When D’yavol X released its second ‘drop’ of hoodies, T-shirts, crop tops and denim jackets in March this year, the collection was sold out in 48 hours. A similar response was received for the luxury streetwear brand’s debut collection in 2023, with many items, including Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s signature hoodie adorned with an ‘X,’ selling out within hours. “This a good indicator that we’re going in the right direction,” says Supreeta Dubey, brand director of D’yavol X, which is a part of the luxury collective D’yavol—the brainchild of Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, Leti Blagoeva and Bunty Singh.
Since its launch in 2022, the Netherlands-based startup, named after the Bulgarian word for devil, is aggressively marketing luxury lifestyle and limited-edition products in apparel and accessories. D’yavol’s approach is rooted in the success of ‘drop culture’, a popular retail trend that creates desire and hype and is being increasingly adopted by brands worldwide.
“Overall, we are seeing not only growth in general streetwear, but specifically in the luxury segment. More consumers are choosing to replace traditional, legacy luxury brands with modern ones, which are reflective of both their unique style choices as well as their overall beliefs and personality. This is likely to continue growing, and will result in the emergence of many new-age brands that are pushing the boundaries and reinventing traditional categories,” says Dubey.
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While the streetwear culture has been more prevalent in the past few years with the rise of social media, direct to consumer and online access, brands that launched limited-edition series have turned the tide for this segment in modern-day retail. Like D’yavol X, many new-age brands like Fetus, SoleSearch and Huemn, among others, are specialising in a typical style of casual fashion that also focuses on the overall experience for the consumer.
These brands are cashing in on the growth of the streetwear segment that has been phenomenal. The global streetwear market size was valued at $187,583 million in 2022 and is expected to reach $230,877 million by 2028. With eye-catching fashion riding this cultural phenomenon into a multi-billion dollar retail market, the portfolio of streetwear brands is also growing.
One strategy that drives the category for a cult following is the strong connect that brands are building with the community, besides concentrating on organic growth and long-term partnerships above chasing trends. For instance, Fetus has used web3 technology and a strong narrative to build an experience for customers in both the physical and digital realms.
According to Pranjal Kaila, chief executive officer of Fetus, the creative use of streetwear is generally narrative-driven. “Streetwear and storytelling are combined with a three-act narrative conveyed through one-of-a-kind clothing collection,” says Kaila.
Kaila sees streetwear as contemporary attire that defies traditional high fashion conventions, one that is also helped by celebrity sponsorships and limited-edition releases. “Social media platforms like Instagram provide a launchpad for brands to connect with audiences, create communities, and showcase their unique aesthetic. Even streetwear thrives on partnerships between brands, artists, and influencers, fostering creativity and generating excitement. We feel that streetwear is more than just hoodies and T-shirts. It’s a race to be current,” says Kaila.
Instead of aggressive expansion, Fetus supports sustainable practices and slow fashion. “We want to minimise waste and environmental effects. This allows for limited quantities, preserving exclusivity while avoiding oversaturation. We have a year’s worth of ‘chapters’ (product releases) planned and in production. These chapters will continue to tell a unique story through the digital character ‘Fetus’, introducing new designs and experiences to consumers,” adds Kaila.
Consumers are looking for quality connect with the overall ethos of the brands that they choose to purchase. “Our endeavour of redefining the streetwear segment brings premium quality and luxury products with unique style and aesthetic. We don’t mass manufacture but craft products to the highest standards, which ensures that consumers need not settle for anything less,” adds Dubey of D’yavol X. While a blackout tee sold in D’yavol X’s second drop was priced at Rs 21,500, the Mickey drip tee was priced at Rs 21,000 and X-ray hoodie at Rs 40,000.
A cultural movement
A global phenomenon, streetwear has evolved from its origins in the skate and surf culture of Los Angeles, the hip hop fashion and ’80s street art. For this category, the idea is to create something greater than clothes—a movement.
Events like Soledition, a premier sneaker and street festival held in Delhi, have been promoting this cultural movement. This year, the festival hosted a gathering of sneakerheads, basketball players, gamers, musicians, dancers, rappers, graffiti artists, and like-minded street and sneaker culture enthusiasts with immersive experiences. Curated and founded by Siddharth Pal, the festival is inspired by the b-boying and sporting trends of the early 70s and late 80s, and as a platform where like-minded people exchange ideas and immerse themselves.
