Menswear's Sudden Subculture Movement

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Complex Original

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Everyone has a "look" and each one carries a different reputation with it. Years ago, it was more prominent: you were either a rebel or a mainstream sheep. But as i-D writes, the menswear world is no longer this black or white, insider or outsider, "mainstream or James Dean" place. It's a much more segmented world, fam. Of course, this comes as a function of how much society has evolved in the past five decades or so, but also how much more expansive the fashion industry has become.

Wouldn't you know it, people aren't the same as they were in the '50s. Technology and social media are now real life actual things. The bi-product of us evolving as people means that our fashion has evolved too. Sure, Saint Laurent does the mod rocker look pretty well, but that's not the type of subculture were getting at. It's more about brands we tend to side-eye and laugh about that have driven this broader definition of menswear: the Hood By Airs, Off-Whites, Gareth Pughs and Gosha Rubchinskiys of the world. I suppose the point is that menswear is broader than ever and more and more segments of the community are being reached than ever before, in turn allowing more and more people to define themselves as they see fit. They did not have these opportunities 20 years ago. The boundaries no longer exist. Or, if they do, they've become more defined.

While this piece touches on a recent revolution, it also points to the larger concept. The idea that everyone can dress the way they please without extreme barriers is a noble one, and one that we often take for granted. We are living in as close to a fashion utopia as there has ever been. More groups are represented than ever and that number will hopefully only continue to grow. So, take a minute out of your day and give thanks.

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