Clarion Alley Street Art - Graffiti in Fashion

This is my last day in San Francisco. I made a trip to the city's famed Clarion Alley, known for its amazing street art. In the 1990s, the mural project was first conceptualized by several residents of the street. Now it is a constantly rotating outdoor gallery depicting the struggles of gentrification and displacement in the community (more timely than ever).

Graffiti and street art has always been an inspiration to other creatives. Once a menace to property owners, street art is now a widely recognized medium being sought after by brands and collaborators alike.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Punk: Chaos to Couture Exhibit showed plenty of graffiti adorned styles. Perrier collaborated with prominent street artists around the world in their campaign last year. Designer Marc Jacobs and Kidult had an on-going feud that many suspected was a collaboration. The artist  Kidult defacing the designer's boutique with graffiti and then Jacobs responding by selling fashion with the Kidult's artwork as revenge.

For fall 2015, regal fashion designer Naeem Khan commissioned a mural as the backdrop from Miami artist Trek6. Moschino worked cartoons and street art into their fall 2015 collection. Raf Simons created a graffiti coat for fall 2015 worn by Rihanna.

Graffiti and street art may have come from humble beginnings, but it has increasingly become haute. Graffiti fashion is the literal expression of street style!