Streetwear grading session:Downsideup Clothing!!!

Yes, the Streetwear Grading System (SGS) is back. Don't be fooled by cheap imitations and inherently flawed critiques, there is only one official SGS.

Previously we've only covered Nike apparel, though rehashing their many misguided attempts at streetwear is fun in a car wreck-y sort of way, we've opted to give the local multinational a rest for now.

With a huge gaping hole (that's pretty much how I think of streetwear, anyway) needing to be filled (streetwear again, natch) I used the divining rod known as my eyes to find the next streetwear brand. Enter Downsideup Clothing.
























Downsideup, or Downs as I like to call them, aims to position themselves as direct competition to BBC and Bape. Boasting eight accounts, they know to keep their stuff limited. Of course, all the accounts are in New York, which will surely saturate the market since there is little to no demand for it, but ya know...Oh, I FORGOT THE TEES COST 100 DOLLARS A PIECE, CUZ THEY HAVE TO COMPETE WITH BBC.

'Stick up'























Two things come to mind when I see this: It's tough to retail tees at 100 dollars and it's really tough if Pharrel's not backing you in someway. Oh, and it's reeeeeeeally tough when you can't even make a sellable streetwear tee. I mean guys, fuck.

Lack of creativity: 7
Gaudiness: 8
Cost effectiveness: 8
Reappropriation: 7
Overall streetwear scale grade: 7.5/10

'Damn Biters'























Ok, so this is where the SGS gets a little tricky. Damn biters only clocks in at a 7.25, but really it's far, far more streetwear then that. You see, it has what's called streetwear intangibles. It's kinda like Matt Harpring. Don't get me wrong it lacks a TON of creativity and it re-apped (thats what we in the biz call it...) well, but it's true value lay in this: It's a shirt that damns biters while simultaneously biting. It's a genius of a mind-fuck if you ask me.

Lack of creativity: 7
Gaudiness: 6
Cost effectiveness: 6 (puff ink?, really)
Reappropriation: 8
Overall streetwear scale grade: 6.75/10

'Blow'























Ok, full disclosure I don't like this tee. The tee says "blow" and nowhere on it does it mention cocaine. As a NY streetwear brand you MUST reference drugs whenever possible and if there aren't drugs on your shirt your best bet is to wonder why there aren't any. Bubbles? No bubbles -- cocaine.

Lack of creativity: 8
Gaudiness: 8
Cost effectiveness: 8
Reappropriation: 7
Overall streetwear scale grade: 7.75/10

--Ira