A Progressive Culture “Expressss Yourself”
It is one of the fundamentals truths of human existence that we have bodies. Bodies to feed, to nourish, and most importantly, to cloth. The dressing is evident and well-known fact of society that is true of all known human cultures. All people, everywhere, dress up to show up.
Fashion
No culture in the world leaves the body unadorned. Everyone you meet today will either be dressed to kill, have a tattoo on their body, or a queer fashion that you have never considered yourself. Each culture in the world has a rich history of embellishing, enhancing, or decorating the body. The story of humanity is a story of Fashion itself from the beginning.
The act of dressing up is what we call Fashion. It is no meager lie to equate Fashion as the most influential phenomenon in the Western world since the renaissance. Fashion in today’s world has far transcended its primary purpose of merely clothing the body and has people a symbol of defiance, togetherness, or freedom of expression. Fashion is an art, and it has slowly morphed into a 1.3 trillion-dollar industry in becoming art.
Role of Fashion in Urban Culture
The role of Fashion in urban culture is omnipresent. It is everywhere. Fashion is how we as a society and as individuals choose to present ourselves to the world. Our choice in how we clothe ourselves can either mean one of two things; either it means that we follow the more significant trend of society, or we want to blaze our path.
Each piece of cloth that you choose to adorn your body with has a meaning behind it. That piece of cloth represents an entire evolutionary process of culture. It can tell the history of the culture, the origin of a society, where they originated, or even who they are. Fashion has crept into all areas of life, whether sports, music or our ordinary life.
Sports and Urban Fashion
Sports and Fashion have an age-old relationship. The ease, freedom, and glamor of sports have always influenced fashion. Shorts gained wider acceptance from society after we saw our favourite athletes wear them. Knit shirts owe their existence to sports. In the 1950s/60s, only those colours were considered fashionable, which sports athletes favoured. The hairstyle of a famous athlete will be all the rage now and till the end of time. Michael Jordan became a multi-millionaire based upon the Air Jordan. This can also been seen on some of our favourite music figures and how they incorporate sports brands into there dress style. These are often labels designed by (or) for prominent sports figures. It is a simple fact that we envy and adore sports figures. We want to be associated with them and lead others to think of us as the stars. Because of this, we are primarily influenced by their sense of fashion.
Prominent footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the honorably celebrated sports figures moving the fashion world in 2021.
Music and Fashion
Music and Fashion have intertwined since the beginning. Even today, musicians’ impact on fashion trends is immense. Every musician influences Fashion by co-signing labels in their songs. They create their clothing line like; Yeezy (Kanye West), and most even have brand deals. In 1986, Run D.M.C.’s hit song “My Adidas” was a real hit. Adidas was impressed with the song’s success that they offered the group a 1.5-million-dollar endorsement.
That deal will go done in history as the first collaboration between music and urban Fashion. Nowadays, these kinds of deals are ubiquitous in the world of Fashion and music. Famous musicians like Drake, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, and Kanye West have greatly influenced popular fashion trends.
Australia, Fashion and Urban culture
The culture of Australia is not far different from the rest of the world. Primarily, the ern culture is greatly influenced by the geography of the land and the multi-ethnic migration in the population. This is best seen in the unique fashion style in the big cities of Australia like Melbourne. It is very distinctive and, unlike Australian Fashion being more casual as opposed to most European countries.
Chinese Silk shawls and surcoats influenced the early days of Australian Fashion. Till the 1930s, the women in Australia dressed in silk and embroidered evening coats and over-blouses made of chiffon, georgette, or velvet. The Chinese greatly influenced each piece of cloth. Later as Australian Fashion found its own identity, everyone moved away from the Chinese silk shawls to a more casual urban-like fashion feel. The shift into the urban culture is a force of change that is baffling but worth it.
Urban brands that represent the Urban culture
Hip-hop fashion has been around since the early days of hip hop. It owes its inception to Urban Black Americans. The rhythm and blues culture also owe their existence to the urban black population of America, as does the drip culture and the trap culture. It was in 1985 when Fashion and these black cultures would go on to form a lasting bond.
“The collaboration between musicians and fashion brands is a symbiotic one. Both of them help each other out. Apart from the money, they both make each other famous.”
Back in 1985, English-American rapper “Ricky D” mentioned Gucci in one of his tracks. The urban music industry began to mention luxury brands as punchlines to Hip-Hop bars and freestyles from that moment on. As more genres like; RnB, drill, trap grew in popularity, major urban fashion brands saw this as an opportunity to turn rage into cash. Many of these brands today represent Fashion and stand out for a whole new urban culture.
- Adidas Yeezy
A collaboration between multi-award-winning rapper Kanye West and Adidas birthed the Yeezy boost sneakers lineup. Since then, the urban culture has been left in a frenzy with so many people looking for sneakers online and in physical stores. Kanye West has not stopped making just sneakers but also produced shirts, jackets, track pants, socks, slides, women’s shoes, and slippers.
2. Gucci
One of the first brands to cash in on the popularity of music. Many artists have mentioned the famed fashion brand in songs, and Gucci, in return, has given money to these artists. Gucci jackets are seen as representing the rap culture and are a primary seller of the company.
3. Versace
Versace, the fabled Italian brand, is a symbol of comfort and luxury. It became that symbol in the 90s when 2Pac endorsed the brand. The company made tons of money, and in return, 2Pac was seen as a significant fashion influence and hot a nifty bit of the profit.
4. Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton was one of the first luxury staples to permeate rap music in the 80s. In 2003, the amiable fashion brand endorsed Jennifer Lopez, who was in the center of Fashion at that time. In return, Vuitton received a place at the forefront of public attention.
5. Prada
Prada was dead and buried before Lil’ Kim, Will Smith, and Jay Z brought Prada back from the dead. The artists were seen as cool as a result while the company rose from the ashes.
The collaboration between musicians and fashion brands is a symbiotic one. Both of them help each other out. Apart from the money, they both make each other famous.
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