Streetwear Past and Present

Fashion throughout last century has been continually changing, but only for the last sixty years has youth culture and the emergence of highly identifiable streetwear trends had such an influence on popular fashion. Streetwear today has seen a particular brand of NZ design which is specific to New Zealand, one influenced by Kiwiana giftware and homeware into popular streetwear. Where did all of this begin?
The Beginning of Streetwear
The 1950s was a time of change for the entire Western world, particularly with the post-war materialisation of popular culture via the media. The term ‘teenager' was coined during this period, after the influences from film, music, television and magazines were for the first time, shaping a generation. The 1950s was particularly important as for the first time in history, young people had disposable money available to spend on themselves - and they had the freedom to do so.
Two particular styles came to light during this decade: Greasers and Preppies. The Greaser era took the biker look set by Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953), and reinvented it for daily life with one key stable shining through: the denim jean. This was supplemented later in the 50s by the Preppy look, focused on fastidious tidiness and immaculate grooming, as enforced upon youth culture by collegian institutes.
Freedom Influences Fashion
The 1960s were highly influenced by pop music and the freedom of speech. Baby boomers were speaking out about politics in a way their parents were never able to through music, a liberation that flowed through to the popular choice in unconventional or risqué fashion choices. The Mod style saw mini-dresses and tapered pants popularised as a way to show skin like never before. Later in the 1960s, the Hippy style saw a rebellion against the Preppy style of the 1950s which was forced upon many, which resulted in influence from alternative eastern cultures - beads, kaftans and so on.
Tunics and other Indian-inspired looks followed through the early 1970s, and the emergence of polyester opened a new door for colour and pattern which spurred on the next streetwear trend for the decade. Clothing inspired by modern dance and athleticism saw flared pants, jumpsuits and wrap-around items come into popular wear because of their comfort and versatility.
Icons Influence Streetwear
Music, once again, was the key influencer in fashion when the 1980s came around. The nightclubbing era saw comfort and innovation in stretch fabric popularised, and key pop stars like Madonna proved influential over fashion, with looks revolved around layering and baggy tops with tight-fitting bottoms.
The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the first emergence of Hip Hip culture onto fashion, with African American nationalism being brought into mainstream view. Baggy sportswear as streetwear was made popular by both hip hops stars and sporting heroes such as Michael Jordan, and brands like Nike and Adidas became popular stables in streetwear for the youth of this era.
Fashion Starts to Relax
The mid to late 1990s brought surf culture to light. While most surf brands (Rip Curl, Billabong, Quicksilver) were developed in the late 1960s or early 1970s, they were purely ‘cottage suppliers' for surfers for several years. Professional surfing became a popular interest amongst the 1990s youth with stars like Kelly Slater becoming poster-bound for bedroom walls. Logos which had initially been on surfboards were being transferred to T-shirts, and the relaxed nature of boardshorts meant they became the streetwear of choice for young and old alike.
Looking to the Past
The early 2000s saw hip-hop culture re-emerge in fashion, along with other hybrids of streetwear trends from the past. For the first time in history, a specific New Zealand-driven trend emerged, one encompasses local influences rather than international fads.
NZ Design Influences in Streetwear
The style of streetwear today amongst New Zealanders is focused on national pride, with influences from Maori culture and Kiwiana showing through in popular fashion. This trend in streetwear was actually started by New Zealand designers as a wearable representation of nostalgic New Zealand giftware and homeware, taken from childhood memories of ‘The Kiwi Household'.
Kitschy imagery of Kiwi bird symbols, Maori Koru designs, beach reeds, airlines and even trusted food products, condiments and kitchen utensils have become the new muse for a new kind of streetwear. Retro images are ever-present on the New Zealand youth today. While printed t-shirts and other streetwear commonly feature these images of Kiwiana, accessories such as hats and jewellery too, are encompassing these icons in their design. Subsequently, these giftware and homeware products themselves have re-emerged as desirable commodities of New Zealand design.
Streetwear Today
So how can we define streetwear today? Individuality is key, and you can find influences from every one of the past trends from the last sixty years present in casualwear everywhere you look. New Zealand design is more present than ever before, and for the first time a part of the New Zealand streetwear landscape has not been taken directly from an international source - it has been born from pure New Zealand cultural influences.
Looking to buy some Kiwiana-inspired New Zealand streetwear and homeware at an online
design store? Check out the NZS.com directory.

The NZS.com Streetwear Today article contains a history of streetwear fashion and streetwear today in New Zealand and internationally.