While fashion trends are ever-changing, recent lockdown measures have transformed fashion as we know it. Now more than ever, many people are excited to be out and about and showcase their new looks. This has reinvigorated street fashion with cool, chic, and classic trends that are gaining popularity in 2022.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most fashionable street fashion trends that have emerged that fashion retailers can add to their product catalogs.
Table of contents:
Overview of the street fashion market
Top streetwear trends shaping fashion
Stock up for summer
Overview of the street fashion market
Street fashion is currently experiencing a boom. Having come into prominence as part of countercultures in the 1980s and 1990s, it slowly evolved over time until its reach and influence became more mainstream, building with it a multi-billion-dollar retail market.
PWC data shows that the global streetwear market was valued at an estimated US$ 185 billion in 2019. According to estimates, this would account for nearly 10% of the entire global clothing and footwear market. A market survey by Statista showed that the most popular streetwear brands for 2019 included NOAH, Nike, Off-White, Adidas, BAPE, Stüssy, Palace, Carhartt WIP, Vetements, and Balenciaga.
The scope of the street fashion market is extensive, but some of its top influences include the following:
- Hip-hop music and culture
- Skate and surf culture
- Rock music
- Sports
- K-pop
- Haute couture fashion
- Superheroes
Top streetwear trends shaping fashion
1. Young women’s streetsmart
The young women’s streetsmart is inspired by the emerging global talent and digital youth culture, which is transforming the street fashion scene with looks that are smart but subversive.
This trend is renewing streetwear by adding futuristic elements, resulting in outfits that have sexy and subversive design accents, day-to-night color palettes that are versatile, and innovative hybrid designs such as the cut-and-sew dress or the bomber jacket.
The bomber jacket is an essential piece within this trend that has been seen across catwalks and had a year-on-year growth of nearly 49%, according to WGSN. It has a versatile silhouette and can be layered with casualwear, which adds to the edginess in the contrasted high-low dressing.
Retailers should stock pieces that are more innovative such as hybrid designs or modular designs with removable or contrast-fabric linings. This will help catalogs cater to fashion-conscious buyers who identify the classic bomber as collection essentials.
The cutout twinset is also trending in women’s streetsmart. This is a replacement for the sweatshirt or hoodie and adds a premium element to cozy cool. It plays into the subversive and sexy design element because of the unexpected cutouts.
Another style piece to consider adding to your product catalog is the subversive streetwear dress, which is an update of the T-shirt dress. It comes with cutouts that can have asymmetric details delivering subversive but sexy bare looks. The style can utilize slick jersey materials and contrast fabrics to add geometric dimensions to the garment.
Other great pieces to add under this trend are what’s being called “future-utility” trousers, which add sports-inspired features to traditional cargos, as well as the modular overcoat, which takes inspiration from gorpcore and K-pop.
2. Boys’ 1990s street
Over the years, 1990s street style has continued to inspire boyswear, with sport and streetwear influences. The styles apply to ages ranging from younger boys to tweens.
The styles have both sport and streetwear influences and use bold color blocking techniques to make the style new and fresh. Primary colors are the key palette in this trend, particularly acidic yellow tones that come from commercial menswear.
The brights used in the styles are bold and inspired by sportswear. These include deep cobalt, adrenalin red, grass green, along with yellow. The palette can be worked in solid head-to-toe outfits or can be spliced together for less intense versions using gray marl.
Clothing pieces to add to your catalog under this trend include the popover anorak and the retro stripe tee. The popover anorak has been popular in boys’ fashion over the past few seasons and is now becoming more fashionable. The feeder stripe tee was a core part of the 1990s’ looks, so it is a great basic essential.
Matching sports sets are also a key part of boys’ leisurewear. They can come in fabrics with a sheen to give them a premium and authentic look. Contrast piping details make the style even edgier. Sweatshirts that come with bold-printed slogan-style words on the chest panels or sleeves are also trendy.
3. Male streetwear
Gen-Z-driven male streetwear is continuing to influence mass culture. What was previously a niche subculture driven by hip-hop, skate, and surf roots has now transformed male streetwear, making it evolve as the styles became more mainstream since the mid-2000s.
Key looks from this style trend include the lo-fi look, which comes in the form of entire outfits or accessories separately. You can consider selling the individual components that add to this look, including buckles, clips, badges, and zips.
The essence of this look signals a return to minimalism, so elements such as micro-typography graphics bring this out. Key pieces under this trend include long-line short sets, long-sleeve jerseys, packable outerwear macs, and crew-neck knits.
Another style within this trend is hybrid looks that echo art-studio aesthetics through overlaid and photocopy graphics, making the pieces like they have a DIY element. The fits can also be boxy, layered, or have contrasting-length hemlines. Key pieces to stock are performance gilets, loose-fit hoodies, cropped pants, pop-over fleeces, and bootleg sneakers.
Conscious design is also part of male streetwear. This inspires purist aesthetics that have multipurpose pieces. The styles have clean lines with statement-colored accents. When it comes to colors, naturally derived colors are preferred, tapping into eco-driven messaging. Key pieces you can add to your catalog include loose-fit shackets, corduroy shirts, utility trousers, and button-through cardigans.
4. Women’s athleisure
Some within the fashion world are saying athleisure is the new streetwear. Athleisure is a merging of sportswear and streetwear and has become a staple in many wardrobes across the globe.
Driving this trend, people came out of lockdown seeking out fashion that was multifunctional and enabled them to be able to maintain the style, comfort, as well as performance in their clothing.
This resulted in activewear being incorporated into consumers’ core wardrobes, and so leggings, crop tops, yoga pants, bodysuits, etc. are now being paired with traditional wardrobe staples such as dresses, denim jeans, and formal pieces.
Popular styles within this trend include the textured bodice made with nylons and elastic fibers, producing pieces that fit ergonomically and offer comfort, compression, and support. The fashion bodysuit is also popular as well as lined leggings. Both these pieces combine ergonomics with unique aesthetics and flexible utility. Other popular style pieces under this trend include sneakers and T-shirt dresses.
5. Women’s oversized clothing
Oversized tailoring is gaining popularity. Playing into consumers’ desire for comfort, the oversized look delivers by providing fashion that includes baggy T-shirts, slightly big dresses, and slouchy coats.
A number of styles have looks borrowed from menswear, such as oversized blazers, vests, chunky loafers, as well as trousers that are paired with boxy coats. Key figures driving this trend include famous pop artist Billie Eilish.
When worn correctly, oversized fashion can look chic and smart. It merges both the tomboyish and the feminine as seen with some of the styles that can be layered on top of form-fitting tops to give contrasting fits.
Another pairing technique is to keep the bottoms slim when the top is baggy or to wear bulky bottoms such as flared palazzo pants, balloon skirts, and Bermuda shorts while having the top fitted as a way of balancing the look.
Stock up for summer
Summer is in sight and a number of consumers will be looking for trendy style pieces to add to their wardrobes. Adding some of the above-mentioned street fashions trends will ensure that your catalog stands out and draws in fashion-forward customers.
Street fashion is a staple within fashion, but its styles are constantly evolving based on the social currents of the day. The top street fashion trends to be aware of in 2022 and stock up on are:
- Young women’s streetsmart
- Boys’ 1990s street
- Male streetwear
- Women’s athleisure
- Women’s oversized clothing
