"Reframing Elevated Streetwear"
A Menswear Market Study for Spring/Summer 2025
This independent study explores how five global brands— Zara, Manière De Voir, Maison Kitsuné, AMI Paris, and Kenzo —reinterpret elevated streetwear across various price points. Through research on best-selling products, styling shifts, color palettes, and fabrication, this project analyzes key design directions influencing menswear for Spring/Summer 2025.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
As an apparel and creative designer, I created this menswear-focused research project to explore how elevated streetwear is interpreted across global brands—from high fashion to fast fashion.
I selected five brands I personally follow and admire: Zara, Manière De Voir, Maison Kitsuné, Ami Paris, and Kenzo. Each offers a distinct lens on elevated streetwear aesthetics.
This report analyzes their brand identities, best-selling menswear styles, fabrication strategies, and design direction for Spring/Summer 2025.
Through this project, I aim to showcase not only my design sensibility, but also my creative perspective and ability to identify trends, understand consumers, and decode brand DNA.
BRAND IDENTITY COMPARISON
Brand
Brand Type
Streetwear
Influence
Aesthetic Vibe
Price
Tier
Key Identity Traits
Fast
Fashion
Trend-reflective
Bold, Fast-moving, Accessible
$
Mass Appeal, Quick Trend Turnover
Emerging
Contemporary
Street-luxury Hybrid
Edgy, Structured, Logo-forward
$$
Statement Silhouettes, Branding Details
Premium Contemporary
Playful Casual Streetwear
Parisian-chic Meets Street Casual
$$$
Cultural Lifestyle Brand, Creative Youth Energy
Designer Contemporary
Tailored Streetwear
Relaxed Elegance, Minimal Styling
$$$$
French Ease, Clean,
Trend-aware Cuts
High Fashion
Designer
Deep
Streetwear
Roots
Graphic,
Cultural,
Layered
$$$$
Heritage Meets Street,
Global fusion
ZARA - Best Seller Highlights
Menswear SS25
Color Blocked
Text Tee
Textured Text
Sweatshirt
Relaxed Fit
Seersucker Shirt
Washed Leather
Jacket
Flare Fit
Jeans
Key Silhouettes:
-
Relaxed-fit tees & shirts
-
Flared denim
-
Soft-structure layering pieces
Color Trends:
-
Dominant: Monochrome neutrals – black, white, off-white, gray
-
Secondary: Cool-tone blue (used in shirting and accents)
Design Details:
-
Color blocking
-
Text-based minimal graphics
-
Tactile textures
Creative Takeaway:
Zara’s SS25 menswear best sellers lean into relaxed cuts and understated edge. With a muted base palette and soft structure, the brand delivers a wearable take on elevated streetwear—infused with occasional hints of cool-tone blue and texture-driven design.
MANIÈRE DE VOIR - Best Seller Highlights
Menswear SS25
The Scream
T-Shirt
Boxy Twill Double
Breasted Shirt
Suede Jacket
With Revere Collar
Corduroy Trucker
Jacket
Relaxed Fit Twill
Pleated Tailored Trousers
Key Silhouettes:
-
Boxy structured shirts
-
Relaxed tailored trousers
-
Oversized graphic tees with back artwork
Color Trends:
-
Dominant: Cream, off-white
-
Secondary: Sage green, brown and beige
Design Details:
-
Tailored elements
-
(pleats, lapels)
-
Rich fabric textures
-
(twill, corduroy, poly suede)
-
Graphic tee features
-
fine art-inspired print
Creative Takeaway:
Manière De Voir blends artwork, structure, and texture to elevate streetwear. Earth tones like sage and brown add depth to their clean, refined aesthetic—balancing bold design with everyday wearability.
MAISON KITSUNÉ - Best Seller Highlights
Menswear SS25
Speedy Fox Print
Oversized Tee
Stripes LS Oversized
Logo Polo
Embroidered Logo
Relaxed Shirt
Color Blocked
Knitted College
Blouson
Belted Cargo
Bermuda
Key Silhouettes:
-
Oversized crew neck tees & polos
-
Relaxed cargo shorts
-
Loose-fit button-downs
Color Trends:
-
Earthy pastels: dark rose, sage green, cream
-
Muted tones with soft contrast (navy, pale blue, yellow stripe accents)
Design Details:
-
Fox branding appears
-
(graphic and embroidery)
-
Mix of materials adds interest
-
Youthful retro
-
references
Creative Takeaway:
Maison Kitsuné’s best sellers highlight a youthful and expressive take on elevated streetwear. With soft retro colors, playful branding, and relaxed silhouettes, the brand captures a carefree yet cultured style that resonates with a creative, fashion-aware generation.
