Types of Asian Streetwear Fashion
What Are The Different Types of Asian Streetwear Fashion?
Asian style streetwear has become increasingly popular amongst the younger generations, particularly Millennials and Generation Z. But what does Asian street fashion refer to? This question can be understood and broken down into three main street trends that dominate the Asian streetwear world. Today we are going to explore Korean Streetwear Trends, Japanese Streetwear Trends, and Chinese Streetwear Trends, followed by examples of each style. We will examine the differences in what is popular within each region and the styles that are most widely worn within each niche. The following are all styles that heavily inspire our own Asian streetwear designs.
- What Are the Latest Korean Streetwear Trends?
- What Are the latest Japanese Streetwear Trends?
- What Are the Latest Chinese Streetwear Trends?
- Examples of Korean Streetwear Styles
- Example of Japanese Streetwear Styles
- Example of Chinese Streetwear Styles
What Are the Latest Korean Streetwear Trends?
Korean street style fashion has begun to skyrocket ever since the rise of Kpop and its international presence. With emerging female and male Kpop groups, more than ever fans have flocked to admire and draw inspiration from their street style. But what is commonly found in the heart of Korean street fashion? This is something that we might be able to better understand by taking a look at Hongdae Seoul Asian Streetwear Fashion.
Korean streetwear trends take inspiration largely from hip hop. This can be best seen through the popularity of oversized and baggier clothes which can be seen in both genders. Women in particular are largely still quite conservative when taken out of the context of Kpop fashion. Originally their tops are still covered modestly in many ways, including their chests and midriffs. It wasn’t until more recently that women began to break out of their shells a little more and go towards fashion trends that favor a little bit of skin, such as their popular off-shoulder style top. Interestingly enough, more revealing clothes like mini skirts and short shorts are extremely popular and trending in the Korean streetwear category. With the ideal beauty standard idolizing long slim legs, these styles end up being quite popular in the way that they can accentuate these features. However, staying true to their modest nature, these skirts are often paired with hidden shorts or “skorts” as we now call it.
What Are the Latest Japanese Streetwear Trends?
Japanese street style fashion is made up of several different streetwear styles found in Japan. Commonly worn in large urban areas of Tokyo, these modern women's street styles can be seen in districts like Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ginza. Styles range from local and foreign trends, with brands like Comme des Garcon, Yohji Yamamoto, and Bape breaking out into international recognition. Within Japan though, their streetwear fashion can be broken down into some categories such as Lolita, Ganguro, Visual Kei, Kimono Style, and more. Let’s explore some of their most popular styles.
Lolita: A distinct female street style found commonly worn in urban areas of Japan like Harajuku. Their outfits are usually quite lavish in the way they are decorated. Skirts are very voluminous and normally paired with petticoats. Their tops are generously lace-trimmed and extravagant. There are several layers to their outfit which cannot be complete without accessorizing with their thigh-high lace socks, Mary Jane shoes, and frilly headband. This style has evolved into several subcategories such as Gothic, Classic, and Sweet.
Ganguro: This style of Japanese streetwear was predominantly popularized as a subculture of Gyaru fashion back in the 2000s. Women would be adorned with flash colored clothes, short skirts, and a variety of plaid patterns mixed into it all. The fashion trend praises man-made beauty and encourages the uses of fake hair, fake lashes, fake nails, fake tans, and more.
Visual Kei: This style was popularized by the Japanese rock music industry. Visual Kei can best be detected through their unique hairstyles and extravagant clothes. This style can be best understood through their western counterpart of punk rock style.
Kimono Style: The Kimono Style is largely influenced by their traditional culture and clothing choice. As Kimonos are still worn on the regular in Japan, its style has continued to shift and cater to a younger demographic. The Kimono Style has evolved to include a mixture of both traditional elements with modern Asian streetwear style.
What Are the Latest Chinese Streetwear Trends?
Chinese streetwear fashion has hit another peak through the viral videos that were launched around the summer of 2020 on Tiktok. These videos showcase both men and women looking like models and rocking their streetwear style in slow motion catwalks. It would appear as if these passersby were all casually going about their day, looking straight out of a magazine. The compilation of several of them walking while dripped from head to toe in modern streetwear has become iconic. These videos became popularized and allowed international audiences like us to take notice of their emerging street style. Some of the most popular videos posted on Tiktok about Chinese street fashion can be seen from user @eromei, with her videos showcasing these stylish people reaching as high as 20 million views.
@eromei so i heard y’all didn’t know china’s street fashion is on x games mode? 😳 ##fyp ##fashion ##chinesetiktok ##chinesestreetfashion
♬ Street Fashion Game - JVLES
While there isn’t a particular street style that Chinese streetwear adheres heavily to, there is one common denominator when it comes to an essential for their street style. Chinese streetwear loves its designer brand names. Oftentimes you would see designer brands and logos plastered all over its outfits - this is because Chinese street style wants brand names to be noticed and seen by all. You can often find that a lot of their street fashion is heavily influenced by mixing and matching high-end designer brands together. This quite literally means that an outfit can be completed with a Louis Vuitton jacket, Supreme bag, Gucci Sweatpants, and Versace sandals.
Examples of Korean Streetwear Styles
As previously mentioned, the Korean street style for women tends to be a little more modest. Korean style likes its tops mostly covered and favors the off-shoulder style as it gives a little bit of skin without being too revealing. An example of this is the Hazelnut Asymmetrical Strap Buckle Top. This top is snug but covered up in all the right places. The chest and stomach are concealed, with the skin being exposed only on one side of the shoulders. An edgier option that’s a little more risque is our Cabernet Off-Shoulder Chain Crop Top, which features the same exposed shoulder detail, but with a little bit more midriff showing.
Despite being modest, Korean streetwear for women loves its short skirts as it can elongate the legs. This love for short skirts mixed in with their desire for modesty has given birth to the popularity of skirts with mock shorts, also known as “Skorts”. Skorts are popular because it still appears to be a skirt, but girls are protected by the extra layer of shorts that are attached within the skirt. This can be seen in our best seller Mochi Strap Chain Skort which features this style exactly.
Examples of Japanese Streetwear Style
Japanese street style is rather diverse depending on which genre of streetwear you are looking into. Our personal favorite is the Ganguro street style as it plays a lot with colors and patterns mixed together for loud and extreme style outfits. Our Latte Side Slit Skirt paired with our Truffle Leg Strap Shorts are a great bottom combination that you might see in this style. The mixture of plaid prints against solid colors are a common way to rock this style.
Examples of Chinese Streetwear Style
Despite Chinese street fashion largely favoring brand names, there’s a rise in popularity for unbranded edgier street fashion. This can be seen in those Tiktok videos showcasing Chinese street fashion that has taken over the internet by storm. Outfits you might find them rocking would look similar to pieces like our Espresso Mesh Drawstring Top paired with our Truffle Strap Shorts.
