2018: The Year Street and Elite Become Synonymous

As the saying goes, fashion is evolutionary, not revolutionary. Aside from sourcing techniques, arguably the last revolution in fashion to date debuted at the hands of the late Alexander McQueen with his ultra low-rise ‘bumster’ silhouette. While it would be novel for something truly new to be created, what IS new is the recent amalgamation of high, luxury fashion and streetwear.

The two subsets have diverged since the very concept of status, making their partnership probably one of the most interesting developments in the industry right now. While this new direction has been brewing for some time, its trajectory shot into hyper speed in 2018.

Previously, terms like trickle-down and filter-up fashion were used to describe the movement of trend cycles and whether their genesis stemmed from design houses or lower-income social groups. The lines have blurred now that street and elite have become synonymous. A funky shift that ‘allows’ brands like Balenciaga to get away with charging $1,750 for a hoodie (queue eye roll). A shift that’s gave rise to the now proverbial interbrand collaboration; Supreme X Louis Vuitton, Kith X Monclar, Converse X Comme des Garcons.

Nothing quite proves this modern partnership more than the disruptive presence of Virgil Abloh at the helm of Louis Vuitton Menswear. While some are displeased with such neck-breaking changes going down within a heritage-driven brand, I find it quite interesting. It’s certainly given rise to probably the most lucrative areas in retail: sneakers. Now, accessorizing a pair of Air Force 1’s with a sequins Chanel flap bag is perfectly acceptable -if not encouraged.

I took a spin around my mother’s painfully stylish and endlessly eclectic wardrobe long enough to aggressively raid and put together this look that speaks to the 2018 movement. The matrimony of the laid-back essence of streetwear with the clout of high fashion has resulted in an entirely new aesthetic, and one I can definitely get behind.

This movement has taken the fashion-sphere by storm and even challenged the very definition of what luxury means. Brands like Vetements and Off-White now almost allow for consumer to buy into a subculture, feeling equally validated walking into the Fila department as Fendi. In terms of the defining style characteristics of this decade, the 2010’s might have met their moniker.