Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - Hindustan Times (Gurugram) - City
SCORE WITH STREET STYLE FASHION
From kurta-cargo pants combo to shorts with stockings, street style is all about being creative, fearless and you!
Wsangita.baruah@hindustantimes.com hether you’re a follower of highend luxury, loungewear, athleisure or a fashionista whose style ideologies emanate from thrift stores, you can’t ignore street style fashion! Street style has revolutionised the fashion industry and taken over the globe through its unique aesthetics. Besides being a fave of celebrities and fashion influencers — singers Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Lauren Alaina, actors Addison Rae, Ananya Panday, Malaika Arora, etc. — it’s also rocking fashion weeks. Brands like Supreme, Off-White, Golf Wang, Stussy, A Bathing Ape, ADK by Avishi Dayal Kalra, Almost Gods by Dhruv Khurana, etc. have redefined street style with their stellar collections.
“Street style fashion is brave and fearless. It is not inspired by designers or big labels. It is guided by creativity and not by budget,” says designer Nachiket Barve. Street style originated from the streets and is a creative mix of different style ideologies. It reflects individualism and freedom of choice. Various groups like hippies, punks, goths, bikers, etc. emerged with their own distinctive style.
Rooted in British fashion, this style came into prominence after the end of World War II. The rationing of clothes resulted in limited access to raw materials for civilians. Despite turbulent times and the aftermath of the war, fashion survived and street style emerged.
It is a unique form of storytelling and divulges from mainstream fashion choices. What makes it especially fun is it is remarkably different in different parts of the world. “In New York City, US, street style reflects the hip-hop culture of the late 1970s. For me, street style is all about observing how people put their stories together through fashion. It is a moving catwalk that is always bustling with vivid stories of inspiration. Mostly, the youth drive street fashion,” says designer Rina Dhaka.
In India, street style fashion can be seen in everyday life. “Diverse influences can be seen on college campuses and malls. For example, a pair of jeans or cargo pants paired with a kurta and funky jewellery is a simple example of street style. This trend is very authentic and a marker of each generation visually in terms of how they dress up,” elaborates Barve.
The major elements of street style fashion are creativity and expression. “It is an interesting mash up of styles, like vintage mixed with new pieces and high-end fashion mixed with high-street clothing. People can have their own unique spin on the elements of fashion and make a creative mix out of it,” adds Barve.
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