Australia is about 14 hours ahead of the United States, give and take a couple of hours for the time zones. Who would’ve thought that they would also be ahead in their clothing designs and production? One thing is certain, cotton never goes out of style. Here’s a list of Australian streetwear brands that are evolving the way we think about clothes.
List of Australian Streetwear Brands
Ksubi
Jeans. Jeans. Jeans. Founded in 1999, Ksubi has made a name for itself by collaborating with reputable artists. In 2017, Ksubi teamed up with rapper Tavis Scott and released a limited edition. The line includes premium quality jackets, t-shirts, and ripped jeans. Following the success of this collaboration, in 2019 Kendall Jenner became the face of Ksubi’s Fall 19 Sign of the Times Collection. This collection features distressed jeans, comfy t-shirts, and hoodies, all made with premium quality. Ksubi is known for its signature denim and raw finishes.
Ksubi attire can be found in three locations (New York, Los Angeles, and Sydney), as well as online. They also have flagship stores and can be found in retailers across North America: Barneys (US), Saks and Fifth (US), Harrods and Selfridges (UK), Ron Herman (Japan), and General pants (Australia).
Song for the Mute
Where art is crafted and then worn, as mentioned on their website, “Narratives told with beautiful fabrics and experimental process.” Song for the Mute has won the prestigious Designer Award at the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (2011). Co-founded by graphic artists Melvin Tanaya and Accademia Italiana Di Moda-trained designer Lyna Ty, they set off to innovate fashion as art. They’ve partnered up with Australian Wool Innovation Limited, a non-profit organization owned by over 29k woolgrowers.
Song for the Mute products can be found worldwide from Japan, China, Beijing, Paris, London, US, and online.
Bassike
Environmentally conscious and organic. Co-founders Deborah Sams and Mary Lou Ryan trust their clothing lines to locals. 90% of their collections are cut and sewn in Sydney, and their organic cotton jerseys are manufactured in Melbourne. The duo trusts their denim to a small family-run factory in Japan and produces their fabric in Tuscany, Italy. Talk about transparency. Bassike clothing is for the conscious and comfortable.
Their products are in flagship stores across Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria) and the United States (California).
The People VS.
If Nirvana was a clothing line. Vintage-inspired and grunge fashion for the people. Having a presence in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, The People Vs. has made a name for itself by providing clients with temporary designs and styles ranging from long sleeve t-shirts to ripped jeans, and even sport and music nostalgia. Their visions category displays visual pieces that coincide with fashion statements The People Vs. is portraying. What once started from flea markets across Australia, now produces items from Bali, Indonesia.
The People Vs. Australian streetwear brand can be found online. They offer a selection of items from their vintage and collections categories—as well as their men and women section.
Perks and Mini
Happy spouse, happy house. Power couple Misha Hollenbach and Shauna Toobey, created Perks and Mini (P.A.M.), a clothing line inspired by their time as graffiti artists. As you would imagine, the track displays durable graphic designs and collections with name brands, such as Adidas.
Hollenbach and Toohey’s graffiti tags “Perks” and “Mini” was the beginning of their worldwide vision. This brand started off in Australia, with stores in Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Berlin, London and Moscow.
Next time you purchase an article of clothing, make sure to read the label first. You might be surprised where it came from. These Australian streetwear brands have one thing in common; putting the needs of their clients first.
What are some of your favorite Australian streetwear brands? Let us know down in the comments.
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This article originally published on GREY Journal.
