A Thought: How One Brand Confronts the Hypebeast Culture. Paradise Youth Club tries to break the vicious cycle of impressing others at Urban Sneaker Society 2019.
A hypebeast is a term to describe someone who follows trends in fashion (particularly streetwear) that are “hype”, and usually branded with an extremely high price tag, to make a social statement and impress others. Basically, it’s a term to describe those young people who you see showing off their Supreme outfit on Instagram. Even though hypebeast is now its own fashion category, the term sometimes still has a negative connotation to it.
Based on what we’ve seen from the social community and on social media, hypebeast culture represents teenagers who want to fit in and gain self-confidence. Nowadays, the culture develops the perception that when teens purchase and show off their branded, trendy streetwear, they are “cool” and will, therefore, be accepted in their peer groups, and in society.
This leads young people to think that they need to own these luxury products to be validated. Young people are especially vulnerable to this type of distorted thinking because teens use their self-esteem as a way of identification.
Paradise Youth Club Installation at Urban Sneaker Society 2019 © Paradise Youth Club
On the contrary, The on-the-rise Jakarta-based streetwear brand, Paradise Youth Club, does not believe in the vicious cycle of impressing others. Through their installation at the Urban Sneaker Society a few weeks ago, they conveyed the message that the culture had somehow been corrupted with a scheme designed by people who never understood what the true value is behind a brand, creating a false understanding that we’re here to impress each other.
To complete their idea, they also launched an exclusive release t-shirt and sweatshirt inspired by the story of Richard Tahsin’s Polo Bear, where the man behind the iconic illustration reflects the message they wish to convey; believe in the value of the dream and make it happen.
We know their installation wasn’t to throw shade at fashion brands out there. The aim is to remind people that it is crucial to buy a product because they support and relate to the essence of the movement, not because they want to impress other people. In other words, your passions and your attitude are more important aspects that define you, not others. (Text Teuku Ajie)