If there’s one thing that can be said about fashion, it’s that it tends to go round in circles and recycling previously seen trends is not uncommon. So I can’t say I was surprised to see goth making a return to the runways. Autumn/Winter 2016 shows were full of lace, velvet, leather and corsets, with models sporting black lipstick, pale foundation and dramatic eye makeup. From theatrical ensembles at Marc Jacobs to stern and practical all-black pieces at Dior, there was a distinct aura of darkness present.
(Pictured: Dior, Rodarte, Marc Jacobs)
Fashion is a fickle thing, and I’m sure the goth trend will be long forgotten by spring, only to be reinvented again in a few years. Meanwhile, the real thing keeps going strong, and goth is probably the only subculture that has what others are lacking: longevity. While people involved in other scenes as teenagers tend to drift away when they become adults, many goths stick to what they love, which might be the reason behind the subculture’s staying power.
I used to snigger whenever I read about this or that celebrity “going goth”, which usually translated as wearing all black and slapping some dark lipstick on. OK, I still do – it’s hard not to.
On the other hand, though, seeing goth influences on the catwalks pleases me. Because where designers lead, high street will follow, which, in turn, means that I might be able to pick up some really great and inexpensive pieces at chain stores. Alternative fashion tends to be a bit more expensive than your average Primark or H&M stuff. Sure, some alternative brands offer much better quality, but that is not always the case, and more often than not, you end up paying for the label. Then, there’s the fact that chain retailers are pretty much everywhere, so if you live far from any alternative shops and prefer going into a store to shopping online, the goth trend cropping up yet again might mean that you’ll actually be able to find real gems in places like Topshop or River Island.
(From top right, clockwise: Primark, Bershka, H&M, River Island, Topshop)
The only thing that bugs me is that some people see goth as a fashion trend and nothing else. But there’s not much that can be done about that.
We are all mad here. 