The Latest Streetwear Flex Is Cool Candles, Bro

Candles are having a moment. There is a seemingly bottomless thirst for candles shaped like lazy, giddy, cool blobs and wiggles; candles that smell good, or at least look good; candles that, as my fellow VICE writer Bettina Makalintal explained, are so wildly popular because of their ability to be “nostalgic and also of the moment,” harkening back to personality of Memphis design and giving us the impression that a certain, forward-propelling boldness is packed into that candle wax. It meant something if you owned a bendy candle before they reached the DIY TikTok swamp:

The clout of having a nice ass candle hits differently these days, as we head back indoors, staring at the same bookshelf, bathroom cabinet, what have you, while our brains fall deeper into the air fryer (seasonal depression, who?). Unsurprisingly, our wallets have pivoted towards home decor objects that bring those fried brain cells a little aesthetic self-care, and our shelves a lot of bragging rights in the form of really, really nice candles. 

So, yeah. Candles have become mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell, as we all know). Honestly, it's all gotten a little out of control. Kacey Musgraves x Boy Smells released an XL version of her popular Slow Burn candle that’s finally not constantly sold out, that one Anthropologie candle is the size of a bird bath, and HAY just started stacking all its candles on top of each other (and pulling it off, as they should).

What’s next? Streetwear candles??? Actually, yes. Brands like Comme Des Garçons, Carhartt WIP, and Wacko Maria have added super-nice, flex-ready candles to their oversized-jersey- and cargo-pant-heavy repertoire, proving once and for all that the candles these days have developed enough personality to become (relatively) accessible sculptural objects for everyone in the neighborhood, or at least those with $50 to spend on some vibey wax. In lieu of light, they bring lifestyle. Instead of Yankee Candles with base notes of rock bottom, they’re replica Air Force Ones and repurposed religious imagery. These shelf objets are beacons of hope for we, the bedframe-less.

Arguably the crispest Air Force 1 on the web, this candle is a lowkey nod to our love for the iconic Nike sneaks immortalized in THAT song by Nelly, who is now also the king of Lays x Flaming Hot Cheetos, as he damn well should be. Legend. We also found an Air Jordan version, in case you’re a Bulls fan. This one is the perfect sneakerhead/candle-curious crossover.

Maybe you missed out on the seemingly endless moment for those iconic Comme Des Garçons high-tops, but it's not too late to flex their other wares. The Japanese brand’s designer, Rei Kawakubo, is famous for blending his graphic talents with hard-chiller brands like Carharrt, Nike, Converse, and other streetwear-centric labels.  This waxy boy offers 65 hours of burn time and smells like magnolia and vetiver to “offset rich aromas of patchouli and cumin.” In other words, it's doing the most without looking like it’s trying, which is what Comme des Garçons does so well. We’re sus'd about the notes of cumin, but hungry enough to try it out.  

One of our absolute favorite workwear-turned-hypebeast brands (and memes), Carhartt WIP, not only makes elevated versions of everyday gear, it also makes pretty sick candles. The Green City candle is clearly a nod to Oz, and with a 60-hour burn time, it will take you to streetwear heaven in your mind for weeks.

If this is the first time you’re hearing about Joya Studio, prepare to have your mind blown. In addition to these rad limited-edition Grateful Dead candles, the brand has collaborated with everyone from A24 to Lucali. It’s also rare that such a detailed candle would also smell incredible, but in this case you get notes of Italian mandarin, lemon and orange peels, bergamot, cardamom, pink grapefruit, and petitgrain.

Their vape, duh. Now you can get a candle to match your Airbar or Juul, or whatever contraption the youths are puffing on these days.

The good people at Wacko Maria bring us this #iconic Virgin Mary candle that will look downright steezy nestled amongst all the prayer candles on your mantle from the bodega. It comes in white, black, and gold too, but we’re partial to the blood-red version.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.