A definitive list of Australia's best streetwear brands
Streetwear isn't dead. Here's our ultimate list of the best and most relevant Aussie brands to buy and wear right now
WE’LL BE THE FIRST to admit it: the streetwear space is a crowded one, so it takes a lot for a brand to really stand out. But there’s one ingredient that seems to lead to a truly original concept, and that’s having nothing to prove. Some of the best streetwear designers started out with no prior training or ties to the fashion industry, but unconventional origins tend to inform the most interesting creative outputs – just look at Teddy Santis of Aimé Leon Dore, and the late Virgil Abloh of Off-White and Louis Vuitton. Neither had a fashion background, yet they’ve developed two of the world’s most recognisable streetwear brands.
Streetwear is also evolving. No longer just graphic tees and hoodies, today, designers are pushing their material, brand stories and design languages further, sourcing their materials and processing techniques from artisans in Japan or Italy, honing in on craft and quality for limited edition pieces. And this rings especially true in Australia – especially from a brand story perspective, as more social enterprise and First Nations brands emerge, using streetwear as a means to give back to their communities and support causes that matter
Rest assured when we say streetwear isn’t dead – it’s thriving, and more interesting than ever before. Scroll on for our complete list of the most relevant streetwear brands in Australia right now.
Candice
Based in Melbourne, Candice keeps design fluidity top of mind, by never settling on a single visual vocabulary. A passion project of sorts for designer Nick Campbell since his teens, it was only in 2019 when the brand ‘officially’ launched, teaming up with co-designers Bronte Cooper and Charlie Barton. The design trio release their drops in thematic collections, always keeping their creative outlook fresh with high concepts. In its recent collection, Under the Glass Tiles, Candice expresses its genderless approach via clean lines and classic silhouettes, with their edge coming from graphic designs exploring the poetic theme.
Esquire’s picks:
Candice ‘Spark’ long sleeve shirt
Candice ‘Goodnight’ nylon pants
/ Edward Cuming
Edward Cuming belongs to a new era of Australian designers with an avant-garde vision, making waves on the global stage. Of his work, which Cuming describes as “atypical menswear”, the Australian-born, Madrid-based designer experiments with fabrication, bold colours, and zany textures, which lift his classic silhouettes out of the banal and into much more forward-thinking, elevated urban territory.
Esquire’s picks:
Edward Cuming pink striped shirt
Edward Cuming blue panelled jeans
/ Jungles Jungles
From humble beginnings screen-printing t-shirts for bands out of his backyard, today, Jungles Jungles founder Jack Ferguson is behind some of the coolest graphics in the Australian streetwear scene. Mixing its history of trippy band tees with refreshed menswear staples, such as bomber jackets and deconstructed shirting, Jungles Jungles is the kind of brand you could buy your entire wardrobe from, if you really wanted to. It’s also sold at some of the most influential streetwear and skate stores in the world, so it would be remiss of us not to include it on this list.
Esquire’s picks:
Jungles Jungles ‘Let Go’ Herringbone pants
Jungles Jungles ‘Expect Nothing’ tie-dye tee
/ Pseushi
Founded by Surry Hills-local Wesley Chiang in 2015, Pseushi (pronounced like “sushi”) is known for its epic collaborations with other creatives, both locally and internationally. Self-taught, Chiang started the brand anonymously in a Martin Margiela-fashion, wanting to gauge how people responded to his graphic designs on premium fabrics before he claimed them as his own. The rest is history, because today, Pseushi is one of the mainest mainstays in the local streetwear scene.
Esquire’s picks:
Pseushi Hiking long sleeve shirt
Pseushi baggy jeans in medium wash
Erik Yvon
Fusing masculine and feminine fashion codes together in bold and dynamic colours and prints, since 2017, Erik Yvon has been bringing a celebration of his queer identity to the Australian streetwear scene. With training under the iconic Australiana label Romance Was Born, Yvon also draws on his colourful Mauritian upbringing when dreaming up his designs, which range from eveningwear to streetwear staples. Ethically and sustainably made in Melbourne, Yvon also frequently collaborates with other LGBTQIA+ creatives to produce eclectic prints and gender-neutral pieces.
Esquire’s picks:
Erik Yvon Volcano knit
Erik Yvon white lace shirt
Earl’s Collection
Drawing from his experience as an NRL player, Earls Collection founder Lewi Brown has found his second calling in fashion, as he redefines sportswear for the everyday. Evolving from a pair of silky basketball shorts into a full menswear offering, Earls also values its distinct individualism – a recent collaboration with Asics on its GT-2160 saw Brown blend his Māori heritage with a contemporary sneaker silhouette.
Esquire’s picks:
Earl’s Collection fluffy waffle knit
Earl’s Collection drill tee
House of Darwin
Based in the Northern Territory, House of Darwin is first and foremost a social enterprise. Sprinkled with bits of self-aware humour, its graphic t-shirts feature classic Australiana motifs in electric palettes, with a portion of its profits going towards social programs to promote health and community in remote Indigenous communities around the Northern Territory. Recent collaborations with other zeitgeisty Australian brands like Double Rainbouu and Jungles Jungles have been some of the coolest – and most impactful – to drop in recent memory.
Esquire’s picks:
House of Darwin Landcruisin’ T-shirt
House of Darwin bucket hat
Perks and Mini
Established in 2000 in Melbourne by partners in work and life Misha Hollenbach and Shauna Toohey, Perks and Mini – or P.A.M. – has gained traction for its loud, graphic designs and unique prints. Rejecting the title of a fashion brand, instead, P.A.M. prefers to think of itself as a multi-dimensional entity, embracing a myriad of projects – from hosting DJ gigs to collaborating on cycling apparel – and constantly evolving in different directions as a result. It’s been around for 24 years, so clearly, Hollenbach and Toohey are doing something right.
Esquire’s picks:
P.A.M. Transgression Parka Jacket
P.A.M. Stargate Jersey
HoMie
Half social enterprise, half streetwear brand, HoMie is all about changing the lives of young people through clothes. How? Melbourne-based co-founders Marcus Crook and Nick Pearce provide clothes, employment opportunities in the HoMie store and education to aid young people in getting off the streets. HoMie’s range reflects its co-founders’ interests in art, music, and sport, while always fusing them with a streetwear dimension. In an interview with Esquire, Crooks’ recommendation: the HoMie hoodie – “they are comfy as.”
Esquire’s picks:
HoMie Creative Arts Hoodie
HoMie Snap Pant
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