MANHATTAN — Fully recovered from the gale-force glamour of Fashion Week, Street Chic trained its lens back on the avenues and found branded graphic streetwear to be a powerful trend with New York's young men.
The presence of "tagged" clothing has increased for several years in a variety of youth-driven markets, with its evolution closely linked to the look's popularity among musicians and other entertainers who have adopted the style.
However, Street Chic found many labels have expanded their lines to include a wider range of graphic apparel that prominently features the brand name. This is a sharp departure from the past season’s trends that included oversize print and celebrity portraits.
We spotted attention-grabbing graphics in brands such as Unruly Heir — known for a wide range of sharp apparel, including conversational print accessories and photo looks — in fashion-forward SoHo.
For example, a limited-edition "Fight Night’" T- shirt — a nod to an underground model-boxing circuit — from the label's fall/winter 2012 collection was produced for Fashion Week.
Street Chic saw a few looks from Billionaire Boys Club, the label founded by hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams and A Bathing Ape creator Nigo, featuring pictorial or typeface graphics.
A tight graphic look from East Harlem-based Goliath RF, known for its outstanding shoe collection and wide selection of urban brands, was also a very noteworthy.
However, it was a graphic look that combined a picture of King Kong on the Empire State Building spelling out the label Mishka's "New York Death Adders" — combined with a knapsack adorned with flourishing cycling and track medals, ribbons and tags — that truly impressed.
Street Chic also enjoyed MCM and Fendi-printed fabrics worn with matching luggage and a T-shirt from the Brooklyn-based brand Original Fake, founded by graphic artist KAWSONE. The renowned Parisian store Collette and LeBron James' luxury Miami boutique Unknwn carry the brand.
