Why GCDS Is the Next Streetwear Brand You Need to Know

Deep in the heart of Milan is GCDS, the streetwear brand pumping out oversized logo sweaters, rhinestone chokers, bomber jackets covered in quirky patches, and transparent bodysuits. Hailey Baldwin, Caroline Vreeland, Kiki Palmer, Sita Abellan, Sophie Richie, Dua Lipa, and a slew of other cool girls (and boys) have been wearing the label in the past year alone. It’s not just limited to the Insta famous either: GCDS recently sold 5,000 sweaters in Korea—not bad for a one-year-old brand.

The approachable label (think: $75 necklaces, $142 embroidered bodysuits, and $230 bomber jackets) got its roots online and produces the majority of its pieces in Italy. Founded by Giuliano Calza, his brother, Giordano, and Walter D'Aprile, GCDS started as a digital project named after a Milanese party called Giuro Che Domani Smetto (Italian for "I swear I’ll stop tomorrow"). Founded in July 2015, it originated as a line of tees printed with the letters GCDS before morphing into what it stands for today: God Can’t Destroy Streetwear.

“We decided to call it God Can’t Destroy Streetwear because it’s expressing something that’s going on,” Calza tells Allure. “We started in the field of fashion and everything is going black. It feels like we’re living in an interesting time in fashion, because we see a lot of things going bad, there are too many costs, and brands are not keeping up with the technology. I think kids, like us, because I am 27, are more and more into buying something that isn’t forever—and the theme of God is super fun.”

Calza has a background in public relations, while designer Matteo Carraturo previously worked for Phillipp Plein. The cool girls who are wearing GCDS are likely friends with Calza, he says. He recently met Sofia Richie at a party in Milan, while Caroline Vreeland and Shea Marie casually visit the studio to hang out.

Courtesy of brand

Streetwear has been getting the couture treatment thanks to high-end labels like Vetements and Chanel. Calza says the rise of streetwear in the high-fashion space is due to the pervasive nature of fast fashion. “People feel like Zara and H&M are taking over everything. Streetwear is something that is still very approachable for people. Even in terms of price, it’s something people can relate to still. They feel like there’s a community behind it. That’s something that Zara and other brands cannot do.”

The brand makes online shopping an experience to enjoy: With every order, each customer receives a small pack of GCDS branded objects, including condoms, cookies, stickers, sesame bars, and matches. The site also feature video campaigns that act as short films, illustrating the latest collection. The most recent video took inspiration from a classic horror film, complete with an Ouija board, an old, spooky building, and a group of friends.

Perhaps not surprisingly (given fashion's obsession with the '90s), the brand's bestseller is its choker—the website sells about ten a day: “I showed it to my mother and she said, ‘You’re crazy, who’s going to wear that?’ But people really enjoy it," says Calza, who was inspired to create his version of the neckpiece when he saw Sita Abellen wearing a large metallic choker with the word "SEX." Just in time for the holidays, GCDS is releasing new versions of its Instagram-famous choker in shades of red and green next month.

Despite the rising demand for the brand, Calza is not taking any of GCDS's success for granted. As a young entrepreneur himself, Calza is adamant about supporting budding talents in the industry—he regularly sends pieces to up-and-coming photographers in hopes that they'll draw inspiration from the items. "Whether it be a pair of socks or something, they can create their own world.”

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