Style on a flip
Skatewear is gaining traction among local fans, writes
AT the 2016 Paris Fashion Week, Dior Homme showcased its Autumn/Winter collection on a runway with neon-lit skateboard ramps, reflecting a nod by the world of high-end fashion of the gritty subculture of skateboarding which started from the streets.
While this has irked those who think their culture is being ripped off, it has set a trend for fashion houses turning to skateboarders and streetwear for inspiration.
The fashion world’s fascination with skateboarding culture has resulted in skateboarders either forming their own labels or making crossover to high-end fashion.
One such personality is Virgil Abloh, founder of streetwear brand Off-White, who now helms Louis Vuitton’s men’s wear.
Professional skateboarders Alex Olson and Eli Reed run boutique brands while Blondey McCoy was the breakthrough star at last year’s London Fashion Week.
This crossover trend is picking up in the local fashion scene too. In Malaysia, the hype started in Kuala Lumpur in 1983 following a Milo television commercial featuring children skateboarding, says skateboarder Johary Fitry Khairuddin, also known as Joe Ipoh, 46.
Johary, who has been in the scene for 30 years, was the first skateboarder to represent Malaysia at the Asian X-Games in 1999.
“The term streetwear origifrom nates the skateboarding culture because of the nature of skateboarding itself — it is mainly played on the streets,” says Johary, on defining the line between streetwear and skatewear.
He trains newbies and runs The G-hard Pro Shop in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. Besides skateboard decks and accessohe ries, retails basic skatewear items like T-shirts and shoes under his own label, Muhammad Nizar Hashim a.k.a Ja Chicken was one of four personalities chosen by Converse for its newly revived One Star shoes campaign in March.
G-hard.
“The culture comes with its own music and fashion. Fashion-wise, it’s all about the skateboarder’s personality, style preferences and influences.
“The style crossover helps promotes skateboarding brands and brings it to a new