The 21st-century fashion industry has found some of its gurus obsessing over the style of skaters, all thanks to the influence of skateboarding’s champions and the magazine that glorified them and the sport, the Thrasher Magazine.
First published in 1981, it has undeniably paved the way to the sport’s infusion to modern culture and fashion. As skateboarding gained increasing popularity around the world, pro skaters supplemented their careers by partnering with boutique brands that had an international appeal.
The appearance of celebrities wearing Thrasher clothing, like Justin Bieber and Rihanna, fueled the fashion trend further. The use of these apparel and anything that closely resembled them has even become a social mainstream.
It’s no wonder that a lot of copyright infringement allegations now trouble that part of the fashion industry. Still, that did not stop the “Thrasher” look from being brazenly copied and distributed, always trying to rival the original merchandise.
In turn, fashion played a significant role in shaping what skateboarding is today. It helped eliminate the criminal stereotype of skateboarders and replaced it with a glamorous catalyst for the sport to be more accepted by mainstream culture.
Influence of Skateboarding to Mainstream Fashion
Millennials have also caught on the wave of Thrasher clothing, but most are not even aware of it. The fashion industry did a rather excellent job of making all skater attitudes, expressions, mannerisms, and styles vogue. It did not take long before models began strutting the catwalks and posing on beaches, holding on to a skateboard.
Red Bull is one of the corporate giants who have taken skateboarding to a whole new level. The supremacy of the brand has undoubtedly affected the sport and its related industries. It greatly valued and promoted the sport’s free-wheeling spirit, which gained a lot of traction among other extreme-sport enthusiasts.
It comes as no surprise that Thrasher clothing is now even worn by bikers, rappers, rock stars, and motivational speakers.
Skaters in the 2020 Olympics
The skating culture of America pretty much built the foundation of what is making champion skaters around the world as superstars. Multiple brands are now revolving around and investing in them to make them global sports icons.
However, it was not always smooth sailing. Skateboarding got shortlisted in 2015, but by 2016, the International Olympic Committee proclaimed that they would support the proposal when it gained public awareness. Recently, the IOC executive board has pushed through the Paris proposal to include skateboarding in the 2020 Olympics.
Finally, in the 2020 Olympics that will be held in Tokyo, skateboarding will make its first appearance and legitimize its standing as part of the greatest sporting event in the world.
A ring is currently being built in the Tokyo Bay Area that will serve as the venue for both skateboarding and BMX events. Competitors will face challenges in two categories: the Park and Street events.
Thrashers will finally make their way to the first historic appearance of skateboarding in the history of the Olympics. The long years of striving hard for that right has finally paid off, thanks in part to the contributions of the fashion industry and the sport’s beloved magazine.
Now, it’s no longer about individuals who are training hard in preparation for skateboarding competitions. We are now talking about countries doing their part in laying down the groundwork for the first-ever Olympics gold medal in skateboarding.
