The Cult of the Line: How streetwear products became status symbols A qualitative research examining the value of cultural credibility for enhancing reputation of streetwear brands

This research aims to explore the phenomenon of cultural credibility of streetwear brands and factors that contribute to its establishment, while also delving into existence of status symbols and their meaning within the field of fashion and contemporary society. The concept of cultural credibility presents a contemporary aspect to examine corporate brand’s image and reputation as it predetermines that consumers play a major role in its establishment as well as its fostering and adaptation. This is a novel approach to look at monetization of popular culture within the fields of fashion and corporate branding and it emphasizes the codependence of organizations and consumers in establishing contemporary brand’s ecosystem. Simultaneously, this research explores the correlation between modern streetwear brands and luxury brands in terms of their managerial approach that reflects in their communication and positioning, while discovering the emergence of status symbols and their meanings within societal context. These mentioned phenomena are examined through a qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews that were conducted with consumers as well as brand experts from multiple countries. The main results present the first working definition of cultural credibility and explain the factors that contribute to its establishment in the realms of streetwear and fashion in general. It also offers an insight into the roles that consumers take in fostering cultural credibility and perception that they have of what forms a status symbol and what role it has within the contemporary society. Due to lack of theoretical resources, understanding of cultural credibility is still in the developing phase and this research is adjourned with aspirations to build upon the recent findings and furtherly examine monetarization of popular culture that is manifested through the phenomenon of cultural credibility.