Trends are Dead, Long Live Style

Make personal style great again

In a global culture that’s never been more connected, we have witnessed the acceleration and obsolescence of various “cores”—hyperspecific fashion codes that have fallen off as fast as they have risen.

In trying to be unique, we have stretched and flattened ourselves into a fine amorphous paste; no one can tell where one style ends and the other begins. Recent signifiers like “old money” and “opium-inspired” outfits are geared to be a part of an aesthetic whole, rendered in short form video content posted on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Without any cultural signifiers beyond the sheen of looking “cool,” these ways of dressing reinforce their desirability without adding anything to the foundations that formed them.

But this dampening outlook on where we are hinders us from looking at the wider picture. With aesthetics primed for virality losing its edge, we are free to seek out what appeals to us organically. In short, we’re ready to find out our true personal style.

From URL to IRL

Case in point: Citayam Fashion Week, an impromptu street fashion event on a street crossing, has garnered headlines globally in the past few years. Indonesian youth take turns flaunting their eclectic mix of styles: skirts and neckties, wide airy silhouettes, and a climate-friendly take on layering. Not one look is the same, and there is an unabashed, almost rebellious nature in expressing their fashion sense.

The same phenomenon can be seen around the Philippines where roving groups of teenagers scour the streets flaunting their bold looks. Crudely described as “geng geng fashion,” some outlets have pointed out its similarity to previous youth fashion trends such as “hype beast” fashion in the late 2010s and “jejemon” culture a decade before that.

In contrast to internet-driven subcultures, both movements encapsulate the free-wheeling remixing culture found in youth today, as well as a growing disposition towards living IRL as opposed to living chronically online. This drive to be in tune with reality also drives nostalgia towards pre-internet culture.

More is more is more

We’re experiencing a chaotic, maximalist era of personalization that goes against the sharp curation of past years’ trends, and with it, a longing for a softer relationship with technology —one that doesn’t put our fixations on hyperdrive.

Malaysian recording artist Shelhiel has been a steady figurehead in the regional and global electro pop scene, with notable performances in festivals like Clockenflap. He and many people like him have steered Y2K nostalgia into maximalist territory—over-accessorizing bright vibrant layers and wide silhouettes into bright, attention-drawing flair.

It’s in this specific fusion of styles that Shelhiel and his cohorts offer a glimpse into the future. Southeast Asian brands have continued to draw inspiration from these wide references to grow a large customer base while staying niche. ACCOX ACX from Vietnam and .ARCHIVES from the Philippines have been based on their previous collections from these concepts.

Dapper’s getting better

Meanwhile, a growing number of men around the world are finding a deep appreciation for vintage wear, particularly military, workwear, Ivy League prep, and Amekaji clothing.

While classic menswear is experiencing a renaissance in Asia (suit walks, where communities of menswear enthusiasts take to the streets and hang out in formal wear, are popular events in Taiwan and Japan), communities in Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines are also taking shape while encompassing a wider thread. A love for selvedge denim, vintage motorcycles, and analog cameras all come together under one roof.

In Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, bespoke tailors are growing thanks to a robust textile economy, many of whom draw inspiration globally. This year’s recently concluded Pitti Uomo noted a growing number of buyers from Southeast Asia.

Other markets in Southeast Asia are augmented by a thrifting culture and a general lack of skepticism toward vintage compared to other markets in Asia. Amekaji Philippines, a community of menswear enthusiasts, has homegrown menswear brands sit beside curated thrifted garments in their bi-monthly community events.

And while tied to the past, some brands such as Fortune WWD also offer a glimpse into the future. The young Manila-based fashion label ties references from military and utilitarian styles to create garments that are both experimenting with traditional menswear silhouettes. Hidden openings, reversible looks, and modular garments form an inherently unique look.

Since its inception, the brand continuously embedded itself within several youth cultures: its past collection launches involved day-long sets from notable Manila and international DJs, while most recently it held a months-long pop-up in Philippine menswear retailer Signet. In the past year, Fortune has also launched its collections in Japan, including a pop-up in Japanese retailer United Arrows & Sons in Harajuku.

Street cred

While streetwear has branched out of its simple surf and skate roots and into the luxury adjacent, the humble cotton graphic tee remains an accessible yet meaningful signifier of an affinity towards a specific interest or community. Brands in Southeast Asia have renewed interest in focusing on a certain niche as an anchor to build their community in.

For years, Thailand-based Spanish brand 24Kilates has had their own rallying and motocross teams donning their logos in their uniforms.

Don’t Blame The Kids in the Philippines remains one of the more popular local streetwear brands in the country, and yet has refined its customer base by branching out into car culture through co-branded car meets paired with automotive-inspired graphic tees.

Running and streetwear have also come together in many forms, more recently in its most basic and accessible. Run In Cotton, an initiative by USS Running, Pelari Industri, and Zodiac Jakarta, bridges the gap between sport and streetwear by having the cotton tee as their uniform. The movement has grown to 13 cities and counting.

Style is more than just a vibe

While internet subcultures focus on style above everything else, subcultures that operate just beyond dressing up for the occasion have always been thriving and growing at their own pace outside the algorithm. No, this is not just another “vibe” to attach ourselves to, but a wide range of authentic subcultures that have cultivated their own communities over the years.

The answers, history tells us time and time again, can be found not in the early adopters but in those that adhere to the codes of their niche subculture more than the gravitational pull of a trend cycle. While the way they dress is perceived differently over time, the clothes they wear signify something true to them.

While trends are inescapable like shackles that bind us to the times we live in, as the cultural internet newsletter Blackbird Spyplane puts it, “some shackles drip harder than others.” This year is a time to lock ourselves in.

Photography Albert Lawrence Maglines and Art Aeshua De Leon