How to get the skater style fashion look in Hong Kong: from Louis Vuitton and Dior’s luxury takes on the skate sneaker, to classic Vans and Converse, faded Off-White jumpers and Bape denim jackets
- Celebrities from Louise Wong to Yatho Wong have been spotted in oversized skater looks recently; as skateboarding becomes more mainstream in the city, so has its aesthetic
- Luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Dior have jumped on the skatercore bandwagon, but OG streetwear brands Vans, Converse and Stüssy remain authentic staples for those in the know
Do you need to have perfected an ollie or an alley-oop on the half-pipe to truly pull off skater style? Absolutely not. In fact, the supremely comfortable nature of skate clothes means they’re easy for anyone to pull off on a day-to-day basis, and the look can be put together from a handful of basics sourced from both high-end luxury labels and local favourites.
Read on for celebrity style inspiration and the key pieces you need to create that effortless, skateboarder style.
Hong Kong’s skateboarding scene
Skateboarding is steadily becoming a mainstream sport in the city, catalysed by the opening of new skate parks (H.A.N.D.S Roller Sports Ground on the roof of a Tuen Mun mall) and the newly refurbished government parks (Lai Chi Kok Skate Park) over the last few years.
It’s not surprising that as the sport’s popularity has grown, so has its creative side, with local brands such as Victoria, Gahyau Clothing and 8Five2 now a staple in the skateboarding community.
Add to that the fact that luxury brands are coming up with their own skate-style-inspired lines, and there’s an endless array of pieces available for getting the look.
The basics aren’t a million miles from those incorporated in modern streetwear looks, but to pull off true skater style – better known as “skatecore” – can mean throwing in a vintage touch with collared shirts and sweater vests, or by layering oversized graphic T-shirts with outerwear like denim jackets.
How to get the skater-style look
So what exactly do you need to embody skatecore? The relaxed nature of the skater aesthetic comes from baggy, oversized tops and bottoms. While this is mostly for practical reasons – the looser the fit, the more mobility you have – it’s undeniably comfy too.