By George Ruskin, Second year French and German
The Croft Magazine // A style edit of the hottest pieces by Young Goat.
Even before its first birthday, Young Goat is rising through the ranks of the frankly saturated streetwear market at a blistering pace, offering a glimpse of what the future of streetwear, and maybe even fashion itself, will look like: distinctly branded, androgynous and born out of Instagram’s eye-catching immediacy.
Founded by Bristol alumni and members of the University of Bristol’s Football Society, the Stoke Bishop guy and gal seem to be their muse, combined with a legacy of twentieth-century sportsmen and women. The oversized quarter-zip, monochrome tee and baseball cap are the signatures that embody what I take to be Young Goat’s identity: Coombe Dingle couture.
When it comes to pricing, Young Goat offers something of an à la carte menu that is as unique as it is reasonable: you won’t pay more than £55. Taking FUZE by storm in March, their debut was met by a rush of interest as Bristolians recognised that any Young Goat purchase is a savvy wardrobe investment ahead of the brand’s upcoming explosion into the streetwear mainstream. These were my favourites from their recent runway:
Now more than ever, our upper halves are front and centre. Whether we’re fielding a Zoom call or collecting the 80th delivery of the day from the front door, the top halves of our outfits now need to tell the whole story: style, naturally, but also comfort. This fleece is perfect for our current needs, almost a spooky premonition. At the moment, I would dress this down with slouchy harems but when we’re finally allowed back out, this could pair with wide-leg jeans and Vejas. This fleece will achieve the unmistakable Bristol look we love to hate, but secretly hate to love.
Of the range of T-shirts debuted, the restrained and exquisitely simple YG tee is a triumph. Available in black or white, the latter is a seasonal must-have: perched (French tuck and all) beneath the leather blazer you must have invested in by now, or the staple silk bomber jacket. Guys should instead buy it in black, which when paired with carpenter trousers and Casablanca New Balances, will allow you to cosplay your cancelled Love Saves The Day fantasies.
Daily state-sanctioned exercise would be incomplete without the essential, oversized hoodie and it is in this offering that the activewear expertise of Young Goat’s designers is clearest. Their design is simple and comfort for all genders and sizes has been prioritised. Remarkably, they’ve resisted the urge to turn this piece into a billboard, and it is an antidote to the gauche mass-marketing that many streetwear designs have become over the past few seasons. Buy (at least) one size up and smother yourself in soft cotton – just to feel something. Pair with a mask and vintage Adidas track bottoms and you’ll be ready for your walk around the block.
Young Goat combines high-quality, aspirational streetwear with a laudable brand ethos: the acronym ‘GOAT’, meaning ‘Greatest of All Time’, was adopted as standard vernacular in the football team in which they all met. Building on this, and their belief that the term should not be reserved solely for celebrities or sporting superstars, they have repurposed and commodified it, promoting the self-esteem and confidence they were taught in a sporting context through the creation of sports-inspired streetwear.
It’s important to note that Young Goat isn’t some Sloaney vanity project; I caught up with Arthur Leventhorpe, one of Young Goat’s creative directors, who told me the brand has partnered with two Bristol-based mental health charities: Off the Record and Second Step. ‘We hope that our logo continues to be a visual embodiment of this ethos, a badge of self-belief and daring. We want to inspire confidence, improve mental health and to provide clothing that serves as a powerful reminder of this message’.
What’s your favourite piece from Young Goat’s collection?
Featured: Young Goat / Instagram
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