American Style Streetwear
In the USA, urban is directly associated with the rap and hip-hop music scene. Brands such as Akademiks, Rocawear and Ecko are known as urban labels which are best known for designing in tandem with the street culture in which their roots are established. Many of these designer names have been founded by rappers themselves, translating their image and lifestyle directly into their clothing ranges. Mostly these brands create premium ranges of clothing with higher prices so that rather than having universal appeal, they have become aspirational brands of clothing.
UK Urban Culture
The story in the UK and Europe seems to be a different one, blurring the real meaning of urban clothing. The musical influence of the style is still evident, with the early New York hip-hop of the eighties a strong pull. As UK culture has evolved so has the urban image. Brands over here that are referred to in urban culture are embedded into a style that now encompasses graf artists, surfers, skaters and skiers, with manufacturers such as G-Star, Addict and Bench perhaps defining the genre best in this country. Urban clothing shops tend to include fashion labels that aren't traditional high-end brands and instead are alternative streetwear brands.
Casual Street Fashion
With many trying to define what exactly makes up urban clothing, it's easy to see why traditional fashion experts have had difficulty nailing it down. A particular style of urban clothing very much depends on which side of the Atlantic it has originated from. However it does seem that the main principle for urban clothing is to create a style that has not been dictated by catwalks and fashion experts. Urban could best be defined then as a style which reflects the mood and the attitude of those that want to wear it; instead of conforming to the trends as imposed by the fashion houses, simply a reactionary clothing style that is a result of the current alternative youth culture itself.