FAshion loves nothing more than building publicity around coveted, scarce and expensive designs, like waiting-listed “it” bags and six-figure sneakers. But the items that are ready to bring compliments to what you wear this summer are…socks.
The average sock drawer is usually a fashion free zone, but this humble accessory is now becoming a way to add flair to an outfit, so much so that certain socks are selling for much more than their retail value on resale sites.
StockX, the resale site known for streetwear, reports that Hidden NY socks are particularly sought after. Bought new for $14 (£11), they sell for up to £166 on the site. Other popular brands include Bape, Fear of God, and Chrome Hearts. A pack of three socks from the latter brand, featuring a lip motif, is on sale on the site for £200. By contrast, a pack of three at Marks & Spencer costs £15.
Socks have grown as a style statement over the last five years, especially when worn with slippers or sandals. Celebrities like David Beckham, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Tyler the Creator, and Justin Bieber have all endorsed this look, and it’s been seen on the runway for brands like Dior Men and Ahluwalia.
Bella Hadid wearing a sock in New York. Photograph: Gotham/GC Images
Gary Armstrong, fashion director for Circle Zero Eight, is frequently photographed at fashion shows in outfits that include flashy socks. He says they’re “a perennial style staple, and updating your sock wardrobe for 2022 is an absolute must.”
Socks and sandals are now so commonplace that government photos of Rishi Sunak preparing the 2021 budget showed the chancellor wearing a pair of Palm Angels sandals and white socks.
Even Sunak wearing the look hasn’t deterred the rise of socks as a statement item, but celebrities like Bieber, Williams and Bella Hadid have subtly changed the way they wear them. Instead of sliders, they’ve been wearing shorts with sneakers and calf-high socks.
Jesse Einhorn, senior economist at StockX, says the socks are popular with consumers because they’re a smart way to shop for a brand when larger items (T-shirts or hoodies) are too expensive: “More than 10,000 packs have been sold.” of Supreme x Hanes socks. on StockX for the last two years, and the average resale price is just over $30 (£23.80)… For budget-conscious shoppers looking to own a Supreme logo garment, these socks are an attractive option.
Sock sales increased 70% year over year at Matchesfashion.com. If earlier there was a focus on socks as a practical accessory, now they have been considered more. “Wearing luxury socks with leather shoes has definitely been a priority,” says Damien Paul, head of menswear. “However, we have seen that our customer is also looking for socks as a statement, using a statement sock as a subtle nod to logos.”
Einhorn also credits the rise of coach culture. “With so many people obsessed with what they wear on their feet, it feels like a natural fit for socks to be a flexible new style,” he says. “They’re the perfect way to up your sneaker game.”
Source: www.theguardian.com