Look it up—the internet will tell you that “streetwear is ‘dead’”. This was cemented with the late Virgil Abloh’s interview with Dazed back in 2019. The street fashion maverick was one of the first to ring that bell publicly.
The growing interest in stealth wealth style—the fashion and its lifestyle was one of the biggest turning points. The exploding popularity of pickleball—an alternative deemed more accessible than tennis—has also fastened the statement. These stylistic preferences are the opposite of streetwear—the “old money” style emphasises prep school fashion, one that stemmed from the lifestyle, etiquette, and social conduct practised among wealthy elites. It’s Ralph Lauren over Supreme; and loafers over sneakers. This fashion predilection contributed to and eventually reinforced the fact that streetwear is losing its throne even on the streets.
But when I walked past Starhill last week, the passionate queue for SVG Worldwide’s offline Spring/Summer 2025 drop fascinated me. For the uninitiated, SVG is a local streetwear brand founded by Ashraf Anuar who gained followers with his tip-top fashion flair among fashion enthusiasts. Breaking the record in the local fashion sphere, the brand made a mark in 2023, putting an impressive total of 100 models on the runway. SVG gradually became a platform that brings together and showcases local talents while bringing pieces such as sweaters, striped shirts, trucker hats, and more that can be easily infused into anyone’s wardrobe—capturing the essence of streetwear. Needless to say, the SVG hype is real.
So, is streetwear back again? Did it even leave?
Adapt and Evolve
The idea of streetwear in the glorious 2010s is transformed—and not dead. As the fashion community grows, street fashion is expanding beyond the facade of “hype beast”. Streetwear itself is merely an umbrella term with many sub-styles such as formal streetwear, tech wear, hip-hop, Harajuku and many more. It includes styles that acclimatise and assimilate. As local designer Masyadi, founding designer of MSYD, puts it, “The core elements of streetwear, such as self-expression, individuality, and cultural resonance, can persist and adapt to new contexts.”
Like all the other street cultures, streetwear adapts a community’s behaviour and mindset, evolving to fit the cultural backdrop—flared jeans are paired with well-tailored shirts while moto jackets are worn with dainty ballet flats. There’s nothing permanent or constant when it comes to streetwear; the possibilities are infinite. Local streetwear brands such as Against Lab, Futuremade, or Neucvr, for example, stood out to Malaysian shoppers with releases that infused elements of the local cultures, be it in garment design or marketing strategies, blurring the lines between traditional wear and streetwear—a perfect mirror that reflects the local values.
Streetwear is accessible regardless of your age, body type, or background. They are more affordable in this economy as compared to designer pieces, making them a great entry point for wearers who wish to get their feet wet in the fashion realm. Often made up of wardrobe bases and staples, streetwear pieces highlight practicality and functionality. Usually made with durable materials, these clothes are tailored for outdoor activities and climates. They are made for the rough and gritty streets and meant to be worn, in fact, the more beat out they are, the more coveted they become. Streetwear, to many, is a proof of life.
The Community
“Streetwear is a culture, it’s more than clothes. It’s a community, a lifestyle, it’s what we call the CAMPS—clothes, arts, music, photography, sports,” the co-founder of Anything, Sam explains. As a multi-label store that focuses on streetwear, Anything has been the driving force in recent years in cultivating and supporting the streetwear scene in Johor Bharu. Along with a curated lineup featuring the local designers, the team also scheduled events and activations such as photo walking in the city, creating a bond with tangible activities within the community. Not just with the audiences, brands like Jonnie’s Bodega too, work closely with neighbouring local stores. This allows them to create a close-knit hood but also offer multi-sensory experiences that are one-of-its-kind, strengthening not just the local fashion scene but also a stronger commitment to supporting homegrown businesses.
Streetwear, by definition, is a fashion movement, one that reacts and counter-reacts to the status quo. It sees no gender, no colours, no prejudices; promotes inclusivity, diversity and also a tight-knit fam. Globally, community-driven groups such as the Hypebeast—that later became a colloquial term for a subculture, the recent Uniform Display, to name a few, connect like-minded people regardless of geographical limitations, upbringing, or social status, bringing to mind the legendary Fruits magazine—an independently owned magazine that features and document actual people and their real-life fashion choices from all walks of life.
There’s an authenticity and rawness that the consumers in this current environment would appreciate. Case in point, 2025 is dubbed the year of messiness by many for its inclination towards raw and unpolished content—the brats, the smudged eyeliner, lived-in space or ostensibly unedited photo dumps taken with iPhone 5s—something that is indispensable in streetwear and much needed in this world of digital precision.
Streetwear In Malaysia
Such metrics are attractive and essential too, especially for a country like Malaysia where fashion is currently in its rudimentary stage. Finding a sense of belonging helps to nurture the growth of the local fashion scene. Having a strong and cohesive community like SVG’s provides not just new clothes but also shared values and identity, with streetwear pieces as the uniform that is affiliated with a subculture.
Apart from that, functionality and versatility remain the crux of fashion demand, with price per wear being a deciding factor. There’s a reason why some people think the equivalent of streetwear is “wardrobe basics”—a statement that is not entirely wrong—and it is that exact point that adds to its popularity. With modest wearers, for example, a wardrobe with a high level of adaptability is crucial. The sine qua non: garbs that can be incorporated into various wardrobes and styles, as well as providing comfort in this tropical climate.
For a sartorial style that relies profoundly on street cultures such as skateboarding, football, music, or street arts, it will never be “dead” as long as the streets are filled with lives and souls. It’s safe to say that instead of varnishing completely without leaving a crumb, streetwear has morphed. It is, after all, made for the people on the streets and it doesn’t take a fashion expert to see the appeal.
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