Stylish young woman sitting on road wearing streetwear brands

Discover the evolution of streetwear fashion and how to build a streetwear brand.

One of the biggest fashion trends that seems to be here to stay is streetwear. From big named designers like Gucci and Prada have represented streetwear in their most recent collections as a result of its popularity and demand from societies all over the world. There have been small-time independent designers you could say have modernised and revolutionised the world of street fashion, although we cannot forget the beginning of it all in the skateboarding scene. 

With time, it’s branched out beyond streetwear for men and women’s streetwear has been born as a result of it. Small brands like Casper the Label, the Ragged Priest and so forth have taken the skateboarding scene as inspiration and added a feminine touch.

When it comes to entering the market of streetwear, good clothes can only get you so far; there is a whole lot that comes into it, such as branding, building a community, social media presence and much more. Finding a way to show your brand and clothing to the world isn’t something that could happen overnight; therefore, building up to that point takes patience and maintenance.

If you are thinking of starting your own streetwear brand or have one and need some tips on how to get things moving, here are our secret weapons for you.

Building a Brand

Authenticity is King

What people are drawn to tends to be authenticity and uniqueness. With brands all over social media and sponsored posts on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, it all just blends into the same thing and unless they click on the sponsored post and follow, you might be forgettable, as harsh as it sounds.

There is a balance between hopping on trends and doing things that feel right, potentially starting your own trends and just being “very on brand.” Whether you are posting things that just embody your message and can attract the attention of new people or even influencers, that could bring the right exposure.

Quality & Ethical Practice

Making sure that your clothes are ethical and sustainable is more important than ever. As smaller brands tend to charge a little bit more compared to fast fashion brands, therefore, your customers expect them to be at least made with quality and environmentally friendly products.

It can be extremely damaging to all your hard work if you were to skip corners with things like this; therefore, it isn’t worth it in the long run and won’t build a loyal customer base.

Building a Community

Empower User-generated Content

When it comes to smaller brands, images might be hard to come by, with the costs of hiring out-of-house models being too much and eventually the same faces on your brand can get a bit tedious to some consumers.

To keep things interesting, inclusive and fresh, encourage user-generated content. You could place a nice message with every order or privately message customers you think will look great in your clothes and offer a discount for a few pictures or tagged posts. There are many ways you could get stunning content for your website and social media platforms; you just have to keep an eye out for the twirls who love socials and are streetwear enthusiasts, which won't be hard.

This gives you a perfect chance to build a strong community and fan base around your brand. It adds something unique and special if you try to engage with your customers and repost them wearing your products. It’s a perfect way to get pictures and build loyalty with people who you know will be purchasing your products with every new drop.

Social Media Presence

Host Interactive Contests and Giveaways

Everyone wants something for free or for nothing and why wouldn’t they? Especially with the cost of living now, smaller and more expensive streetwear brands might be feeling the impact compared to cheap fast fashion brands. 

During times like these, an interactive giveaway could be the solution for greater exposure and a better chance of sales. Try on platforms like Instagram where they like, tag and share the post for a chance to win a voucher or a free avant-garde piece out of the newest drop.

Collaborations

Last year seemed to be the year of collaborations, whether it was with another brand or someone with a fashion following online. It brings a whole new dimension of followers to your brand and is great exposure.

Partnering with other small-time or local artists is a great way to bring something unique to your brand but also another’s creativity that could further inspire the future of your streetwear brand. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, there is no right or wrong way of doing anything and finding your niche in a competitive streetwear community should be the priority. Ensure that you remain authentic about why you started your brand in the first place and go with the flow. It’s important to have a strong social media presence so we would recommend spending a lot of time in those areas and letting everything come with it. We wish you the best of luck building your streetwear brand!