November 2025

14 Once dismissed as casual rebellion, streetwear has evolved into the pulse of modern luxury. From the neon-lit streets of Tokyo’s Harajuku district to the al - leys of Lagos and the skate parks of Los Angeles, local style movements that be- gan with graphic tees and sneakers are now driving billion-dollar fashion em- pires. In 2025, “luxury” no longer means exclusivity—it means authenticity. The story of global streetwear is, at its core, a story of cultural translation. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, brands like Supreme, Stüssy, and A Bathing Ape in- troduced a raw, rebellious aesthetic tied to skate culture and hip-hop. Those early adopters weren’t chasing runways; they were creating identity. Fast-forward to today, and the same spirit fuels collabo- rations between Dior and Travis Scott, Louis Vuitton and Supreme, and most recently, Nike and Jacquemus. Each partnership blurs the once-rigid bound- ary between the streets and the salons. AccordingtotheBusinessofFashion–McK- inseyStateofFashion2025report,streetwear now accounts for nearly 20% of the global luxury market. (businessoffashion.com ) The growth isn’t driven solely by West - ern fashion houses. Designers from Af- rica, South Korea, and Latin America have redefined what “urban fashion” looks like. Lagos’ Orange Culture and Seoul’s Ader Error have become global cult favorites, proving that regional cre- ativity can drive international appeal. “Streetwear represents youth energy and truth,” says Virgil Abloh, the late Louis Vuitton menswear director, in one of his last interviews. “Luxury is no longer about price—it’s about perspective.” That state - ment encapsulates how heritage brands have pivoted: by embracing the cred- GLOBAL STREETWEAR How Local Style Became Luxury Photo by | cottonbro studio Photo by | Pixabay