Essay On Hypebeast

A Hypebeast is defined by Urban Dictionary as an individual who buys “clothing, shoes, and accessories for the sole purpose of impressing others” (Urban Dictionary, 2006). Though the definition was posted in 2006, the idea of buying things to achieve social status is not new. 1950’s post-war suburbia was filled with middle-class families spending their money on expensive cars and bigger homes, in an effort to increase their image (The Student Movement, 2017). This phenomenon still exists in today’s youth, but hoodies and sneakers have replaced houses and automobiles. The hypebeast community is obsessed with the prospect of owning the newest and most popular apparel, all in an attempt to elevate themselves by showing off. (Pakpahan 2017) The origins of the hypebeast community are closely linked with the streetwear community (see appendix A for the evolution of lifestyle). In the early 80’s surfer Shawn Stussy began selling t-shirts with his signature out of his van in Laguna Beach, California (SoJones, 2009). Over time his …show more content…
When first opened in 1994, it was intended as a skate shop. It very quickly became something else. “The store was able to become the holy grail of high youth street culture by curating a mix of the city’s iconography – fashion, music, celebrity and politics” (Hagwood, 2012). This quote shows what the hypebeasts are into. They clearly love fashion, but the fashion is motivated by other current things going on, such as politics. A large portion of hypebeast fans can be found in Japan as well, and this speaks volume about their interests. ““Japanese kids respect underground movements and have a good eye for it” (Hagwood, 2012). Hypebeast interest revolves around appreciation for an underground culture that isn’t your normal style of clothing, and the founder of Supreme went after just that by drawing inspiration from his hometown of London for apparel