Streetwear Is Dead: Fashion's Future is Digital
A declaration of digital independence.
By Lite.
“If you speak to anyone that’s been in streetwear for the last 15 years, it’s always had this sort of nine lives, dying and coming back, and dying and coming back.” - Virgil Abloh.
The Late Virgil Abloh was a (mostly) unintentionally polarizing figure in the fashion world. He was the apprentice of Kanye west, designing the covers of ‘Yeezus’ and ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ — Then he beat Ye out for Creative Designer of Louis Vuitton… And then, there’s ‘OFF-White’ — the brand that redefined everything you know about streetwear. Safe to say; Virgil knew a thing or two about fashion.
“I would definitely say it’s gonna die, you know? Like, its time will be up.”
Where does that leave us?
The unknown is not a pretty place.
Most would agree that streetwear has become a fairly unrecognizable medium. It’s been taken hostage by social media hypebeasts, a trillion-dollar counterfeit industry and hyper-inflationary capitalists.
And then there’s brands like RTFKT, OD Labs and BAD* Environment Club; brands that were born and incubated in Web3, with a different approach to streetwear entirely with an emphasis on one, very important thing.
Digital ownership.
For the most part, digital ownership makes most sense on the blockchain. The blockchain stores data in a way that can’t be replicated, manipulated or tampered with. We just talked about the trillion-dollar counterfeit industry and how it effects fashion. So, obviously, that’s a pretty big deal.
That’s why brands like Nike & Tiffany & Co. have been positioning silently positioning themselves for the inevitable future.
Ideas don’t die. If streetwear is “dead”, couldn’t the idea then be technically “reincarnated” into something else? Something greater?
Welcome to the Digital Age
The world is shifting digital. It’s a beautiful and haunting thesis that is slowly becoming our reality. This reality has dawned upon humanity, and it’s something we can’t quite escape.
There’s a lot to unpack in the realm of digital collectibles. There’s art, video games and then there’s fashion. Fashion is widely unexplored in the industry of Web3 - and it’s not because of a lack of content or opportunity.
From phygital items, to Augmented Reality and even the incorporation of NFCs on physical, in-real life garments… the medium as a whole is well positioned to dominate the digital world, and interact with consumers in a way never-before-seen.
Where does that leave us?
What are NFCs? Augmented Reality?
How far does the rabbit hole truly go?
In the coming weeks, we’ll explore it all. Strap in and stay tuned.
Love this! Can’t wait to dive more into this topic 😤