We’ve got Italian roots, but Los Angeles is our home and we’re celebrating hometown LA fashion talent
Somewhere along the way, Los Angeles became the second fashion capital of the US (after New York), and continues to prove itself as a city with powerful influence over the global style conversation. The region’s importance in entertainment, pop culture, and the healthy local garment manufacturing industry may be factors, but the city is also diverse and full of energy, its natural surroundings epically beautiful and rugged; combined, they’re perfect fodder for the creative design process.
Several big names have sprung forth from Southern California upbringings, including Rick Owens and James Perse, who are at opposite ends of the aesthetic spectrum but have both come to define versions of “LA cool” aesthetic.
Between Rick Owens’ high-end grunge and James Perse’s casual loungewear is stylish streetwear. It’s by far the most prominent style in LA, having influenced and enabled the growth of many LA-based designers and brands. Here’s a rundown of some of our favorite LA fashion streetwear brands, which celebrities have been sighted in their wares, and our picks from each line…
RHUDE
Our RHUDE Mens picks: the color-block track jacket and matching pants set, and Honda Motorcycles-style hoodie.
RHUDE is designer Rhuigi Villaseñor’s love letter to Los Angeles, his adopted city after immigrating from the Philippines at age 11. With his collections, he addresses cultural issues while reminiscing about his long-standing love with LA style and subcultures. His knowledge of fashion comes from an upbringing with his mother, who was a tailor.
As seen on: Bella Hadid, The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, and Kevin Durant.
AMIRI
Our AMIRI Mens picks: the Cards shirt, the Too Much Too Soon t-shirt, black ripped denim jeans.
Our AMIRI Womens picks: the pink crossbody bag, skeleton sneakers, and tie-dye cashmere cardigan.
Mike Amiri launched his label in Los Angeles in 2014, after designing a capsule collection for renowned LA retailer Maxfield and a previous career creating on-stage looks for musicians like Axl Rose and Steven Tyler. As a result, both the men’s and women’s collections are quintessentially “LA rocker.”
AMIRI menswear includes biker jackets, vintage tees, and checkered shirts while womenswear is slip dresses, distressed denim, and leather skirts. The line is distinguishable by recurring motifs like the bandana, tie-dye treatments, and skeletons that appear across the categories.
As seen on: Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Tyga, and Justin Beiber.
Fear of God
Our Mens picks: laced skate-style sneakers, the cream sweatshirt, and army green French Terry Joggers.
Founded in 2012, Fear of God draws inspiration from LA’s ‘90s streetwear and big city grunge tendencies to rethink and redesign classic menswear shapes. The brand is known for oversized sweatshirts, deconstructed details, and finely detailed basics made from high-quality fabrics like Japanese nylon and twill, Italian suede, and repurposed canvas.
The latest collection, the brand’s Sixth, was inspired by the workwear uniforms of blue-collar workers in the American Rust Belt and Western Ranch. The looks neatly mix function, nostalgia, and “honest aesthetics.”
As seen on: Justin Beiber, Michael B. Jordan, Queen Latifah, and Gigi Hadid.
Greg Lauren
Our Mens picks: the 50/50 cardigan, the mixed-stripes shirt, and the plaid-denim 50/50 shirt.
The namesake label by American designer Greg Lauren was founded in 2011 and showcases the actor-artist-turned-designer’s eye for layering, deconstruction, and re-imagination of familiar shapes. His design mash-ups result in garments that are fresh and entirely unique, with references from Native American and Japanese cultures, both of which are sartorially rich.
Nephew to Ralph Lauren, the designer has spent much of his life learning to perfect his process, delivering a precise creative vision which feels a lot like the next chapter of LA fashion.
Read more about Greg Lauren and check out his latest collaboration with heritage Italian nautical brand Paul&Shark.
As seen on: Miguel, Kendrick Lamar.
To us, LA fashion is hometown fashion, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that Los Angeles designers are becoming globally relevant.
Discover more menswear trends with Pitti Uomo streetwear style or check out Insider Picks from italist Staff Alex, Hana, Matthew, and Keeley.
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About the Author
Alex English is the Head of Content Marketing at italist.com, building on a lifelong passion for fashion and luxury. After publishing a lifestyle blog for nearly ten years and obtaining an MBA in Milan at SDA Bocconi, one of Europe’s top business schools, he joined the italist team in 2019. His work since then has focused on upper-funnel messaging, brand storytelling, establishing italist as a thought leader in the space, and enriching the customer experience on the platform. Find him on LinkedIn.