What’s one of the coolest trends to hit the fashion world this Fall? Graffiti, of course.
Long used as an outlet for creative expression, graffiti has finally made it’s way into the mainstream to be an altering and illuminating force in fashion. Popping up on anything from hats, to shoes, satchels, tees, rings and jewelry, sunglasses, and even evening gowns and occassion-wear pieces, like all outlets for graffiti there’s just no stopping it once it gets started.
Although all forms of these new fashion graffiti contain some type of color play (whether monochrome, visual light based, or other) the net’s been cast wide across the nature of the artwork itself, sporting everything from non-verbal free-form swathing of hues, to political commentary, to satirical verse. In the cultural sense, a language divide means next to nothing in fashion, as designers from all over the world have shown graffiti both on the boutique shelf, and on the runway. Some of the more unique evolutions of this emerging trend include 90’s retro color palettes, caricature style cartooning, and blending of media, such as realistic photography with created art.
One of the newer pieces available with urban graffiti detailing is the navel ring, which has become a growing fixture in youth culture, particularly with attachment to hip hop music and urban clothing and tattooing. And who wouldn’t want a unique and artistic piece of belly jewelry for their collection? I know I would.
Though commercialization of the art form has been criticized, it’s certainly a positive realization that for the first time in our history, graffiti as a form of expression has crossed over into media that are no longer subject to legal disapproval. I say, as long as we’ve been given the right to express ourselves through art, the rising trend of graffiti-laced fashion is definitely a good thing.
