To understand the role and impact of street culture in urban India today, we must understand the range of people that this culture has impacted. Just last week, I attended a wedding where the bride decided to trade her traditional footwear for a pair of Nike’s Air Jordan 1. This decision was less of an anomaly and more of a statement because it represents the state of mind of a generation. From the visually unavoidable off-white logo that I see at the back of every guy’s hoodie at a posh club to a copy of its print that I see on my newspaper delivery guy’s tee-shirt, I have realised that street culture has taken urban India by storm and its success lies in its authenticity, relatability, and accessibility across cultures, age groups, and typologies of people.
A conversation with any older contemporary fashion enthusiast will make you realise that street culture was not always at the forefront of fashion. It was, in fact, the niche and underground alternative to ‘first tier’ brands that emphasised more on exclusivity. A rise in the hip - hop culture coupled with a surge in democratic art and public spaces has had the young yearning for a brand of expression that is more inclusive and doesn’t ‘ try too hard’. I think that is precisely why street culture works. It does not ‘try too hard’. It is simply an expression of self which has been converted into a larger culture. The underground has risen and while it breaks from the shambles of elitism, do not for one second think that it is lazy. One can’t help but notice the attention to detail in any one of these exquisite sneakers. The diversity and individuality of thought in any of the brand ideologies stands for the high level of quality in this space.
If I am to juxtapose my own childhood with that of my younger cousins, I can conclude that there is a massive shift in how we approached fashion and how the kids of today do the same. My 14-year-old cousin has been aching for a pair of Yeezys for his birthday. At 14, my footwear options ranged from BATA on a usual day, to Nike on a good day (a very, very good day!). On that note, even BATA has tried to adapt to the current sneaker culture and has customised its brand ideology to mirror the designs of today. Have a look at their current shoes and you’ll wish that you had those options on your first day at school.
The urban Indian is adding their own identity to the streetculture space.
Street culture is unavoidable and Indian artists have somehow managed to merge our unique culture with the larger macro streetscape of the world. From customised sneaker artists like Chaitanya Dixit to collectives like Veg Non-Veg, to upcoming designers like Jaywalking, there is a sense of individuality, representation and attention to quality in this space. I recently saw a FILA fanny pack with a beautiful miniature Rajasthani painting on it at a flea market. We have embedded our own identity and overlayed it on the collective identity and ideology of street culture. The urban Indian is thriving, surging, copping, and representing with each creation or buy-off. I would not be surprised if the next Jerry Lorenzo or Virgil Abloh is from the Indian street space simply because we have something authentic to offer to the world. There is a narrative in our culture and it is slowly getting represented in our designs. This statement is not driven by personal bias as much as by a belief in the uniqueness and personality that we have to offer. The young Indian is expressive and aware and only something beautiful can come out of all that energy. From skateboarding to public art to fashion to events, street culture is the perfect outlet for him/her.
Indian designer Jaywalking's work is unmistakably unique and fresh.
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