Lachlan Tomich takes a look at the world of punk fashion
Image by Megan Crombie
It’s undeniable that not only punk’s influence but all the ongoing and ever-changing punk subgenres aren’t going to be dying out anytime soon. In all aspects of music and fashion, punk seems to be one of the biggest influences.
In the early 70s, Vivienne Westwood, a household name, started her shop named Too fast to live, Too young to die where she and Malcom Mclaren sold Rock ‘n’ Roll records/memorabilia. The store was later rebranded to “Sex” between 1974 to 1976 where they specialised in clothing that eventually defined the “look of the punk movement.” While running this boutique they rebranded and changed the shop several times eventually settling on “World’s End” in 1979 which still stands today.
This partnership in marriage and clothes design between Mclaren and Westwood would arguably shape what the punk aesthetic and look has become known as today. Malcom Mclaren would end up becoming the manager of a small London based punk band that you may know as the Sex Pistols who started in 1975. Now not only did this band really start the whole punk craze throughout the UK but they also started the look and style that you know today with the radical new fashion styles like ripped clothing, safety pins, liberty spikes and even Mohawks.
With their strong association to punk and iconic looks, they created the aesthetic and image that fronted the punk subculture throughout the 70s, and they did this all without realising that they were starting a mainstream and lasting era of punk.
Bringing it back to the present day we’ve seen countless bands and fashion brands redesign the classic punk look the Sex Pistols and Westwood truly pushed, most notably Alexander McQueen who took lots of inspo from Vivienne Westwood’s rebellious punk approach to the clothing. In addition, John Galliano throughout his time with Dior and Margiela, and of course, Hedi Slimane have also been inspired by the punk aesthetic.
But even today with the rising popularity of streetwear you see a lot of people wearing the classic Rick Owen Ramones high-tops which were obviously named after the 1970s American punk band The Ramones. Countless other Rick pieces were inspired from the punk scene in the 70s/80s, even Christopher Decarnin’s 2010 collection for Balmain was heavily inspired by punk. Alongside the previously mentioned Hedi Slimane, who officially started his work in the late 90s with Dior Homme, leaning on the skinnier silhouettes, black leather, chains and studs in his designs which were all staples of Westwood’s work with the Sex Pistols. Even later in 2012-2016 Hedi Slimane pushed a full-on punk revival during his time at Saint Laurent with tartan trousers, shredded knits, biker jackets, the use of leopard print and even bringing back the safety pins.
Whilst punk is a subgenre of rock, the aesthetic that was built around punk has led to many other subgenres from music to fashion, the most obvious being Goth, another music based subculture that emerged from the UK in the late 70s and early 80s. Gothic rock was a clear evolution from post punk although it incorporated a darker more atmospheric style which surprisingly has survived much longer than other subcultures from the same era and has continued to spread and diversify throughout the world. Bands like The Cure and the Banshees alongside the popularity of brands like New Rock, Trippnyc, Killstar, Demonai and basically any grail brand for sad teens who think wearing black is a personality trait. The emo and gothic style has paved its own way and solidified itself in the world of fashion further pushing and keeping the punk influence in both the mainstream and niche communities.
To put it simply: punk didn’t die, it just got a new haircut and as long as people are broke, angry and under the impression studded belts are still niche, punk will always come back for a fresh trim.
