Street Fashion: Its impact on youth culture and fashion industry.
A model wears a creation by Taiwanese-born designer Maria Chen on the catwalk at London's Astoria Nightclub as part of London Fashion Week. Miss Chen's latest designs, owed much to the popular rock culture of the 70s and 80s. PA images

Very often people come across the term street fashion and many fashion writers, artists and photographers have tried to explore the concept in its entirety.

Considered to have emerged, not from the studios but from the grass-root levels, street fashion has almost always been associated with youth culture.

During different eras, street fashion has revolutionized the fashion industry with bold designs, colors and patterns. In fact, it is often said that some of the best trends in the industry have their roots in street culture.

Some of the major youth sub-cultures like Punk Fashion, Hip-Hop Fashion, Gothic Fashion and Hippes have been associated with street fashion.

During the early and mid-nineties, rap music became a major source of influence on street fashion with followers adorning huge patterned-tees, baggy jeans and heavy black shoes.

In 1998, renowned writer and curator, Henry Bond had tried to depict the regular life in London in the mid-1990s through his book The Cult of the Street. Through his 274 photographs included within the book, the author documented the association of high fashion with mass culture and the media.

Famous art historian, Julian Stallabrass, said that the book takes as its subject not just the conventions of the street but youth and their modes of display in shops, clubs, parties, restaurants and even private homes.

It is thus seen that throughout history, street style strongly influenced the fashion industry leading to diverse fashion movements at different times.