There are many names both old and new which contribute to the fashion world. You might be familiar with the fancy and luxurious brand names like Dolce and Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Channel, Versace and many more. These brands are famous worldwide and have built a top-notch reputation in the fashion world.
These brands make not only extravagant runway fashion but also sophisticated high-end clothing. But more or less they are extensively not affordable or focused on the younger generation, mainly for people in their 20s. The style is more classic, sophisticated and elegant.
More and more brands are bringing designs and clothing lines catering to this younger generation. Brands like Nike, Adidas, Zara, Forever 21, Supreme, and Lululemon Athletica, just to name a few, target the younger audience and hence keep them in mind before launching their clothing or accessory line.
The young adults in their 20s, fashionably labeled as Millennials are drawn more towards the fast fashion which can be seen as a general fashion streak among the above-mentioned brands. This element of being very casual yet very classy make these brands popular among the millennials.
History of Supreme clothing brand
One such brand is Supreme which was established in April 1994 in New York City. The brand was majorly a skateboarding shop back in 1994 but now is an established clothing brand along with skateboarding shop. You can easily spot the brands’ clothes because of their distinct logo.
The logo has a red box with the word “Supreme” printed in large white color. The design is principally constructed on Barbara Kruger’s art. The founder, James Jebbia established the shop keeping the skaters of the city in mind. The shop had a unique set up with a large space in the center where the skaters could skate in the store. Now the brand has 11 outlets all over the world with two outlets in New York and three outlets in Tokyo alone.
The brand has a vivid history of collaboration with most renowned names in the fashion industry namely brands like Playboy, Levi’s, Vans, Hanes, Nike, Stone Island and many more. In 2017 Supreme and Louis Vuitton collaboration items sparked and fueled many youngsters towards the brand. Supreme also regularly collaborates with skate brands such as Spitfire Wheels and Independent Trucks to release Skateboard parts. The brand also collaborates with Hanes for releasing branded t-shirts.
Now you might wonder, it’s a clothing brand among the other clothing brands present in the sea, which makes them so special and make the millennials attract towards them? And why Supreme is so loved and trendy in China? Well, the answer to all that are celebrities and social media.
Supreme booming in Chinese country
The Chinese clothing lines, as well as the popular brands, focus on college-going students i.e. young influential young adults who follow their fashion icons to take inspiration for their wardrobe. These fashion icons are majorly Hip-Hop singers, actors, actress or other celebrities. Notably, the brand is endorsed by celebrities like Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, BTS member J-Hope, David Blaine and many more. These artists are very popular among youngsters and their fashion streaks are often adapted really fast.
The Supreme brand provides very comfortable and casual clothing pieces which can be easily worn anywhere without being too extravagant or distracting. It gives the right attention and wow-factor to the wearer.
With so many brands and fashion term, also come the terms ‘Street Fashion’ and ‘Streetwear’. You might wonder what these are and why these terms are so casually used nowadays. It is basically a kind of fashion which is personal to the person. It displays the personality yet be very trendy and casual. It can be eye-striking and extravagant too, depending on your style. Street fashion is just your own skin in the form of clothes customized and paired according to you as per your comfort.
Another reason why Supreme is popular among the Chinese clothing lines is that of the TV Show called The Rap of China. It was a hip-hop TV show where the singers would fight for the title of the best Chinese rapper. The singer and the judges sported the outfits in the show giving the brand a massive media exposure. The brand became a well-known Brand name among the Hip-hop culture. Kris WU, who is a famous and popular icon among the Millennials and a well-known name in Global Fashion, was one of the juries of the show. He was often seen wearing a supreme t-shirt, causing a huge surge in the selling and demand of Supreme merchandise.
According to the youth of China, even the high-end elite Brands are now getting influenced by the streetwear clothing items beloved by the millennials. This young generation of China is tech-savvy, more open to fashion and can very well afford to buy from elite brands. Their point of attraction and influence has been the pop culture for a long time.
This young generation comprises about 30% of the population of China and have become the target audience and market for the brands. Hence, they have a distinct influence on the Chinese clothing line and other local and global brands carter them. Streetwear has become an art where the person can express himself or herself with just their clothing. They have the curiosity and keen interest to know the newest fashion trend going on and finding their alternate space to showcase the trend in their own unique way.
Flexibility of street culture clothing
With more involvement of global fashion brands in the local and national fashion shows and premiers of China, the brands have become flexible with the fashion taste of people. The street culture has influenced many local brands and markets too, which now bring one of the most trend-setting clothing items to the consumers.
They bring a twist to the very casual dresses with tasteful abstract designs and patterns, keeping the millennials trendy and fashionable.