April 5, 2019 |
Thanks to nonprofit organisations like Skate Like a Girl and Crystal Moselle’s breakthrough film Skate Kitchen (2018) skate culture doesn’t feel like much of a boys club anymore. The liberation that comes from skating, as well as the accompanying street style have appealed to girls for years. With brands like X-Girl they were able to find clothes that matched their taste without compromise. Launched in 1994 by Daisy von Furth and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, the brand served baby tees and hip slung jeans for the multidisciplinary women who ran the 1990s with style and a certain je ne sais quoi.
Imagined as a sister-brand to Los-Angeles streetwear pioneer X-Large, it drew inspiration equally from music and art, reflecting Gordon’s own fine arts background and career as a musician. X-Girl quickly caught steam and received stamps of approval from Sofia Coppola, Spike Jonze, and 90s it-girl Chloë Sevigny, who later walked in the brand’s first ever fashion show in 1994 in Soho, New York.
What made this hip girl go-to stand apart in the market was the brand’s ethos of creating real clothes for real girls. It provided gear for young women interested in streetwear culture who were also pushing for visibility in a scene heavily dominated by men. X-Girl was cute, it was grungy, a spectrum made accessible to the equally multi-faceted girls drawn to the brand.
Keeping up its heavy graphic design approach and referencing military utilitarianism and the outdoors, the brand continues to tap into the needs of this generation. With that, there’s an athleticism ingrained into the clothes, with garments designed to function both in the classroom and on the ramp. As temperatures begin to warm up, we have our eyes peeled for clothes that not only look good on but allow us to move with ease without missing a beat.
Steadily collaborating with fresh movers and shakers, X-Girl recently debuted a line designed in partnership with photographer Shaniqwa Jarvis who has previously shot for Nike Sportswear and Stussy. The pieces available include a sweatshirt featuring one of Jarvis’ most-notable portraits of a young black girl adorably striking a pose for the camera in bright shades and adult-sized pumps too big for her tiny feet. Jarvis shared on the site that her excitement to work with the brand stemmed from its history of being by and for the strong women of today.
This week, X-Girl released their latest campaign featuring NYC-based DJ Amrit to promote the arrival of its Spring/Summer 2019 collection. Shot by Beyoncé and Jay Z’s official tour photographer Ravie B, the images feature Amrit styled in a violet, faux-leather jacket and matching mini-skirt in snake skin print as she steps out of the metro. She’s also shown gazing nonchalantly at her decked out reflection in a bathroom mirror, clad in a black and gold tracksuit topped with metallic hearts. The series was captured around New York, bringing the urban jungle atmosphere into the mix.
X-Girl has got a formula that is hard to replicate. It draws on a 1990s style which is still in full force. It also stays true to its roots of uplifting women making moves. What X-Girl has proven in this process is that it’s more than a trend – it’s a lifestyle.
The X-Girl SS19 collection is available to shop online now.
