> Style is defined at the high end to a very limited audience and derivative variations of it are built on further derivative variations as it flows down the classes
That trickle-down definition of style is relevant perhaps within some groups of people.
I think that most subcultures have their own highly independent styles, and within that you have people with their own independent riffs on the general subculture style.
Do you not think that many subcultures have their own style that isn’t derivative/trickle-down?
For sure. Certain subcultures have aesthetics that are not started at the top. However, these subcultures at times could be thought of as culturally elite (and very much adored by upper class tastemakers) and their fashion in some cases manages the same derivative cycle. For instance, “Grunge” culture which had an aesthetic that was very much not haute of course. But it was culturally elite at the time and very quickly their styles were derived for mainstream consumption. But even so, haute will deconstruct the parts they like, integrate it, and so it passes.
Other subcultures of course never break through.
Regardless, most clothing is purchased from retailers that mass produce things. You could probably tier rank them accordingly from designers to boutiques to small retailers on up to big box shops that you can find anywhere.
You see the same thing in other cultural artifacts like cuisine. Haute Cuisine doesn’t start every trend but it isn’t afraid to discover something outside the mainstream, riff on it, and then it works it’s way into the middle.
That is a very clichéd haute couture definition — a la “Devil Wears Prada - Cerulean Top” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL-KQij0I8I
That trickle-down definition of style is relevant perhaps within some groups of people.
I think that most subcultures have their own highly independent styles, and within that you have people with their own independent riffs on the general subculture style.
Do you not think that many subcultures have their own style that isn’t derivative/trickle-down?