“Sneakers have evolved to become more than just a comfortable footwear option. They reflect individuality and creativity, and have become a canvas for self-expression. Soledition is an effort to collaborate with street and sneaker enthusiasts, where they showcase their shared love for the rising street and sneaker culture,” says Pal.
Many Indian streetwear brands are now driving the hype culture with innovative design approaches. Delhi-based Almost Gods has designed streetwear depicting myth, identity and cultural expression. Similarly, Huemn, a fashion line that sells in India, the Middle-East, China, Japan, Europe and the US, last year collaborated with Absolut Vodka to embrace progressiveness, inclusivity, and the celebration of diverse narratives. The brand’s USP lies in evocative concepts and collaborations—a Pepsi X Huemn vintage printed shirt featuring a digitally sublimated print with Pepsi bottles represents vintage nostalgia and ups the ante with Huemn’s signature oversized fit. Or a collection featuring a ‘blood’ range of T-shirts, featuring patterns that resemble blood stains.
VegNonVeg, a multi-brand sneaker boutique and street wear brand started in 2016, aims to cultivate pop culture. Biskit is another brand that makes single-edition pieces or a maximum of 21 editions of every style. Every piece is a ‘special edition’ label and the materials used are carefully considered towards working with organic, recycled, repurposed and deadstock fabrics.
SoleSearch, a brand influenced by hip-hop culture, not only offers premium streetwear and sneakers but also celebrates the passion and creativity of culture enthusiasts with a focus on highly sought-after products. Collaborations and storytelling for products like Nike Air Jordan 1 Low Reverse Black Toe and Taxi and the Nike Dunk Low Panda are the ones that are most sold on the homegrown Indian streetwear label platform, co-founded by Param Minhas, Prabal Baghla and Rannvijay Singha.
The collection includes clothing items such as hoodies, T-shirts, jackets and hats from popular streetwear brands, limited-edition collectibles, including figurines and art prints that resonate with the street culture aesthetics. “We curate and source limited-edition releases, collaborations, and iconic sneaker models from top brands like Nike, Adidas, Jordan Brand and more. These sneakers are known for their unique designs, premium materials and cultural significance, making them highly desirable among collectors and enthusiasts,” says Baghla, co-founder of the brand.
Apart from SoleSearch, UK-based men’s fashion brand BoohooMAN has partnered with Myntra to launch over 600 styles of streetwear clothing— graphic T-shirts, hoodies, track pants, and cargo joggers for trend-first generation of fashion-forward men.
Free Society, a multi-brand store that caters to globally curated streetwear and sneakers, launched its first flagship retail store in Mumbai in 2021. It now has a multi-level experiential sneaker and streetwear store in Delhi. It has brand loyalty that includes celebrities like Diljit Dosanjh and Shilpa Shetty, besides stylists and sneaker enthusiasts.
Brands focus on events and engagement to create buzz around the collection. As per Aravind Narayanan, CMO, Fetus, the brand is constantly examining what ‘clicks’, who are fellow misfits looking for something out of the ordinary.
“We consider ourselves more of an entertainment company than a streetwear brand, creating narratives and experiences that go beyond a mere purchase. Active online forums like Discord and immersive intimate gatherings like ‘Invasions’ bring in a sense of community. Graphic novels, content partnerships, and product releases, which we refer to as ‘chapters’, reveals our brand narrative, providing an in-depth level of involvement than conventional marketing strategies,” says Narayanan. Fetus’ recent ‘Invasion’ event in Delhi was an audio-visual experience collaboration with Free Society and Pursue Hard Seltzer along with experimental musicians such as Dolorblind, Psynodent, D80, and Tokas and Rounak Maiti.
Another platform for cultivating partnerships between labels and artists, creating limited-edition clothing lines, special product drops, and one-of-a-kind events like live performances in streetwear retailers is Madverse. It brings streetwear and music together to inspire artists and spark a movement in self-expression.
“We see tremendous opportunities, bridging the gap between music and streetwear. Music serves as the soundtrack to a shared experience. Madverse aspires to enhance both creative forms, enable musicians to become cultural icons, and provide fans an immersive and genuine connection to their favourite music by fusing streetwear and music. Streetwear prioritises self-expression, limited-edition releases, and a feeling of community, all strongly rooted in the essence of music. Our partnerships with brands like Solesearch and Superkicks are a testament to our cultural approach,” says Rohan Nesho Jain, founder, Madverse.