The Clothing Culture: A Tale of Streetwear Resilience in a High Street Apocalypse
The Clothing Culture, a Welsh wonder in streetwear and luxury, was founded in Swansea in 2018 by the dynamic duo, Matthew Read and Ben Miles (Image: John Myers)
Ah, the “death of the high street”—an all-too-familiar elegy sung for Welsh towns. It’s as if every time the economy sneezes, another shop closes its doors. Raise your hand if you’ve bid farewell to Debenhams, Wilko, and the remaining echoes of David Evans.
But fret not! Nestled amidst this retail graveyard is The Clothing Culture, born in the heart of Swansea back in 2018, with a flair for premium streetwear. How very avant-garde, right?
Meet Matthew and Ben, the fresh-faced entrepreneurs who launched their streetwear empire at the tender ages of 19 and 20. One was grappling with mixed martial arts while the other was—wait for it—a full-time engineer. Because obviously, the perfect blend of sweat and sweatpants can spark a business.
These two bright stars decided to kick off their foray into the retail world by selling clothing in a friend’s shop. When their offerings started flying off the racks, they hatched a plan: why not manufacture their clothing? Enter, stage left: their very own store.
Despite opening their doors right before the pandemic hit—talk about timing!—they found themselves selling out thanks to a sneaker reselling craze that turned even their skeptics into fans. It’s almost like the universe conspired in their favor as the world hit pause.
As Ben noted, “It was just before COVID. We had all the shoes—like the only ones in Wales doing it!” Honestly, that sounds like a plot twist catering to every aspiring influencer looking for their niche in the ever-competitive fashion realm. Picture it: sneakers selling faster than hotcakes while everyone else is sipping their lockdown lattes.
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