Ruling The Street

Either through imitation or rejection, streetwear continues to dominate the wardrobe of young India. We talk to those who follow the scene closely to understand its rise in status

- Ravi Raj

From the counterculture phenomenon closely associated with the emancipatory politics of the hip-hop movement to a bludgeoning, multi-billion-dollar market, streetwear has come a long way. In the subcontinent, the history of streetwear in the subcontinent is still nascent, although great strides have been made in the last few years, especially after the COVID-19 break. The sartorial landscape, long dominated by formal workwear and ethnic garments, saw a significant shift, fuelled by a new wave of urbanwear culture that emphasised authenticity. Some of the homegrown labels that have made a splash in this scene like Bluorng, Superkicks, Jay Walking, and Prxkhxr are showing no signs of stagnancy, holding sway over young consumers through their unique approach to fashion that is as global as it can be but still rooted in the Indian culture. The Telugu Superstar Allu Arjun too felt the need to revamp his clothing label Rowdyinitially a casual wear launched in 2018-to RWDY to cash in on the rising streetwear market. "It has become apparent that there is a significant increase in the number of brands entering the market, with new brands emerging frequently," says Prakhar Chauhan, the founder of Prxkhxr, one of the biggest streetwear brands in the country.