The New Alternative

There was a period not so long ago where fashion made an about turn and what was once alternative suddenly became the mainstream. For a while in between, there was an indistinct blur where there were no boundaries and anything went. When fashion finally got hold of its senses and put little boxes around styles once more, things were different. A new alternative had come about: Urban clothing.

As alternative is all about individuality and expression, it is somewhat hard to sum up exactly what urban clothing means. It seems to be more about who you are than being a pre-defined fashion culture. It isn't about wearing brand names and being associated to a set group, but more about expressing your personality and your heritage, be that natural or culturally adopted. This makes it much more ‘alternative' than the alternative fashions that preceded it.

The culture originally borrowed hugely from the rap and hip-hop scene, but grew to encompass numerous other styles and traditions, distilling them while not removing their individual allure. It is anti-fashion in some ways, not being dictated to by the so-called experts. Instead, this ‘streetwear' is exactly what it says it is. Clothes by ordinary people for ordinary people. Clothes from the streets. There is no pretence, just an indulgence in one's own style and feelings.

Streetwear still borrows from hip-hop culture but has a much broader canvas, encapsulating the surfer and skater scene as well as that of the graffiti artist. It is now such a mass-market that it is almost mainstream itself, but one thing stops it becoming over-commercialised: diversity. There is still no one definition of what urban clothing really is. The only thing we know is that it is all about youth. And they're going to make sure they keep it that way.

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