Streetwear and the Church: Apparel design within the church has become an ever-increasing focal point for pastors, creative teams, and ministry leaders. What started as a simple mirror of the corporate apparel model has grown into something much more vibrant, abstract, and evangelistic…and it’s working.

Before this writer loses you (Senior Pastor), In no way do I mean to take away from the work and vision of the corporate apparel model being integrated into your church culture. It was relatable to your generation and it too, worked. But we must now ask, what will be relatable to the next generation and will it work? This is where streetwear comes in.

Gen Z has absolutely fallen in love with streetwear. It aligns with their values, lifestyle, and growth in the digital age. Let’s look at what Gen Z considers valuable in apparel design;

• Self-Expression & Identity

1. 1. 1. Streetwear allows you to say it boldly without saying it loudly. Mission-specific design gives a bold voice to those who may not naturally be as bold in their faith. 

• Community Relevance

1. 1. 1. What you afford young people with the investment into streetwear is an opportunity to build community and unity centered around a singular mission or idea. Gen Z is very aware of what church they attend and what they believe. What has been eye-opening for this designer has been some of the conversations around the merch tables where young people engage in discussion centered around the merch item and not only what they believe, but WHY they believe it. 

• Purpose-Driven

1. 1. 1. Gen Z wears these causes with a Book of Acts conviction. Hoodies are this generation’s armor for battle. They enter spaces with unbelievers and while the garments may be relevant to the culture, the message is still the same life-giving force that counters the fear, pressure, and anxiety our world fosters.  

• Exclusivity

1. 1. Gen Z has found its “limited edition” in the form of the merch drop. This group sees great value in owning a piece of merchandise that has been uniquely crafted to reflect the message, tone, and spirit of an event or cause and we love that! We also can’t ignore the influence of FOMO (fear of missing out) this generation has. The streetwear movement is no different than the limited edition cassettes, tour t-shirts, or trading cards.  

Modern streetwear focuses on the following; bold minimalism, quality materials, cultural relevance, and strong branding. Our challenge as designers is to develop designs that are stylish enough to appeal to non-believers while still delivering a Kingdom message. 

I encourage you to look at the spaces your 13-28-year-olds exist in that aren’t your churches. Ask yourself if they feel like they have a voice in those spaces. If the answer is no, ask yourself if they did, what would they be compelled to say and how can I help them say it?  

Current Streetwear Trends

• Y2K Colors
  • Bold, contrasting colors are an absolute must for apparel designs heading into 2025. Contrast scores have never been more important. Designers should be looking back to fashion trends from the 2000s and taking note of the mix of bright, bold colors and the integration of both futuristic and retro elements. 
• Mascots
  • Using a mascot element such as an animal or flower is a very popular method to drive undertones of design. What’s unique is the application and direct appeal to emotions these elements are being used for. 
• Bold Type
  • Denim is on the rise within garment priority. Designing for print on or within a denim substrate is going to require big, bold, type selections. My current go-to “heavy” right now is Gibson Heavy from Canada Type. 
• Respectful Levity
  • The world is serious enough and while we don’t stray from tough issues, we are allowed to laugh also. Some of the most effective apparel campaign designs have featured a bit of humor to add an inclusive element to the design. 
• Go-To Design Elements at Penguin right now.
  • Textures
    • Old Printers
    • Halftones
    • Vintage Film
    • Photocopy
  • Graphics
    • Clips/Collage
    • Rubber Hose Style
    • Neon Wireframe Elements
    • Stickers
  • Fonts
    • Gibson Heavy
    • Cubano
    • Alegreya Sans
    • Abril FatFace
  • Effects
    
    • Gradient Maps
    • Prisms
    • Fractal Glass
    • Blurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs for days.