Style is defined as “a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed.” Style is, to say the least, one of the most important spheres for anyone to influence, not just on social media, but within society.
Moreover, if you are an influencer, style plays an important role in your image. As a social influencer, you must demonstrate your individuality and contemporary fashion taste on a regular basis.
High-end contemporary wear has always been expensive and out of reach for the average consumer, but now we have reached all-time highs, even for the “well known” luxury labels. It is no longer shocking to see sweatshirts go for more than $1,000.
The Vetements and Gucci “effect” of walking around looking like a sponsored NASCAR driver can be seen on every major red carpet showing, from Calabasas to Chelsea.
Furthermore, due to the social impact of Korean pop-stars and American rap-artists it has become acceptable to stunt in your $2,400 Gucci sweater (even though your favorite rapper has the item in 2 different colors ways, plus a limited released edition exclusively from Milan).
Our obsession with social media influencers has created a “flexing frenzy” raising the fashion bar higher and higher errday.
Today it’s all about jewelry, garments, and shoes. Due to this mass hysteria of constant stunting, it is important we seek out our true individualism and our inner sans stylist. Creating an image for ourselves allows us to take a breath of fresh air so that we can rest easy and recognize that not everyone has fallen victim to the “stunt-pill.”
In this era of flexing and brand backing, seeing true individualism without a stylist clout chasing is a breath of fresh air.
Jakob Hetzer
Jakob Hetzer has been on the Instagram style scene for the last several years. His popularity is a result of his self-titled brand established in 2014. Hetzer pulls inspiration from other notable labels and designers such as Rick Owens, Carol Christian Poell, and Number (N)ine, amongst others.
It is not difficult to imagine why Hetzer is making garments for the real fashionistas.
His most recent public project, dubbed “TO THE RIVER”, is definitely one of the more interesting collections to hit the market in recent times, with a focus on making fully functional garments.
With this in mind, it makes sense that Hetzer wants to focus on “CLOTHING DEEPER THAN AESTHETIC. MORE THAN JUST GARMENTS.” (from Hamburg, Germany)
@_artdealer_
@_artdealer_ is definitely the most low-key out of everyone on this list.
Hailing from South Korea, he has directed and edited videos for Keith Ape and has spent a lot of time working with Ape’s team to build a style to match the music they were making.
@_artdealer_ pulled up to America to flex with D Savage and Thouxanband on IG. After his run-in with the Soundcloud kings at the time, @_artdealer_ started working with A$AP Bari on his brand VLONE. He even helped conceptualize and the very first VLONE pop-up.
Currently, @_artdealer_ has been working with Playboi Carti to build his image with contributions from merchandise to a production credit on Carti’s most recent work DIE LIT.
@_artdealer_ has one of the most stylized and consistent Instagram accounts, he has stuck to the early information age MS-Paint look for years. If you look at his early post and shows the vision has stayed the same. Be as punk as possible.
Matthew M Williams
Matthew M Williams has been creating for years now, everyone remembers the constant onslaught of double hashtags thrown over a truly amazing soundtrack of 5 mixes and 2 websites. #BEENTRILL# was the brand for the hot minute; Kanye wore it.
After working with Lady Gaga, Kanye West, and the late great Alexander McQueen it should not surprise anyone that Williams has taken what he learned flying around the world with Kanye West and started a brand.
Alyx is Matthews main focus other than his family who helps run the business. Without any major marketing or gross over advertising, Alyx has been making its rounds on social media influencers like Ian Connor and artists like A$AP Rocky. Nike has taken Matthews under their wing for a collection of training athletic wear that was presented on Williams Instagram.
Williams clearly has an amazing career ahead of him and we cannot wait to see what he has in store.
MIDNIGHT Studios
Shane Gonzales started midnight studio in 2015, the brand has been worn on multiple occasions by the ever inspirational A$AP Rocky who found out about the brand though Ian Connor.
Gonzales has always taken inspiration from the nihilistic anarchy of the 1970’s with great success. Midnight Studios never felt commercially punk which is refreshing in this age of copycat-ism, or creative “appropriation” — in today’s vernacular.
Gonzales spoke about his inspiration in an old complex interview that covers his early stages of being a fashion brand,
“I got into punk music from old Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game soundtracks. The Sex Pistols were on the first couple ones, Dead Kennedy’s and the Adicts were on American Wasteland — all that stuff was on there. So that’s how I picked up on punk. That’s what I grew up on, those soundtracks.”
Francesco Ragazzi of Palm Angels
Regazzi started as an intern at Moncler. He has a passion for photography, skateboarding, and is his daily grind — Palm Angels.
It started out as a coffee table book about California’s skateboard culture with a real focus on the skateboarding and less of the life.
Regazzi got Pharrell Williams onto the project, who would later contribute the foreword for the book. Regazzi Started the brand we know and love so much in 2014 and since then it has been worn by just about everybody.
Palm Angels is the current zeitgeist of streetwear. Regazzi was quick to share his opinion on the topic when asked about the meaning of streetwear within fashion in 2016.
“I think streetwear used to be a category, and now streetwear is fashion basically, there’s no difference anymore. Look at Balenciaga, [Demna Gvasalia] mixes a sequin dress with a down jacket, that’s not streetwear, that’s just how people dress.”
