Fashion Terms — the Apparel Search fashion terminology directory
Graffiti, an art form not recognized as art until more recent years, has made its mark on the fashion world — from the gritty streets of cities worldwide to embellishing high-priced Louis Vuitton apparel. Once considered an act of vandalism, graffiti is now accepted as an art form displayed in galleries and exhibits worldwide. Among the pioneers of the graffiti movement in fashion is Marc Ecko, who began with six t-shirts and a can of spray paint, founded his apparel company in 1993, and won a court battle with New York City over a graffiti fest. Kidrobot, founded by designer Paul Budnitz in 2002, fuses urban street trends, fashion and pop art into limited edition collectible toys and apparel.
Street Inspired Fashion: Graffiti Art by Apparel Search - Terms of Interest to the Fashion Industry
Fashion Terms Fashion Terms Directory Fashion Terms by Category Fashion Designer Fashion
Graffiti, an art form that was not recognized as "art" until more recent years, has made its mark on the fashion world. From the gritty streets of various cities worldwide to embellishing high-priced Louis Vuitton apparel, graffiti has certainly evolved. Once considered an act of vandalism, graffiti has now been accepted as an art form that is displayed in galleries and art exhibits worldwide.
Apparel Search believes there are a handful of fashion brands that have pioneered the graffiti movement. Among them is Marc Ecko. We all remember when Ecko won a court battle with New York City when he set out to launch a graffiti fest in New York City several years ago. Ecko, who built a successful apparel company that was founded in 1993, began with just six t-shirts and a can of spray paint. His empire now has approximately six brands under its fashion umbrella, and includes a range of fashions from contemporary styles to t-shirts, denim, fleece, and beyond.
Funky retail destination Kidrobot, which was founded by designer Paul Budnitz in 2002, also incorporates graffiti in its design. Budnitz started his first business, M.O.B., while still in college, selling clothing that he co-designed to museum stores worldwide. This business venture soon evolved into collecting, selling, and modifying vintage Levis and other wearable cultural artifacts, such as classic Air Jordans (which Budnitz sold in Japan for as much as $16,000 a pair).
Kidrobot represents a fusion of urban street trends, fashion, and pop art to produce limited edition collectible toys and apparel. Its products are the result of unique collaborations with top international artists from diverse backgrounds, which range from graffiti to fine art, fashion, industrial design, graphic design, illustration, and music. In fact, in 2007 The Museum of Modern Art acquired 13 Kidrobot toys to exhibit in its "Just In: Recent Acquisitions from the Collection" installation.
Renowned graffiti artist Erni Vales of New York City also artfully mixed a bit of creative inspiration with some paint and moved into the fashion category. His fashion resume includes the design of limited-edition handbags for Aleya NY, and will soon include a line of t-shirts that will sell under the Evl brand.
A wide range of artists' work also embellishes t-shirts and hats by MethodsNYC Clothing. Some of the vibrant designs are clearly influenced by the graffiti world while others reflect more of a graphic design sensibility. Apparel Search believes the fashion category will continue to draw inspiration from the world of art whether its graffiti, fine art, or another design aesthetic.
By Regina Cooper
Learn about streetwear & the meaning of street fashion.
Fashion Terms: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Check out spring fashion week videos at the
Fashion Week Videos website.
You can also check out spring fashion photos at the
Fashion Week Photos website.
Urban Fashion Group
The path graffiti took into fashion mirrors the path street fashion itself took: a form created outside the industry, dismissed as vandalism rather than art, then absorbed once its visual energy became undeniable. The lettering, color and scale of graffiti translate naturally to embellishment — a t-shirt or hat is, in effect, a portable wall — and the fashion category has kept drawing on it at every price level, from street-level graphic tees to luxury houses putting graffiti across high-priced apparel.
The collaborations are the mechanism. Kidrobot's model — limited editions made with artists from graffiti and neighboring fields, collectible enough for a museum to acquire — treats the artist as a designer in residence rather than a print supplier. Erni Vales's handbags and t-shirt line, and the artist ranges at MethodsNYC, work the same way: the garment carries a named artist's hand, which is what distinguishes graffiti fashion from generic urban graphics. The category continues to draw inspiration from art generally — graffiti, fine art and other design aesthetics alike.
Ecko built a successful apparel company founded in 1993 from a start of six t-shirts and a can of spray paint, growing to approximately six brands spanning contemporary styles, t-shirts, denim and fleece. He also won a court battle with New York City when he set out to launch a graffiti fest there.
Kidrobot, founded by Paul Budnitz in 2002, is a fusion of urban street trends, fashion and pop art producing limited edition collectible toys and apparel through collaborations with top international artists from graffiti, fine art, fashion, industrial and graphic design, illustration and music. In 2007 the Museum of Modern Art acquired 13 Kidrobot toys for its collection.
Renowned New York graffiti artist Erni Vales designed limited-edition handbags for Aleya NY and developed a t-shirt line under the Evl brand, while MethodsNYC Clothing embellishes t-shirts and hats with a range of artists' work, some clearly graffiti-influenced and some closer to graphic design.