You might not know VFILES, but they were responsible for discovering Virgil Abloh, Playboi Carti, Lil Yachty and countless other fashion icons. With early collaborations with Hood by Air and Been Trill, VFILES’ impact on streetwear is undeniable.
Founded by Julie Anne Quay in 2012, VFILES started off as a fashion-focused digital platform that quickly evolved to become a community for the fashion-obsessed youth, becoming a creative hub and boutique for those in the know. With a showroom-like feel, the store stocked some of the most influential brands at the time, from Hood By Air to Pyrex Vision to even Jeremy Scott. They also created a platform for emerging designers called “VFILES Made” that provided emerging designers like Ottolinger, Hyein Seo and Ximon Lee the chance to showcase their collections at NYFW.
Beyond fashion, VFILES were the tastemakers responsible for discovering musical talents like Playboi Carti and Lil Yachty who both became heavy influences in the fashion scene for the two’s respectively distinct styles that lay in the grey area between high fashion and streetwear. Just as much as they had an eye for fashion, they also had an ear for the emerging “Soundcloud” rapper sound that was popping in the early to mid 2010s with “VFILES Loud!.”
Being responsible for several viral moments in fashion and culture - including the time when Young Thug stopped a model on the Botter SS17 runway to fix his ensemble - VFILES will remain a huge part of 2010s fashion folklore and continue to affect the state of contemporary fashion today.
Featured image via @gunnerstahl.us ©
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