Brand Feature: the Atlanta Streetwear Market
A Q&A with Chris Peeples about Atlanta culture, the enduring nature of streetwear, and building a clothing business during the pandemic.
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Customizing your fragrance
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Yโall should test out their sample pack. It costs $20, but comes with a $20 off coupon on the back of the card when you receive it, so itโs basically free.
Today we dive into the world of streetwear. Pumped for yโall to meet my friend, Chris Peeples. Heโs a designer, visionary, angel investor, a believer in Atlanta, and founder of two streetwear brands, Full Clip Global and Atlanta Streetwear Market.
Iโve known Chris for almost two years, and one of the things I admire most about him is that heโs a builder. Heโs laser-focused on his goals and forward-motion. Chris was kind enough to chop it up with me about life, business, and what heโs been up to in Atlanta.
Letโs dive in!
Letโs talk about the origins of ASWM. Where did the idea come from?
Iโve always struggledย to find places where I could sell my brand (Full Clip) to other people. In a retail environment that is sometimes driven by politics, there arenโt always great physical options for upstart brands like mine to connect with others. So, I had this idea one day that it could be cool to run a retail pop-up for brands to set up shop and sell in a โmarketโ style.
With the help of my friends, we pulled it off! The first one featured 12 local brands, and from there, we knew we had something. I wanted to give it a name that had a strong cultural appeal, and Atlanta made the most sense. Atlanta is the center of culture, from arts and entertainment to music, fashion, and entrepreneurship. So, in 2017, the Atlanta Streetwear Market was born.
ASWM feels like this melting potย of sub-cultures. Has it always been that way?
Back to my comment about ATL as a cultural hub, the streetwear market is a reflection of the city. ATL has always been a meltingย pot, and because everyone has a story here, we wanted to promote the cityโs diversity with the market, which was easy to do since it already existed.
What was it like for you navigating the last year while running a business built on in-person gatherings?
Last year was tough, but it gave me and my team the time we needed to strengthen our foundation and go to market in 2021. Over the last year, weโve gradually expanded and grateful to our community for supporting us.
Ultimately, the market is built on a strong community, where our pillars are unity, inclusion, and creativity. Anyone who joins the marketโwhether youโre a market-goer or a participantโunderstands those values, and ultimately this is what attractsย people to our platform.
No one is bigger than the overall mission of the ecosystem. Thatโs what makes it special.
Itโs family.
What are some of your favorite brands you've seen at the market?
Some of the brands I love from the market are General Public,ย Acme, andย Love Club.ย
Thereโs that Virgil Abloh quote: "streetwear is dead." Yet, the ASWM points to something very different about streetwear. Unpack what all that means for usโฆ
First and most important, streetwear in its authentic state has never died.
Streetwear as a mainstream โcash cowโ or a media darling has probably seen its flame fizzle. But, in my opinion, the fashion industry played their cards right and capitalizedย on commercializing the culture of streetwear. We've seen luxury fashion especially ride this trend. There's nothing wrong with that.
When Virgil said streetwearโs dead, maybe he was speaking about it from a trend perspective. But make no mistake, streetwear is alive and well. You just have to look at all the different subcultures and youโll see it never died.
Where is streetwear headed?
Streetwear is constantly evolving. Old styles and influences are reappearing in the form of new brands and products.
You canโt reinvent the wheel, but you can always remold it. Thatโs what makes streetwear special. Itโs synonymous with culture; itโs both by the people and for the people. Streetwear is about livingย by your own rules. The clothes reflect a personโs identity.
When I look at the next wave of streetwear creators and brands, I see a group thatโs incredibly talented. They have a unique voice. Weโll see loads of innovation, all because people are finding their voice and amplifying it. Using your influence to tell the world what youโre about will change the status quo.
Here are some details about the ASWM.
If youโre in ATL, register for it here. Tell Chris I sent you!
Follow ASWM on Instagram for announcementsย and updates.