CULTURE
VULTURES
F
or generations, subcultures have
been defined through the group’s
music and fashion to determine
the over-arching philosophy that
drives them. They are traditionally at odds
with the mainstream and are a symbolic
form of resistance, so can streetwear be
considered a subculture? Yes, but not
anymore. It’s safe to say that luxury’s
appropriation of streetwear and its popularity
in the mainstream has stripped streetwear
of its status as a subculture. But before that,
how did a style of dress become one of the
coolest clubs?
In the 1980s and 90s, subcultures
like punk and grunge were mostly defined
through the music the members listened to;
clothing was used more as a symbolic
representation of affiliation to the subculture.
The conspicuous consumption (i.e., the
spending of money with the purpose of
Kylie Jenner in Supreme via @kyliejenner on instagram
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin via
@highsnobiety on Instagram
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