Street fashion has emerged from the underground, not-so-subtly, and not-so-legendary underground of the fashion industry, to become one of the most respected and mainstream forms of fashion today. Street fashion is typically associated with urban youth culture, and has, traditionally, always been seen at large urban centers, such as subway stations, shopping malls, and other places of business. Since its inception, the streets of Paris have traditionally been the center for high-fashion fashion. However, with the advent of the Internet, online shops have begun to offer more affordable options to the mainstream market, which has led to increased sales on street fashion in many countries. While street fashion continues to be associated with younger generations, it is quickly becoming one of the main forms of fashion for people from all ages and backgrounds.
The reasons for this sudden rise in street fashion trends can be traced back to a number of factors, including the birth of the hip hop culture, the appearance of the hip hop movement in America, the end of the cold war, and the start of the new century. As previously mentioned, street fashion started out as a part of the new sociocultural milieu that arose in and around the US after the dissolution of the World War II. The end of the cold war saw a revitalization of street life, with an influx of new cultures and ideas from different parts of the world, bringing with them new ways of dressing and interacting in the streets.
The birth of street chic began to change the way people dressed, as people no longer wore the traditional pieces of clothing, and started choosing to incorporate certain elements of the fashion styles of the fashionable people they came into contact with. Some were inspired by the style of hip hop music, others by the art and culture of famous rappers, still others by the pieces and designs of clothing manufactured by companies who refused to conform to the traditional styles. Whatever the cause, street fashion today is all about innovation, creativity, and originality, bringing about a whole new trend in clothing.