Eshay youths in Sydney‘s Western Suburbs are furious at the rich kids from the North Shore hijacking their look and lifestyle for Instagram likes.
The notorious pig latin-speaking subculture is famous for its retro mullet hairstyles, designer brand leisurewear, crossover bodybags and Nike TN sneakers.
But it also has a disturbing reputation for escalating petty crime – with many sporting the trademark style now graduating from street crime to large scale drug dealing.
Burwood eshay Marshall Brown has told the rich kid wannabes to pull their heads in
Eshay youths in Sydney’s Western Suburbs are furious at the rich kids from the North Shore hijacking their look and lifestyle for Instagram likes
While gangs of eshays can strike terror on the suburban streets of some of Sydney’s poorest areas, the fashion has been co-opted by some of the city’s wealthiest areas.
Now the original eshays have warned the well-heeled wannabes from Double Bay and Mosman: You don’t know what you’re getting into.
‘These rich kids need to pull their head in,’ said Burwood eshay Marshall Brown, 19. ‘It’s all bung. Buy clothes to look good – don’t try to be a f***ing eshay. It’s not fun.
‘Everyone I know who is an eshay is in lock up. They are. They’re all in Cobham [juvenile detention service in Sydney’s west].
‘I’ve been there and it’s f***ed.’
He added: ‘They’re in for everything from shoplifting to stealing cars to domestic violence to killing people.’
Eshay fashion has been co-opted by some of the city’s wealthiest areas for Instagram likes
He said much of the violence linked to eshays was down to the territorial rivalry between gangs in neighbouring areas of Sydney’s west.
‘A lot of it is all over the stupid postcodes,’ he said. ‘The postcodes war between suburbs is real, and some suburbs take it as a f***ing big thing.
‘But it’s not worth it. It’s wrecking people’s lives.’
He was incensed at the way the lifestyle was now being co-opted by posh outsiders, trying to look dangerous by aping him and his friends on a daily basis.
Eshay lookalike Emiliano Dissera insisted he was just dressed that way because he was into sport and liked the fashion
‘They need to give it up,’ he added. ‘We’re living the life. They’re living the lie.’
One eshay lookalike insisted he was just dressed that way because he was into sport and liked the fashion.
‘It’s different kids and different cultures,’ said Emiliano Dissera. ‘I’m into sports and I coach, so I am always wearing sportswear and this looks good.
‘Some people who dress like this are associated with crime and are wannabe gangsters. It’s part of their life journey, I guess.
‘They want to hang around together and dress similarly and then maybe they start getting involved with drugs and crime.
‘But for me it’s just about sport.’