Golf Wang. Bape. Yeezy. Antisocial Social Club. Vlone.
What do all these combinations of words have in common besides making literally zero sense? They are but just a few examples of what’s in. What’s cool. What’s poppin’ (unlike the word poppin’).
By slapping a label on an otherwise mundane article of clothing, these brands have managed to turn “hip” into revenue and generate huge amounts of publicity and hype around their releases. On the other hand, sometimes brands release almost incomprehensibly bizarre pieces, at least to the “uncultured” eye, and manage to sell it. Take for example, the Balenciaga Triple S. Balenciaga is a highly popular fashion house founded in Spain in 1919, and this was one of their latest hits. A very… interesting piece.
This POS costs $895, according to stockx.com…. I’ve literally seen nicer shoes going for clearance at Marshalls, and not one of those good Marshalls. Just a normal crappy Marshalls.
Brands like Thrasher, Bape, Supreme (especially Supreme), and Off-White have redefined the difference between streetwear and something you could maybe find at TJ Maxx for $5. They continually push the boundaries of what we can call fashion and regularly test the loyalty of their customers with occasionally questionable releases.
This Supreme Box Logo tee goes for… wait for it… $1,150 on stockx.com for now (price points are volatile and fluctuate often). Granted, this is the 20th anniversary edition (you can see they went all out on this one).
Of course, more widely known companies such as Nike, Adidas, and fashion houses like Gucci and Louis Vuitton still play a central role in fashion culture. Sometimes these brands even join forces to wipe your credit card clean, creating coveted collaborations (Off-White x Nike, Supreme x Louis Vuitton, for example).
Depending on the item, resale prices can easily reach into the hundreds, and the more limited, the more the cost cranks up. Entire websites devoted to the exchange and vending of these pieces have sprung up, like StockX.com, Grailed.com, and GOAT.com. Today, your school is most likely populated by at least a few of those who adhere strictly to the ebb and flow of what’s hip. Not hipsters, not fashionistas, these experts on ‘what’s in’ are: hypebeasts.
Hype and beast. Together these two words form the term, but the whole may be more than the sum of its parts here. “Hype” is excitement and demand generated around certain items, brands and releases. For example, I would be hype about Drake’s newest album: Scorpion (except that it’s mediocre at best, the Balenciaga Triple S in song form at worst). A “beast” is someone that demonstrates exceptional skill. I would be a beast at writing articles if I didn’t make dumb jokes literally every few sentences (Sorry, not sorry!). Etymologically, the word means someone who is very skilled at following hype or hyping this up. However, the connotation around the term is negative, and its usage has transcended its originally somewhat-positive denotation.
Like the designs they wear, it is sometimes difficult to define what exactly these hypebeasts are and why they exist. First, we should look at what a hypebeast is. According to user Alexander Langox510x on UrbanDictionary.com, a hypebeast is a “ kid that collect[s] clothing, shoes, and accessories for the sole purpose of impressing others, equipped with Mommies credit card.”
Quite eloquent indeed, Alexander.
His definition was posted in 2006, which goes to show that this lifestyle isn’t a recent phenomenon. But like I said earlier, it’s hard to define these hypebeasts. Nailing them into a box with a narrow definition evades the real question. Why?
To answer this question, I reached out to a few experts that are definitely more well-versed than I regarding streetwear. The first expert I reached out to is Paolo Romano, a fellow South Riding, VA resident. He’s an avid follower of the newest styles and releases from brands like Supreme and Yeezy. He’s also a reseller and source of big-ticket items using outlets like Instagram, also known as a plug. Here’s our interview via Instagram DM.
Me: What makes you value certain brands over others?
Paolo: “I value certain brands more than others because I personally like the style, not because of the price.”
Me: Would you call yourself a hypebeast?
Paolo: “Everyone calls me a hypebeast, but personally I don’t really call myself a hypebeast because hypebeasts just buy for the brand, nt for the style. I don’t even own that much Supreme because I sell it all for money.”
Me: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to cop (purchase) something?
Paolo: “I haven’t really done anything crazy to buy something but my most expensive purchases were buying a $330 t-shirt and a $450 wallet.
Me: Do you think staying hip/keeping up with the latest releases is worth it?
Paolo: “Yes, because I keep up-to-date to what the people think are hype so I can sell them for more money than retail. I mainly just look to see if I’ll gain money from buying something so I can sell it for more.”
Next is Andrew Hu, a Philadelphia resident, whom I’ve known for awhile. Growing up in the city, one expects to be exposed to The Culture (you can’t define the culture; it is what it is) at its rawest, as many of these popular brands sprang up catering to urban street culture.
Andrew has built up quite the collection of footwear and clothing, sporting brands like Thrasher and Adidas and shoes like the “Butter” Yeezies, the Off-White Vapormax, and “Michigan” Air Jordan 12s. These terms may not sound like much to the typical person, but know that these items are exclusive and valuable investments as their resale prices continue to rise. Here is a transcript of our interview, via Instagram Direct Message.
Me: What makes you value certain brands over others?
Andrew: “Certain brands like Supreme and whatnot are valued more than a lesser brand like H&M because the difficulty of obtaining that particular brand and the price point at which it’s sold makes other people sort of aware of what you’re willing to spend your money on. Or it just ups your status I guess. When people see it, they gon’ be like dayummmmm that’s a Supreme bogo hoodie, so and so got moneyyyyyyyyyy, as opposed to if they’re just wearing an H&M zip-up for example.
Me: Would you call yourself a hypebeast?
Andrew: “I think I don’t have really enough “hype” items to call myself a hypebeast, but everybody around me kinda calls me a hypebeast. A hypebeast can sorta be defined as someone who buys items mainly for the hype, and though I sometimes do purchase items for the hype, I usually appreciate it for more than just the hype. Details, history/background and whatnot kinda matter to me. Why it was made or whatever. But YARK (you already know) if Kanye makin’ another Yeezy I’m copping that 😎😎.
Me: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to cop (purchase) something?
Andrew: “The craziest thing I’ve done for something I’ve copped. Hmmmmmm. I’ve done a lot of stuff, stayed up all night waiting for drops, standing outside stores for hours, droppin hundreds of dollars on just one item, signing up for countless raffles”
Me: Do you think staying hip/keeping up with the latest releases is worth it?
Andrew: “I think to each his own. Not everybody will agree with purchasing the items I purchase and I totally understand that. But, Imma do what I like to do and I like impressing people I guess, so an easy way is to just dress nice or dress expensive. I don’t really do either of the two lol but it’s just fun to surround yourself with stuff that people just like in awe at. And it’s not just to impress people, but there’s just a whole community around “hype stuff.”
Well there you have it folks. One spends big to earn bigger. The other spends cause he has fun with it and enjoys impressing others. What’s wrong with that? Personally, I’m okay with my $10 tees and Kirkland Signature sweats (I’m pretty sure the homeless look will be cool in a couple years anyway). It’s easy for one to look down on people who place a lot of importance on fashion. At first glance, it seems like all that’s happening is a lot of egregious spending, much time wasted, and self-esteem issues. But frankly, that’s not fair. You can call them whatever you want, but the truth is that they’ll still be the better dressed one. Or perhaps not. Clearly, ‘better’ is subjective. The only thing we can conclude today is that we can conclude nothing (except that the Balenciaga Triple S is hot trash). But the next time you see someone you suspect of suffering from H. Beastius, ask them where they got their fit from. You’ll make a fast friend.
Pic Creds
Balenciaga Triple S: RunRepeat
Supreme T-Shirt: StockX
The Tea Shop 