genes was founded by Hidehiko Yamane in 1991. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s when artists like Jay-Z began to rep the signature seagull logo.
11. FTP
While completing his high school education, Zac Clark started his brand FTP. Though the profanity he utilized in his clothing got him into trouble, it only motivated him to be more rebellious with his work.
12. Chrome Hearts
Though people are familiar with Chrome Hearts, many don’t know that it was started by three friends. At first, Richard Stark, Leonard Kamhout, and John Bowman wanted to make clothes for them and their motorcycle gang. As they worked their way up the fashion ladder, bands like The Sex Pistols, Aerosmith, and Motley Crüe were able to give the brand the status it has now.
13. A Bathing Ape
With the help of Hiroshi Fujiwara in 1993, the aspiring fashion leader, Tomoaki Nagao, created his brand A Bathing Ape. With the help of the greatest music legends of the 2000s, Nigo shared his vision and quickly rose to the top.
14. Ottolinger
When Cosima Gradient and Christa Bösch met at the Basel School of Design, they began a friendship that would launch their careers. In 2015, they created their fashion label Ottolinger which revolved around concepts of deconstructivism and sustainability.
15. Polar Skate Co
