The Influence of Streetwear on TV Character Costumes: In the ever-evolving world of fashion and entertainment, one powerful movement has redefined how characters dress on television—streetwear.

Originating from the skate parks of California and the hip-hop scenes of New York, streetwear was once an underground culture. Today, it’s not only dominating the global fashion industry but also becoming a central style language on television screens.

From gritty dramas to teenage rom-coms, streetwear has infiltrated costume design, changing the way characters are perceived and making a powerful statement about identity, rebellion, and authenticity.

What is Streetwear?

Before diving into its impact, let’s briefly understand what streetwear truly is. Streetwear is a casual fashion style that typically includes graphic tees, oversized silhouettes, hoodies, sneakers, and sportswear-inspired looks. It’s rooted in subcultures—skateboarding, hip-hop, punk—and thrives on individuality, comfort, and cultural messaging. Unlike luxury fashion, streetwear is about expression over elegance, comfort over conformity.

Over time, streetwear has become a billion-dollar industry, with major luxury brands and celebrities adopting and promoting it. This blend of high fashion and street culture has spilled over into TV costume departments, where style is a silent yet impactful storytelling tool.

How TV Uses Fashion as a Narrative Tool

Costume designers don’t just throw clothes on characters—they use clothing to communicate class, culture, rebellion, transformation, and power dynamics. As streetwear becomes more mainstream, TV shows use it to convey personality traits like confidence, rebellion, modernity, and urban cool.

A hoodie or a pair of Jordans can say more about a character’s mindset than dialogue ever could. Streetwear, due to its cultural weight and visual boldness, becomes a shortcut to defining a character’s essence.

Why Streetwear Works So Well for Modern TV Characters

1. Relatability: Audiences, especially Gen Z and millennials, connect more deeply with characters who reflect their real-world fashion choices. Streetwear feels authentic—it’s what people wear to college, parties, protests, and even job interviews.
2. Individualism: Streetwear thrives on personalization—mixing logos, sneakers, vintage jackets, custom-made accessories. It helps characters stand out and feel like real people, not stylized dolls.
3. Rebellion and Edge: Streetwear’s roots are in anti-establishment subcultures. Dressing a character in streetwear can instantly add an edge or signal resistance, something widely used in teen dramas and crime thrillers.
4. Social Media Influence: With Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest shaping style culture, costume designers now create outfits with viral potential. Streetwear looks on shows often get replicated, discussed, and turned into memes or fashion inspo reels online.

Examples of Streetwear in Indian and Global TV

1. Euphoria (HBO)

Perhaps no show in recent memory has influenced teen fashion more than Euphoria. Characters like Rue (played by Zendaya) wear baggy hoodies, oversized shirts, Converse shoes, and vintage sportswear—all classic streetwear. Her style reflects her emotional detachment and rough life journey, while Jules’s bold layering and unique combinations scream experimental fashion with street influences.

2. Delhi Crime (India)

Though not entirely streetwear, younger characters, especially college students and suspects, are often seen in hoodies, track pants, and logo tees—subtle nods to urban youth fashion. This adds realism and grounds the narrative in contemporary India.

3. Masaba Masaba

In this semi-biographical show, while Masaba Gupta’s character dons more luxury street fashion, her styling merges Indian roots with western streetwear—crop tops with saris, oversized jackets with sneakers. It’s aspirational yet grounded.

4. Class (Netflix India)

An Indian adaptation of Elite, Class features rich and poor students dressing in very different styles. The economically underprivileged characters often wear raw, unbranded, distressed clothing—true to streetwear origins—while the elite adopt high-fashion street styles, complete with Air Jordans and Off-White belts. This contrast creates a sharp visual divide that reflects class struggle.

The Rise of Genderless Styling in Streetwear

Another critical aspect of streetwear’s influence on TV is its genderless appeal. Oversized fits, cargo pants, bucket hats, and sneakers blur gender lines, allowing male and female characters alike to adopt similar pieces in unique ways.

This is increasingly visible in teen and young-adult dramas where characters reject traditional gender norms. It’s not uncommon to see girls in oversized flannel shirts or guys in pastel-toned hoodies—echoing real-world shifts in fashion preferences.

Fans Want What They See

Costumes have always influenced trends, but streetwear has a faster and more direct translation to sales. When a character wears a trendy jacket or rare sneaker, fans rush to identify and buy the piece (or a dupe). Fashion blogs, Instagram accounts, and YouTube breakdowns focus on “Get the Look” content. In turn, costume designers now intentionally collaborate with streetwear brands or vintage labels to feature buzz-worthy looks.

This feedback loop of show → style → social media → shopping is incredibly powerful, especially among younger audiences.

Challenges in Costume Design with Streetwear

1. Authenticity vs. Sponsorships: Designers must strike a balance between staying authentic to the character and integrating sponsored or high-end pieces.
2. Cultural Appropriation: Streetwear borrows from various cultures (e.g., Black culture, Asian street style), and misrepresentation or tokenism can backfire.
3. Trends Change Fast: Unlike period dramas where costumes are fixed, streetwear is ever-evolving. What’s “cool” one year might feel outdated in six months, making it risky for pre-filmed content.

Streetwear is more than a fashion trend—it’s a cultural force that reflects individuality, resistance, and identity. Its emergence in TV character costumes marks a shift in how shows connect with audiences, especially younger generations who crave authenticity and personality in everything, including clothes.

As long as television continues to be a mirror of society and streetwear continues to evolve, this relationship will only grow stronger. Whether it’s a hoodie worn during a breakup scene or a pair of fresh kicks marking a character’s rise in status, these choices speak volumes—and audiences are listening, watching, and even wearing the message.