The world of streetwear is a world largely made up of men. However in recent years, we've seen more and more women get involved in space. We’re even seeing brands target more women with the likes of platforms like Hypebae and Nike releasing more sneaker colours for women.
That being said, from the consumers to designers, streetwear still arguably has a male dominant demographic overall. Looking over the underground scene specifically , I can say that demographic is even more so dominated by men.
via HYPEBEAST & strategy&
That being said the ratios are slowly shifting at a faster rate. More and more women are getting involved with the streetwear scene and the underground scene.
Running this platform has allowed me to discover an array of underground female brands and designers who deserve that spotlight. I feel like in the underground scene, womenswear brands get overshadowed a little, not intentionally, but because of the sheer amount of brands targeting the larger audience being men.
Starting with this article, we will look to shift the demographics in the space by putting you on. Here are some underground womenswear designers that you need to know.
We're starting this list off with 1xBlue by Lois Saunders. This is arguably one of the more known brands especially here in the UK. Lois brand is based out of London, UK. I remember discovering her when she made a series of pieces from upcycled goalkeeper gloves and football scarves just before the pandemic hit. Since then she's made waves around the scene by not only evolving her pieces, but also being stocked at SSense and being seen on multiple public figures such as Rubi Rose, Kim K and Dua Lipa. A more bittersweet moment was when fashion nova actually copied her dress. Stealing in the industry is nothing new and it's an issue difficult to stop, however it just goes to show, Lois has already left her mark in the industry with big fashion houses and figures recognising her work. Lois is someone big on sustainability and therefore creates collections from upcycled materials and has a made to order process for clothes that are made in house. We're looking to do a full video and article on her so I'll save some of the info for later.
Next we travel to Paris where a brand called Jasmains specialises in denim pieces with an aim to highlight women's physical and mental wellbeing. Jasmains want to represent the independent, confident woman and looks to achieve “a harmonious combination of style, freedom and durability” as stated on their website. The high end brand has been covered by the likes of Vogue, Hypebae and Grazia. Their designs feature a series of mainly upcycled denim pieces with hands either painted or sewn together into the piece. It seems they draw a lot of inspiration from the renaissance. It was a common motif I saw consistently when looking at their instagram page. Their slogan “I will always have your back” links to the relevant usage of hands in their designs. It's part of their vision to support women so that they can claim their entire body. Founder of the brand Yasmine Ait Ouazzou, also sat down with Hypebae to expand on her brand mentioning that a past toxic relationship is what sparked the start of her brand and was her way of dealing with that stage of her life.
Back to the UK again, we take a look at Mary Ann Msengis brand, Farai London. This is a brand I've also been keeping tabs on for time. The resort wear label has been seen on the likes of Kylie Jenner and Meg the Stallion. Their designs embrace complex patterns featuring different gradients, shapes and marble type textures in a mix of carefully picked colours. These can be seen in a series of pieces including dresses, swimwear, corsets and more. Their mission is to redefine womenswear to produce adventurous bold and beautiful pieces that denote our commitment to superior quality. Lets not forget their several features in Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Hypebae.
Next we travel to the US to shine light on Raven Tracey with her label body. This is probably another brand that would be more well known amongst the list. Born in 2018, Raven created the brand as a support system for women to thrive and flourish. She aims to amplify women's collective voices and advocate for their causes. Their collection of pieces include body suits, tracksuits and swimwear. Body takes pride in inclusivity and diversity irregardless of race shape and size . They want women to feel represented by building their self confidence through their clothes which will enable them to be their most unapologetic and vibrant self. This is certainly clear to see through their instagram page which consists of not only diverse models modelling their clothes, but also encouraging quotes and tips that align with their goals and values. It's clear they have a big focus on their visual aesthetic as their imagery is carefully curated within accordance to colour and modelling shoots.
The next brand on our list is Tit 4 Tats who showcase the most unique designs from the list so far. The brand was launched by Tatjana Van Clarke. Her designs feature bold and often contrasting colours topped with slashes across the top layers of fabric. Born in the summer of 2021, the independent brand offers both custom and ready made clothing for women to feel empowered in their femininity. Through her clothing, owner of the brand Tatjana, wants to highlight the authenticity and beauty in women's bodies.
Described as Maximalist clothing & Dopamine dressing, Slx World is a brand fusing fine art and fashion together. Founded in 2021 by Susannah Wheatcroft, she gained a lot of attention online with her Origami boots, securing features in magazines such as Elle and Grazia. Collages, Sculptures and prints are the foundations of all garments. This allows her to add a sense of surrealism into her clothing which blurs the lines between costume and fashion. Susannah mentions breathing life into making every piece which is a process she is forever instinctively experimenting with. Her garments are meant to embody emotions of nostalgia, euphoria, fear and vulnerability.
Now it's impossible to fit all the designers I wanted into one video unless we make a part 2 nevertheless. Here are some honourable mentions
We have
Ella Mia crafting sustainable and handmade clothing with her self titled brand.
Next we have Wmnswear launched by founders Liza, Valerie and Lola. This is a brand bridging the gap with athleisure capitalising off the trend which took off during the pandemic.
We also have Torah Lily by Tiger Lily Booth based out of Manchester.
By Maddie London is also another brand that needs recognition, the owner Maddie Morgan actually also owns another brand 5550.
Next we have Girls Girls Girls By Gracie Miller. Her love for print has created pieces that went viral through social media.
Last but not least we have Shop Cynner. Definitely the most captivating brand from the whole list in terms of colour and designs. I'm not too sure on the founder's name but I'll leave her Instagram here.
There are so many more brands out there and We hope to shine light on them also whilst we discover them. Feel free to suggest your own in the comments or even start a conversation with us via our DMs. I love talking to you guys.
If you own a womenswear brand that would like to get featured by us, hit us up via dm, we got you.
Let's share this article around to people who need to be put on.