Year 2 art

Shawn Stussy, the founder of the brand Stussy, first started combining fashion with art and a twist of his self-expression.   Born in 1954, Stussy was a California manufacturer of surfboards.  The defining logo of the brand started in the early 1980s after he began signing his handcrafted surfboards  with a broad tipped marker.  He then began using the same logo on garments such as T-shirts, shorts and caps that he sold out of his car around Laguna Beach, California.  The early success of the brand has been accredited to it’s popularity in hip hop and skater/surfer scenes, along with punk and other street subcultures. 

Placing the core and origins of streetwear can prove to be a difficult task due to the complexity and the different levels of it's influences and cultures. Like it's name would suggest, street culture incorporates the styles and subcultures that manifest in the streets. Although it is often labelled a product of hip hop, streetwear originated more from skate and surf subculture. One of the first big brands to come from this street subculture niche in the 80's was Stussy. Stussy was the first outlet of self-expression as a brand and it went on to i nfluence other, now widely known brands such as Supreme. Streetwear was a way of making a statement - something young people could use to distinguish and stand out, stating their true selves, ideas and beliefs.

For year 2, my main focus will be exploring the evolution of streetwear. Small Instagram artists such as @adamaneven and @mostpeoplearedead have inspired me to look at this, along with bigger brand names such as Balenciaga and Vetements. The unusual and distinctive pieces becoming more common among the fashion industry make me want to push the boundaries of fashion and create unique, one of a kind pieces.

On Instagram, I came across an artist by the username of @adamaneven, who splices shirts, jackets and more. The idea of combining two completely separate pieces and the contrast it can create intrigued me. The artist pushes streetwear boundaries, creating something original and new with each piece. The contrast in colour between the body of the shirt and the sleeves is perhaps most noticeable, drawing the viewers attention to each different part of the shirt in turn. I plan to create my own pieces inspired by Adamaneven's work, which will be posted on the blog when complete.  The chaotic, mismatched materials of the shirt give it a sense of life and character. To me, the spliced materials inspire a misfit energy, the wearer would wear the garment to differentiate and express themselves.