The Chokehold of the Hypebeast Era

Source: Van Thanh / Unsplash.  

Fashion trends have defined generations, but none have had more of a chokehold on the world than the hypebeast era.  

In 2005, Kevin Ma originated an underground fashion blog named Hypebeast, with the intention of helping fashion enthusiasts keep track of all the latest exclusive sneaker drops.  

Hypebeast fashion was inspired heavily by the culture within hip-hop and skateboarding, as young people steered away from the more ‘traditional’ fashion trends and embraced a new wave of streetwear.  

As the likes of Pharrell and Kanye West started to emerge as the fashion kings of the late 2000s, drawing influence from the hypebeast brands such as BAPE and Louie Vuitton, the streetwear community began to emerge into the mainstream and become a staple of the fashion world.  

Designers like Virgil Abloh and Nigo were highly praised for their work in the streetwear fashion industry and worked closely with the likes of Kanye and Pharrell, along with other big names in rap – which brings us to the 2010s when the hypebeast movement really started to dominate.  

With the emergence of rap and hip-hop as the standalone dominant music genre, streetwear became the dominant force in fashion due to its close ties with some of the world’s biggest celebrities.  

Brands like Supreme, Off-White, Antisocial Social Club and Yeezy created cult-like followings due to their exclusive and highly sought-after clothing lines. 

Current UC students, Archie Godsell and Josh Peters were both big followers of the Hypebeast era during the mid to late 2010s and remember the crazy hype that surrounded the movement.  

“All I used to watch on YouTube was unboxing videos and reviews. The videos were always super clickbait, and everything was so over the top – but I was always glued to the screen. My Instagram feed also was filled with hypebeast stuff from influencers like Supreme Patty and Ricegum,” Godsell said.  

“I remember staying up all night waiting for the Supreme drops.” 

“I’d be awake at like two, three, or four in the morning hoping to get my hands on something. Sometimes I’d miss out because things sold out so quickly.”  

Josh Peters also recalls the exclusivity of the era: “Everything was so expensive, so for a 14 or 15-year-old I was never able to get anything other than stickers or socks.”  

“I remember desperately wanting to get an Off-White or AntiSocialSocialClub hoodie, which were probably close to $1000 at the time, which is mental.”  

The rise of social media also conveniently coincided with the Hypebeast era, and in many ways was the main factor behind its worldwide audience.  

But, with the viral culture of hypebeast fashion becoming a dominant contributor in pop culture, the gradual rise was also met with a quick downfall, as the once exclusive brands became more accessible, and trendsetters started to move on.  

However, the influence of leading designers from the hypebeast era is still felt today, with marketing and design techniques from the likes of Virgil Abloh, Pharrell, and Kanye West all influencing the fashion industry in 2024.  

Design and Visual Communications student, Oakley Maguire, highlights the likes of Abloh and Pharrell as massive inspirations for him in his own design journey.  

“I remember seeing Virgil Abloh talk about how to market a product and how the background or environment you place your product in helps to make the product seem luxurious or exclusive – that really inspired me,” Maguire said.   

“Going into my career as a creative, the influence the hypebeast era had on myself and culture, in general, has taught me a lot about how a certain style, branding, or price point can really show the power of community. These things can shape the way we view clothing, accessories, and branding in general.”   

“For me, the hypebeast era is a great example of how trends come and go, because there is no way you'd see me walking around with skinny ripped jeans [paired] with a super long Off-White t-shirt and a backwards snapback cap, today. But the marketing techniques and things like that I still draw huge inspiration from,” Maguire added.  

From the overpriced hoodies and skinny ripped jeans to the clickbait YouTube videos – the hypebeast era was one of the most defining trends of the 2010s.  

Although 99.9% of the stuff that was big back then looks absolutely terrible in hindsight, the impact that trend had went much further than just overpriced clothes.  

Whatever you may remember, the influence that the hypebeast era had on fashion and pop culture cannot be understated.  

So, although some hypebeasts would like to forget that period, we can all look back and admire the sense of nostalgia that it brings, and the damage it did to our bank accounts.