Women Rule The World (and the Streetwear Scene) [@leng1s0nly]

With recent collobarations between streetwear labels and sportswear giants, conversations were ignited about whether women in the industry would be granted these same opportunities. From influencers to designers, there are many women making waves in the streetwear industry – but are they receiving the same recognition that men do?

We caught up with Venus, owner of the women focused Corteiz fan page @leng1s0nly, to hear her thoughts about women in streetwear, her favourite brands and the future of the industry.

Q: What inspired you to start your page?

V: I’ve been keeping up with Corteiz since early 2019. I found the brand on social media through women who are friends of the brand, such as Jorja Smith and Eva Apio. 

As the brand grew, leaks / ‘fan pages’ started to pop up, and they rarely featured women. However, if they did feature women it would only be influencers or celebs whereas men of all backgrounds would be featured on these pages regularly. 

Because of this, I decided to start a page where women that like Corteiz and are passionate about streetwear can connect. On my page, influencers are on the same level as everyone else in terms of the content posted.

Q: What are your plans for @leng1s0nly in 2023?

V: I’m not sure what I want to do with the page long-term. It’s been a year now and I’ve had fun being consistent with the page but I would love to do something with it offline. I think an event would be really cool but the logistics are a bit sticky. 

Q: Do you know of any women-owned streetwear brands? 

V: I know and love many women-owned brands and I’m currently working on a project to highlight this further!

Here are some of my favourites: @melodyehsanishop, @sharkkini, @gdsbrand & @thisuniform.

Q: I know you have your own brand. How are things going with that?

V: Starting a brand has been a rollercoaster but I’m glad I started it and I’m going to keep going and make things that I want to wear first and foremost.

Q: Do you have any advice for women who want to start their own brand? 

V: I saw a quote whilst walking the other day that said ‘trust yourself blindly’ and that would be it. No more thinking about how other people may react/perceive you, just start and keep going. From my own personal experience I can say that things line up if you show up consistently.

Q: How do you feel your identity as a woman has affected your fashion?

V: My view of my identity as a woman is ever-changing. I’ve had many phases with fashion; from a Yeezy season 2/3 style era when I was 16 to my current predominantly masculine look. Regardless of the era, I wear anything that makes me feel comfortable, which is typically menswear/loungewear.

Q: Who are your favourite streetwear influencers?

V: The twins @huntergyal and @cashmeregyal never miss with a fit! 

Q: We’re seeing streetwear brands are doing big things at the moment – Corteiz collabing with Nike, Jehucal and Gramm working with the Emirates. Do you think this is something women in the industry could achieve? 

V: Women are doing big things and will continue to collaborate with major players in streetwear. For example, Veneda Carter collaborated with Timberland last year, I have a pair of boots from the collection and Iove them! 

I know there’s a difference in what women and men do achieve but I don’t think it needs to have a negative connotation necessarily. Women don’t need to get exactly what men are getting to show they can do things.

However, I do think I think it is important for women to genuinely support each other’s brands, by buying from them! Go hard for girls. We should also, and by we I mean everybody, reevaluate the way we think about women-owned brands. Like as soon as you see the founder is a woman, do you assume the brand can’t be ‘hard’ or ‘sick’? If we start talking about brands the same way regardless of the gender of the person behind them, the same deals and recognition should follow.

Q: What do you think about the streetwear scene right now? Are there any changes you would like to see? 

V: I feel like I’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg. I am very excited about what the future holds for me, and the industry at large. As for changes, I would like to see new brands and new faces in projects and campaigns.

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts about women in streetwear on Instagram or Twitter. You can also read about some other women-owned brands we love here.