Streetwear is full of loud voices. Bold graphics. Strong stances. But somehow, in the noise, one thing keeps getting left out — the women who helped shape the culture from the very beginning.
For decades, women have been right there in the scene, not just wearing it, but building it, styling it, shooting it, designing it, and pushing it forward. And yet, when people talk about the history of streetwear, the names that come up are mostly men.
This isn’t a rewrite. It’s a reminder: women have always been part of the streetwear story.
The Early Days: Uncredited, Underrated
In the 80s and 90s, as skateboarding, hip-hop and DIY zine culture laid the groundwork for streetwear, women were in it — behind the camera, in front of it, and in the design studios. They styled the looks, ran the shops, and organised the shoots. But the credit didn’t always follow.
Women like April Walker, founder of Walker Wear and one of the first Black female streetwear entrepreneurs, were instrumental in shaping urban fashion before “streetwear” was even a buzzword. Legends like Tupac and Biggie wore her pieces, but her name rarely comes up in mainstream lists.
The Women Who Built the Blueprint
Think of all the iconic hip-hop and skate looks of the ’90s. Behind many of them were stylists — often women — who took pieces from the underground and put them in front of the world. They mixed thrift with custom, skatewear with high fashion. That blend of rough and refined? It didn’t come from a boardroom.
Women stylists and editors were curating the look long before it was profitable. Vashtie Kola, for example, helped blend downtown NYC streetwear with art, music and sneaker culture, working with brands like Nike while directing videos and DJing.
Today’s Creators: Women Breaking Through the Noise
Today, there’s a wave of women who are not waiting to be included; they’re creating their lanes. Brands like MadeMe (founded by Erin Magee) speak directly to women in the scene, not just as consumers but as culture-makers. CLOT’s former creative director, Petrina Turner, and Martine Rose, whose menswear consistently redefines street and luxury boundaries, are leading by example.
On the grassroots level, collectives like GIRLS ARE AWESOME, GURLS TALK, and I.AM.GIA are platforming female and non-binary voices in fashion, music and visual art. Younger women are dominating streetwear’s new front line, with TikTok, Depop, Instagram, and beyond, setting trends that ripple across the industry.
The Industry Gap
Despite all this, the streetwear industry is still largely male-led, from founders to creative directors to marketing voices. Drops, skate crews, and sneaker collabs still often leave women out of the picture (literally and figuratively). But the culture is changing, and the demand for inclusion isn’t a side note anymore; it’s central.
Women aren’t asking to be let in. They’re reminding the scene that they’ve been here all along.
So What’s Next?
As streetwear grows up, it needs to grow wider. The future is more than one demographic. It’s more than hype, boys in box logos. It’s queer. It’s female. And it’s already here, designing, styling, documenting, directing, and changing the game.
We don’t need a seat at the table. We’ve already built the house. It’s time the history reflects that.
Read more about the history of streetwear on CURRENT ARCHIVE’S history menu tab.
