From Hype To Durability. Streetwear’s Turn Toward Longevity - Samuel Onuha

"I learned more in six months of near bankruptcy than in six years of growth,” says Samuel Onuha, founder of icon Amsterdam.

Streetwear’s early success was built on hype: overnight queues, limited sneaker drops, and graphics designed to disappear after a single season. But a generational shift is underway. According to a 2023 ThredUp report, 65% of Gen Z consumers prefer buying fewer, higher-quality items, and 45% consider durability one of the top three factors in their fashion purchase decisions. For a generation deeply aware of climate anxiety, the thrill of disposable fashion is giving way to the discipline of long-term wear.

 At Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan

For Samuel Onuha, the 26-year-old founder of menswear label ICON AMSTERDAM, this shift isn’t abstract. “The real luxury isn’t excess anymore, it’s discipline,” he says. “Clothes that last, routines that last, and identities built on more than hype.” After scaling Icon Amsterdam with bold denim and aggressive drops, he noticed demand shifting toward versatile trousers, refined fits, and essentials designed to last seasons, not weeks.

The broader menswear industry is moving in the same direction. Fear of God and Aimé Leon Dore have built cultural cachet not through endless novelty, but through consistency and timeless design codes. Luxury houses like Loro Piana and Jil Sander are thriving by doubling down on minimalism and fabric integrity. Even mass players such as Uniqlo, with its LifeWear philosophy and partnerships like Uniqlo U, have captured global loyalty by positioning durability as aspirational.

This transition is not without pain. Brands built entirely on virality struggle to reset consumer expectations once hype fades. Supreme’s declining resale values and shifting retail strategy highlight the limitations of a scarcity-driven identity. At the same time, luxury conglomerates are carefully balancing “quiet luxury” with cultural relevance, as viral trends like #OldMoneyStyle dominate TikTok but risk collapsing into cliché without real product depth.

 At the Icon Amsterdam headquarters in Dubai during a creative strategy session

Icon Amsterdam reflects this recalibration. Initially fueled by statement pieces, the brand now positions itself as a case study in quiet endurance: disciplined fits, long-lasting fabrics, and design that aspires to heritage rather than novelty. “The consumer who once bought monthly drops is now building a permanent wardrobe,” says Onuha. “That changes everything about how you design, market, and scale a brand.”

Streetwear’s future, then, is not defined by the next viral hoodie but by which labels can evolve from hype machines into cultural institutions. Durability is more complicated to manufacture than buzz, but for the generation shaping menswear today, resilience has become the new form.

About Samuel Onuha

Samuel Onuha is the founder of ICON AMSTERDAM, an international menswear label generating multi-8-figure annual revenues. A Dutch-Nigerian entrepreneur based in Dubai, Onuha launched Icon Amsterdam at 18 and has grown it into a leading digital-first fashion brand. He frequently comments on culture, menswear, and the future of entrepreneurship for Gen Z.