All-inclusive, non-demographic and gender-neutral ‘streetwear’ is much more than a label. It represents a multi-ethnic community with a blend of skate, surf, hip-hop and graffiti scenes, and a dash
of punk rock thrown in, united by an exclusive knowledge of where to find and buy certain brands.
As Chennai gears up for its first streetwear festival, Bhavisha Dave of Capsul, India’s first multi-brand streetwear platform, and Shruti Biswajit and Harsha Biswajit, founders of Biskit, a unisex concept label based in Chennai and Berlin, reflect on the streetwear culture that has exploded all over India, why it is the most popular fashion genre, and the aim of the Biskit x Capsul pop-up.
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Streetwear = Modern Luxury
Streetwear is all about drops and product stories as opposed to themes — think T-shirts, hoodies, sneakers and tracksuits, but made in limited quantities. “Community is the bedrock of streetwear. Different communities influence streetwear — skateboarding, surfing, hip-hop, music. Today’s streetwear has expanded to encompass categories like vintage, thrifting and even luxury. It is even considered as modern luxury today,” says Bhavisha.
The coolest party in city!
The pop-up will be a celebration of streetwear, food, art and music — essentially all the pillars that drive youth culture. “Streetwear in essence exists at the intersection of all these elements. So, streetwear pop-ups often become the coolest party in any city,” says Bhavisha, who is bringing international streetwear brands like Carhartt WIP, HUF, Pleasures, Market, Places + Faces, and Medicom Toy for the first time to Chennai.
Biskit is a seasonless, genderless brand that explores concepts through clothing, art, and storytelling.
“You will also find Biskit’s latest summer drop, which is a 21 units per style, homage to Berlin’s techno scene, at the pop-up. We draw inspiration from spaces, natural phenomena, and the organic elements/shapes of the universe,” says Shruti and adds that their latest collection, Electrical Impulses, is a continuation of their MIND series, delving into the functioning of our inner worlds, information processing, and the interaction between various elements and the human mind through the
nervous system.
“The collection features prints, cuts, and design details that evoke the imagery of electrical impulses, neurons, cellular activity, and spinal cords. Each piece is wearable art,” explains Harsha
Streetwear movement
The pop-up aims to bring together streetwear, fashion and music in Chennai. And Bhavisha tells us why. “Streetwear is all about community. Streetwear culture has exploded all over India and this pop-up aims to bring folks together to participate in this movement. The concept is ‘Good energy cannot be refunded. It can only be spread.’ And at Capsul, we call streetwear the power dressing of the casual wear world,” she elaborates.
Working towards sustainability
Biskit is taking a conscious effort towards working with sustainable fabrics and materials in addition to limited production levels. “Designing unisex garments allows us to cut traditional production quantities in half because we do not have to make duplicates of the same pieces to fit men and women individually. Our limited size variations also reflect this idea with the aim of reducing how much we produce. Our vision is to create a world where we consume less, and instead use what we have longer. Since all our pieces are unisex, they are designed to be shared with your closest family and friends irrespective of gender,” informs Harsha.
Rebel at heart!
While streetwear started off from the skate, surf, punk, hip-hop and graffiti communities, it has expanded over the last decade to include vintage, thrifting, luxury and even gaming. “Streetwear is a rebellious form of fashion and will always evolve to represent what matters to the youth at any given time. So don’t be surprised to see new genres included in streetwear. A global fashion movement, it has become a part of mainstream fashion in Chennai, because wherever there is youth, there is streetwear,” Harsha adds.
When lines blur...
In the last decade, streetwear has been a shot in the arm for luxury brands, and there’s no denying that, Bhavisha says, and adds, “In fact, sales of luxury brands went up after appointing creative heads with roots in streetwear including streetwear silhouettes in their range and collaborating with streetwear creators. Luxury and high fashion brands became part of the conversation with millennials and Gen Z since taking on a streetwear avatar. And today, streetwear brands and silhouettes are commonly seen at the most influential fashion weeks. There is an overlap, not driven by the industry as much as it has been by creators, consumer demand and preference. So, it’s only natural for the lines to blur.”
Streetwear is considered modern day luxury because for the youth, luxury isn’t only about legacy or price points. “It is also about knowledge of the IYKYK (If You Know You Know) variety and access to items. According to Bain, over 70 per cent of the world’s luxury purchases by 2025 will be made by Gen Z and millennials. And if their fashion preference is streetwear, the overlap is only natural,” Bhavisha states.
A lot more than fashion
Fashion isn’t the only thing available at Chennai’s streetwear festival. They also have a small batch, made-with-love gelato, coffee and bakes. “In addition to Capsul’s roster of brands and Biskit’s streetluxe collection, the pop-up will also have Old Madras Bakery, Minus 30 Gelato Shop and Beachville Coffee Roasters popping up,” she informs. And groove master Siddarth Raheja at the decks will keep the crowd entertained with some heart pumping music. “There’s enough to keep your senses fuelled. So, all in all, you can expect the absolute best in fashion, food, art and music all under one roof at the Biskit Studio,” she adds.
What not to miss
The Berlin Top by Biskit and the Merit Work Pants by Pleasures X Capsul should not be missed.
Price starts at Rs 4,000.
July 8 and 9. At Spacebiskit, Adyar.
www.spacebiskit.com
manuvipin@newindianexpress.com