AMI PARIS - Best Seller Highlights
Menswear SS25
AMI Logo Patch
T-Shirt
Botton-down
Cropped
Oversized Shirt
Cotton Overshirt
Blue Cotton
Zipped Jacket
Beige Checked
Bermuda
Key Silhouettes:
-
Oversized tees with bold logo
-
Cropped button-downs and overshirts
-
Relaxed-fit layering pieces
Color Trends:
-
Soft neutrals: cream, beige, light blue
-
Muted tones: olive green, faded denim and mustard yellow
-
Bold red as a logo accent
Design Details:
-
Ami de Coeur logo as a graphic focal point
-
Clean, minimalist cuts
-
Subtle patterns (checks, pinstripes) and tonal texture
Creative Takeaway:
AMI Paris blends Parisian minimalism with confident ease. Relaxed fits, premium fabrics, and subtle statement details—like the bold heart logo—create a refined streetwear mood that feels both effortless and expressive.
KENZO - Best Seller Highlights
Menswear SS25
KENZO BY VERDY
Collab Oversized Tee
Oversized Tee
with Printed Logo
Japanese Denim
Shirt with KENZO Weave Print
Embroidered
Japanese Denim Trucker Jacket
Baggy Japanese
Linen Denim
Key Silhouettes:
-
Oversized tees and workwear shirts
-
Embroidered denim truckers
-
Baggy, wide-leg trousers
Color Trends:
-
Core: Off-white, khaki green, mid-wash blue
-
Accent: Bright embroidery (orange, yellow, red, green)
Design Details:
-
Graphic-heavy pieces (collaborative arts)
-
Iconic motifs: flower, Kenzo weave pattern
-
Emphasis on East-meets-West storytelling
Creative Takeaway:
Maison Kitsuné’s best sellers highlight a youthful and expressive take on elevated streetwear. With soft retro colors, playful branding, and relaxed silhouettes, the brand captures a carefree yet cultured style that resonates with a creative, fashion-aware generation.
FABRICATION & PRICE POINT
COMPARISON
Brand
Common Fabrics Used
Price
(USD)
Notable Fabric
& Material Notes
Cotton blends, jersey, seersuckern
$40 - $90
Lightweight, fast-fashion textiles; trend-over-fabric quality
Twill, corduroy, poly-suede, cotton jersey
$95 - $165
Textured, structured, focus on appearance and silhouette
$115 - $325
Jersey, cotton poplin, rib knit, soft wool blends
Refined casual materials, tactile finishes, high logo detailing
Cotton jersey, wool blends, denim, cotton canvas
$250 - $650
Soft tailoring feel, clean premium finishes, breathable structure
Japanese denim, linen blends, embroidery, poplin
$250 - $650
Heritage fabrics with bold graphics, East-meets-West construction
BRAND CONCLUSIONS SUMMARY
Commercial take on elevated streetwear.
Follows trends with oversized cuts, muted tones, and utility elements.
Offers the aesthetic to a wide audience, but lacks originality in design language.
Entry-level elevated streetwear.
Balances bold branding, structure, and fabric texture at an affordable price range. It delivers a luxe look for fashion-forward consumers seeking affordability with edge.
Playful, cultural streetwear.
Fuses minimal tailoring with graphic charm and soft materials. Appeals to the youthful creative who values both identity and versatility in everyday wear.
Refined and understated.
Offers a quiet, confident take on elevated streetwear through relaxed silhouettes and premium fabrics. It bridges streetwear ease with Parisian sophistication.
High-fashion streetwear innovator.
Combines bold graphics, Japanese heritage, and expressive silhouettes. Under Nigo’s vision, it leads in global streetwear storytelling with cultural depth.
TREND FORECAST
The Future of Elevated Streetwear | Menswear Direction
Design Direction
-
Emphasis on graphic storytelling — expressive prints, art collabs, and visual identity pieces
-
Elevated wardrobe staples enhanced with unexpected details (hidden closures, contrast panels, subtle embroidery
-
Shift toward craftsmanship and surface texture — visible quality, tactile materials
Styling Direction
-
Fusion of tailoring and streetwear continues: oversized blazers with wide trousers, layered over relaxed basics
-
Rise of coordinated dressing (matching sets, tonal looks, structured soft suiting)
-
Influence of cultural references — from global heritage motifs and symbolic graphics to varsity nostalgia and vintage Americana
Silhouette Forecast
-
Dominance of wide-leg and pleated trousers
-
Cropped outerwear and workwear shirts as key layering pieces
-
Oversized tops with relaxed shoulders and extended hems
-
More structure in layering, softness in bottoms
Color Forecast
-
Core Neutrals: soft white, sand, charcoal, faded black and grey
-
Key Accents: sage green, dusty rose, rich brown, pale blue, deep olive
-
Graphic Pops (used sparingly): cobalt blue, varsity red, warm rust, lemon yellow
NOTE FROM DESIGNER
This project is more than just a trend report—it’s a reflection of how I view menswear, creativity, and the evolving spirit of elevated streetwear.
Through this research, I’ve explored how structure, storytelling, and styling shape the emotional connection between clothing and identity. I believe streetwear today is no longer just casualwear—it’s comfort with intention, design with attitude, and style with substance.
As a designer, I’m constantly inspired by how details, fabric, and silhouette can tell stories. This study helped me deepen my perspective—not only as a product creator, but also as a cultural observer and visual thinker.
As a next step, I plan to translate these insights into a self-directed capsule collection—a personal design response to what I see as the future of elevated menswear.
I hope this project showcases not only my design eye, but also my passion for research, strategy, and creative expression.