From Practical Function to Urban Identity: The Historical Evolution of Urban Functional Menswear

Abstract

This study examines urban functional menswear from the 1980s to the 2020s through a historical comparative analysis of design practices and brand cases, exploring its non-linear evolutionary mechanism. The findings indicate that its development does not follow a linear progression of functional enhancement, but rather a structural process characterized by “paradigm formation – system stabilization – pathway differentiation – stylistic integration.” Across different stages, “functionality” is continuously reconstructed: it is initially embedded in design through the structural logic of military and workwear systems; then transformed into a reproducible design language through systematization; subsequently developed into an open and extensible design framework through multi-path diffusion; and ultimately evolved into a circulable stylistic resource and cultural symbol within the context of digital media and multi-scenario urban life. The study further proposes a four-stage evolutionary model of urban functional menswear, providing a theoretical framework for understanding its transformation from technical practice to cultural mechanism.