Hype Culture and the Rise of Streetwear in India

Ironically, the one constant thing in the fashion world is change. Latest trends help people navigate what is considered fashionable and what is not. Trends change seasonally, monthly and yearly and social media becomes the hotspot for locating the most recent trends. With a close watch on social media influencers, fashion stylists and celebrities, trends can easily be figured out. Baggy clothing, bulky shoes, sneakers, futuristic glasses are some of the most recent trends we’ve seen on social media in the year 2022. Be it Y2K, early 2000s, vintage wear or streetwear, what dictates trends is social media applications such as Instagram where we get access to trends just by simply scrolling on our screens. With Instagram becoming the most recent hub for creating buzz, we’ve seen the rising trends of Hype Culture and Streetwear skyrocketing to fame. In such a short time, Hype culture and Streetwear brands have managed to create a very strong foundation and it looks like they are here to stay. The streetwear culture is not going anywhere anytime soon. But why though?

Gen-Z and the Millennials are always looking for the next best thing. Being ‘cool’ makes one feel relevant and thus, arouses confidence in one’s own self. Nowadays, what is defined as cool and trendy is your clothing which defines your personality and gives you an edge over others. The way you dress up is undeniably one of the most important determinants of the impression you give off to another person and the very basis of streetwear is this uniqueness and form of expression it provides its consumers. The lack of streetwear in India and the rise of hip-hop culture sprouted opportunities in favor of those who wanted to build brands inspired by the Streetwear fashion topography in the West. Therefore, in the last couple of years, we have seen the birth of several clothing brands that sell streetwear styles and promote the Hype culture in India such as Bomaachi, Jaywalking, BluOrng, etc. Although streetwear is inspired by the West, it is highly personalized as per the hip-hop and urban culture of India. Today, streetwear brands have found themselves an extremely strong following. With the increasing popularity of the rap and hip-hop culture, the hype surrounding streetwear brands hyped products enhanced as well. The influential power of this specific trend is so strong that words such as ‘cop’, and ‘’bop’ have also made it to the vocabulary of many teenagers and adults. Social media influencers such as Karan Khatri, Rannvijay Singha, and Ranveer Singh are some of India’s most popular hype beasts who promote and endorse streetwear and hype culture. Their Instagram pages often reflect their fondness of such brands and they also make posts about their sneakers and clothing collections. They are mostly seen dressed in streetwear brands such as Drewhouse, Essentials, Jaywalking, Bomaachi etc. and additionally, we often see them wearing the most hyped sneakers as well. These could be limited edition clothing or sneakers from brands such as Yeezy, Jordans or Nikes. Certain collaborations such as Ivy Park x Adidas, Gucci x Adidas, and Dior x Jordans are highly hyped as well. Ranveer Singh has been making headlines recently for making several appearances in the Gucci x Adidas collection and was also seen wearing this drop in the Fifa World Cup Match in Qatar. 

Besides influencers promoting and endorsing Streetwear brands and the Hype Culture, another reason for the rising popularity of this culture is the marketing strategy of these brands. These Streetwear brands have shaken up the Youth culture entirely. Such brands rely upon dropping a limited stock securing engagement from their target audience. Their limited drops and supplies encourage the targeted audience to be constantly engaged and updated with all its activities. They provide their audience a sneak peek on Instagram (obviously) and thus, create so much hype related to its drops. The low-key insight into the latest drops keeps the consumers excited and hyped about the products. Coupled with the limited stock, it motivates the audience to purchase the products because wearing something that is not very accessible makes you feel ‘cool’ and ‘fashionable’. Streetwear clothing focuses on making good quality, graphic clothing that assures its consumer’s comfort since it is mostly oversized and baggy. It has defied the boundaries clothes have otherwise created based on gender, size, and money. Streetwear brands such as Bomaachi, Jaywalking, Drew, and Essentials focus on creating unisex clothing that can fit anyone and everyone. This is exactly what attracts today’s youth who aspire to defy the rules and break boundaries. Not only this, Streetwear provides its consumers with comfort and fashion – two things that are not always seen together when it comes to fashion. Streetwear brands promote clothing that is quite literally opposite to what was considered fashionable in the past such as tight, skinny jeans that are extremely uncomfortable and short dresses for girls that restrict movement. What these brands sell are loose-fitting t-shirts, oversized cargos, and sweatshirts that give comfort. Baggy clothing allows you to freely breathe and move, it provides you with a sense of freedom to eat, sit, lie down, do basically anything you want to do. Additionally, another remarkable feature of streetwear brands is the price point at which it is sold. The average price can be defined as something that is not very accessible yet accessible to the crowd. Streetwear brands sell their clothing at a price that is not as high as luxurious brands but not as low to a point where it can be easily purchased by everyone. This maximizes the target audience and thus, in turn, has enhanced their profits. This is another reason why such brands have become so popular in much less time. It is also important to note that streetwear is not only popular just for its graphics or logos, the consumers besides equating it with hype culture also understand the importance it holds since it has opened up new doors for reselling and increased awareness about the whole genre of clothing. Streetwear brands also heavily focus on the quality of the clothing – most brands assure top-notch material of the items they sell.

Today, we see such brands opening several flagship stores and doing pop-ups in different cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata etc. In the last couple of years, the support and following such brands have received is unparalleled. For instance – Jaywalking has opened up two flagship stores already and is invited to do multiple pop-ups internationally as well. Similarly, BluOrng opened up their second store in Mumbai recently after their massive success at the Delhi store. The increased popularity has also provided opportunities for several others to open up stores such as Marketplace by Mainstreet, Crepdog Crew, Solesearch India whose businesses provide a platform to streetwear brands to collectively sell their products. These stores sell off items by different labels and brands and have been extremely successful as well. As a matter of fact, Find Your Kicks India is another very popular platform that aims to provide consumers with a single platform to sell, purchase and resell authentic sneakers and hyped apparel. The founders of this platform were also seen in Shark Tank India Season 1 and managed to secure investments by all the sharks in a historic episode. This went down in the history books of the Hype Culture and revealed the true value and upcoming importance of this niche area in the fashion world. This has not only opened up the eyes of those who considered streetwear to be a temporary fashion trend but has also revealed the emerging new wave of comfort fashion. With the increasing fan base of streetwear, the idea of your inner self and personality popping out has also been strengthened. Streetwear brands are seen not only in markets, shopping malls, and complexes but are also seen in high-profile events such as music and award ceremonies. 

Celebrities such as Diljit Dosanjh are also seen wearing outfits from these brands and fashion stylists have also made sure to include such brands in the fashion wardrobe of multiple celebrities for their interviews, promotions, and public appearances. Therefore, this is only the beginning for streetwear trends in India and there is huge potential that is yet to be unlocked in such brands. Streetwear culture will be the trendsetter in the coming years and dictate what fashion is as it is not only closely watched by the youth but is also worn by several influencers and celebrities. ‘Copping’ fits is the new wave — believe it or not… 

Bibliography 

Hindustan Times. “Indian Hypebeast Culture: Karan Khatri is the ‘hype’ in hypebeast”. [Online: Web] Accessed 19 December 2022 URL

https://www.hindustantimes.com/brand-post/indian-hypebeast-culture-karan-khatri-is-the-hype-in-hypebeast-101612524375203.html

Grazia. “How streetwear is growing into a highly covetable sartorial genre in India” [Online: Web] Accessed 19 December 2022 URL

https://www.grazia.co.in/fashion/how-streetwear-is-growing-into-a-highly-covetable-sartorial-genre-in-india-6785.html