Forget everything you think you know about fashion. In the pulsating belly of metropolises, clothing isn't vanity, it's war paint. Here the kingdom of urban tribes moves that transform streets into runways signed "be yourself". Hipsters, punks, goths, cosplayers, skaters: each group has its visual code and values.
Boho-chic celebrates freedom, normcore the ordinary. In Japan, Bosozoku exalts rebellion, while cyberpunk reflects technological unease, and London's Afrobeat rekindles interest in Africa. These are just a few examples of a global landscape where the West is only a fragment. From the psychedelic saris of Mumbai to the techno djellabas of Marrakech, from Shanghai's punk qipaos to Nairobi's hip-hop kangas, the world is an infinite catwalk, and many only look at the front row.
Urban tribes is a visual language that redefines identity, spreading globally thanks to social media, but taking on unique nuances in every city in the world. Individuals freely draw from different aesthetics to create their personal style statements. Travel and research are the foundations of change. This is the underground world of fashion, without rules or limits. Just skin, fabric, and the burning urgency to express oneself in a world that seeks to flatten.
Contemporary Urban Tribes: 10 Styles Redefining Fashion
The landscape of urban fashion is influenced by music, lifestyle, and social movements, creating unique and fascinating subcultures, each with its own distinctive aesthetic language and values.
Techwear
Among these tribes are the Techwear, urban ninjas of the 21st century, dressed entirely in black, wearing high-tech garments with multiple pockets, waterproof fabrics, and reflective details. You can encounter them on the streets of New York, China, Japan, and London, recognizable by their style that fuses functionality and futurism, ready to face an increasingly unpredictable world. They are inspired by cyberpunk aesthetics, technology, and urban survival gear.
Credits: aesdes
E-boy/E-girl
The E-boy/E-girl tribe is marked by edgy, internet-inspired fashion featuring bold makeup, dyed hair, oversized graphic tees, and chains. This style is closely tied to platforms like TikTok and Instagram, influenced by emo aesthetics, anime, and digital culture.
Credits: shopee / diggitmagazine
Afrofuturism
A cultural movement that combines African heritage with futuristic technology and aesthetics. Fashion here includes bold prints, metallic fabrics, and exaggerated silhouettes, influenced by sci-fi, African culture, and a vision of an optimistic future for Black communities.
Credits: Stocksy
Burners & Festivals Community
The Burners & Festival Subculture revolves around self-expression, sustainability, and community, often seen at events like Burning Man or psytrance festivals. It features eclectic, DIY, and bohemian-inspired outfits with bold patterns, tribal prints, and flowy or asymmetrical clothing. Accessories like goggles, hats, pocket belts and LED-lit clothing are common, along with a mix of futuristic, steampunk, and nature-inspired looks. This tribe’s aesthetic is influenced by music festivals, spiritual exploration, and communal experiences. Sustainable fashion and upcycled or handmade clothes are integral, too.
Credits: artist Danial @darkoski wearing Alekai wear;(via Instagram); DJ Moontribe playing a set at Burning Man wearing a Psylo Tee; Ryo at Boom Festival wearing full Psylo festival outfit (photo by Dan Thomas Photography)
Gorpcore
The Gorpcore tribe takes its name from the hiking snack "Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts" and blends outdoor clothing with urban fashion. Functional clothing like puffer jackets, cargo pants, and hiking boots are integrated into everyday city wear. This style is influenced by outdoor activities, camping, and hiking, with a focus on practicality and comfort.
Credits: hespokestyle
Cottagecore
In contrast, Cottagecore represents a pastoral, dreamy aesthetic that romanticizes countryside living. It focuses on vintage-inspired clothing like flowy dresses, floral prints, and handcrafted accessories. This style is influenced by sustainability, slow living, and a return to nature, which became popular during the pandemic when people yearned for simplicity and tranquillity.
Credits: Dan Jackson, Styling Tabitha Simmons
Mori Kei and Dark Mori
Mori Kei and Dark Mori are Japanese-inspired styles that embrace an aesthetic inspired by forest living. Mori Kei is characterized by light, earthy tones and playful nature-inspired accessories, evoking a daytime woodland fairy tale. Dark Mori adopts darker colours and gothic elements, creating a twilight forest atmosphere, often incorporating amulets and mystical symbols. While both share a love for layered clothing and natural themes, they differ in mood: Mori Kei is cheerful and light, drawing from traditional fairy tales, while Dark Mori stands out for its mystery and enigmatic nature, evoking pagan influences and dark folklore. Despite these differences, both styles offer unique ways of expressing a connection with nature through urban fashion, whether through floral accessories or protective amulets.
Credits: mori-girl.fandom | Idontknowmuchbutimlearning
Health Goth
The Health Goth urban tribe blends biotechnology, monochrome sportswear, and fetish culture, with an emphasis on extreme cleanliness and futuristic environments. It focuses on trans-humanism, net art, technical sportswear, and elements like bionic body parts and combat gear. This subculture combines a sleek, dystopian aesthetic with a strong understanding of physical and mental health while pushing toward themes of trans-humanism and cyberpunk.
Credits: Imaxtree
Dark Academia
This urban tribe draws inspiration from classic literature, universities, and intellectualism. This subculture embraces tweed blazers, turtlenecks, pleated skirts, and vintage accessories. The color palette often includes earthy tones like brown, beige, and forest green, inspired by 19th-century European aesthetics, classic education, and gothic architecture.
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Credits: Vancouverisawesome
New Age Minimalism
Characterised by simplified, neutral, and highly curated outfits that emphasise quality over quantity. Think monochrome looks, clean lines, and sustainable materials, influenced by sustainability, mindfulness, and minimal living.
Credits: Kallmeyer, Another Tomorrow, Rohé
Psylo: Ethno-Punk for The Urban Nomads
In the urban jungle, Psylo moves like a creative avant-garde, always one step ahead and constantly evolving. We like to define ourselves as "Ethno-Punk" because we mix the free hippie soul, the organic rawness of ethnic boho with the rebellious grit of punk.
Our clothes are tangible expressions of this eclectic vision. Fluid tunics with asymmetric cuts and Spine' design screen-printed all over, add abstract texture; cargo pants with pockets snap-button closure, decorated with custom-made metal studs; divinity-evoking T-shirts with bold "Om Namah Shivaya" prints add a touch of spirituality to your look, while external stitchings and “unfinished” raw hems add edginess… Each piece of clothing, artisanal, is a unique fusion of bohemian comfort and punk attitude.
Our tribe goes far beyond simple clothing. It is a lifestyle, a philosophy that is embodied in every choice. Free spirits who share a vision of the world that celebrates exploration in all its forms. You can find us immersed in music festivals, lost in a sea of sounds and colours, or in some remote location, backpacking, in search of life’s deeper meanings and authentic connections. Travel is our natural state, whether across continents or across states of mind, and this is reflected in the clothes we wear and create in our lives an end to the discovery of ourselves and the world around us.
Meeting someone dressed in Psylo on the streets of the world is like meeting a member of your tribe in a foreign land. It's a way of saying "Hey, we think alike" without the need for words. Psylo's creations are inspired by the desire to overcome any type of cultural prejudice. Fewer aesthetic codes and more value attributes. This shift reflects a society in flux, where group membership is increasingly defined by shared ideals rather than a uniform look.
Welcome to the urban jungle! Embrace our values, recognised in our collections and join the Psylo tribe.
