On the two days she was in Chennai, Meenakshi Singh, co-founder, Capsul, a multi-brand streetwear platform, spent time heading out to the newest cafes in the city. “I want to be where the young people are at,” she said. 

Considering her brand is mostly driven by this demographic, it was only normal that she people-watched between sips of coffee. Did she have any profound observations? 

“The Indian Gen Z and the millennial have the same aspirations as their global counterparts. Everyone now understands the value of fashion in their life and is willing to spend more,” she said. 

There was proof in the pudding. Capsul was in Chennai for a two-day pop-up at Biskit in Adyar, which saw several people waltzing in to try out collections from both brands. While Biskit brought geometry and art as prints on clothing, Capsul showcased a range of shoes, clothes and sunglasses — some futuristic, some gentile yet sharp — as part of its collection over October 5 and 6. The studio in Chennai, run by siblings Shruti and Harsha Biswajit, played a steady dose of German house, Boiler Room-esque music. If interested, one could choose to try all the clothes from Biskit through its virtual store and trial room via Imersive.io, a platform that uses augmented reality. This was the second edition following the success of its first edition last year. 

The latest at Capsul. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

During this time, an immediacy became attached to understanding the streetwear trends both at home in Chennai and in the country. Is streetwear truly affordable luxury today? Who is buying this inclusive, non-demographic, gender-neutral style that blends hip-hop, skating, and the steadily growing graffiti scene?

Shruti, who has been catering to this market since they began in 2017, says that Chennai seeks an insatiable newness. “Every time something small and new happens, there is a massive buzz in the city. This has been the case especially since the pandemic. Everyone wants to get in on it but we are still yet to figure out our style,” she says. It is perhaps why the moment is perfect for a new wave of fashion to emerge, she says. 

Meenakshi adds, Chennai is still waking up to the larger streetwear culture but an active spike in the food space is an indicator of new fashion. “People want to wear the clothes they want to be seen in at these cafes and restaurants. Instagram is also having a towering influence over what is worn here. There are several cool independent studios in Chennai and an active 1,000 member-buying community that orders every time a collection drops,” she says. 

From Biskit’s collection. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Meenakshi says that they have found clients in different nooks of the country. Despite Mumbai and Delhi driving this streetwear conversation forward and Bengaluru and Hyderabad following quickly behind, orders from Ahmedabad, Indore, Raipur and Vijayawada are common. “Men form 75% of the streetwear customer base in the country. Now, it seems like they are willing to try on different things. They seem less fussy about clothes,” she says. 

Shruti adds that streetwear is a luxe space with a niche audience that is actively seeking coveted new collection drops from designers who rarely go public with their collections. It is why they are an affordable luxury. But as with all fashion, not all streetwear makes the cut. “One can’t just slap a graphic on a T-shirt and call it streetwear,” Shruti says.