By Allie Cohen
From what was once only worn by skaters, surfers, and hip-hop artists-of-the-likes, streetwear has become one of the most popular trends in modern-day fashion. As someone who is a little more than above-average clumsy, I am a huge proponent of ditching heels for sneakers. However, with streetwear’s insurgence in the luxury market, luxury designers have exploited this lower-income trend, turning streetwear into an unattainable enterprise for many, including the very people they got their inspiration. Although this is not the first case in the history of fashion where the luxury market has highlighted the classist, and even racist, roots infused within the industry, streetwear is one of the most significant indicators of tone-deafness in today’s fashion world.
The Conversation on Who Wears What
In her “Why I Can’t Quit You Hoops,” an article I recently stumbled upon, Sandra E. Garcia explains how as a Latina girl, she struggled with her relationship with hoops. Specifically, she explained that after attending college at Columbia, a predominantly white institution (PWI), she ditched hoops for fear that they “would make (her) stand out, make (her) seem too loud, too visible, too ghetto, too black.” Although Garcia eventually rekindled her connection with hoops, the article encapsulates a much larger issue: the clothes (and accessories) we wear today are stained with classism and racism.
To further understand the scope in which racism and classism extend, I focused on streetwear, particularly on high-end brands, and compared them to fast-fashion brands. After extensive research, I found that the main conversation with streetwear vendors revolved around who was wearing what. In other words, if you’re a Black woman and you walk into a business meeting wearing hoops, you will most likely be treated differently than if a White woman walked in wearing hoops. This also extends to what is being worn; for example, if you wear a t-shirt with a Forever 21 Logo printed on it, as opposed to a Gucci logo printed on it, the outfit changes, solely based on the brand; encapsulating the name game.
The Name Game
One of the main attractions behind high-end brands is the prices. Think about it, if you are paying for something expensive, then that probably means that it is better quality (both in materials and production). As someone guilty of using this deductive reasoning, I wanted to use my investigative skills to see what I was buying. When I went online to Gucci (which isn’t technically specialized in street-wear but offers articles of clothing that can be used for streetwear fits), Off-White, and Supreme (yes, I was checking them out), I found that most of the items in my cart were 100% cotton. While the cotton used by Gucci (specifically) is Pima cotton (which is considered a luxury material), according to USDA, it costs about $567.00 for a bale of Pima cotton which, compared to lower-quality cottons, such as upland, which costs about $360 per a bale, is not that much more. To further put this into perspective, you can make “215 Pairs of Jeans, 409 Men’s Sport Shirts, 690 Terry Bath Towels, 765 Men’s Dress Shirts 1,217 Men’s T-shirts, 3,085 Diapers, and 4,321 Mid-Calf Socks, 313,600 $100 Bills” (arizona.edu) all from that one bale of cotton. So, when an 18 billion dollar company (Gucci), buys a $567.00 bale of cotton instead of a $360.00 one, it is nothing paled in comparison to how much they can afford; further making the argument that we pay more for better materials invalid.
Other factors considered when buying from higher-end brands are ethical practices for both the environment and their workers. However, recent findings (which for the sake of brevity I will not delve into) have proven evidence against both these claims, giving fewer incentives to buy the higher-end brands.
The Question is No Longer What You are Buying, But Why You are Buying
With these factors in mind, the question now begged is not what you are paying for but why you are paying for it. I mean what is the difference between a shirt from Forever 21 or Gucci? Well, think about it this way; if you are wearing a shirt from Off-White (preferably with the label on it), that means you can afford it; if you can afford it, you are more than likely well-off. In turn, high-end brands have become another way to indicate affluence and slap it in the other 99% of Americans’ faces (as if we needed another friendly reminder). Even if you can’t afford it, you buy it anyway, because if you can afford it, then you can afford luxury items while paying for necessities.
Furthermore, while it is evident that both racism and classism play into the fashion industry, I understand this may not be enough to stop you from exploring your true fashionista. However, next time you want to purchase something, I hope you keep in mind what you are buying, or rather, why you are buying it.
