Goth

Goth - An Overview

Another subculture of alternative fashion is the genre of goth which grew out of the punk scene in the late 70’s and found prevalence during the 80’s. Similar to punk, music also holds a huge influence, with bands such as ‘Joy Division’ being a popular choice. There were also influences from 19th-century gothic literature and the tropes of darkness, mystery and the supernatural, coming from legends like Edgar Allen Poe. The gothic look is derived from the Victorian era and often includes primarily black clothing with lots of layers and this androgynous feel, alongside teased hair and pale makeup.(@vonruinart)(fig .8)

The Rise of Goth: Fashion Edition

The term ‘goth’ has had many different meanings and associations over the centuries, with the first recording of the word being linked to the “...Visigoths and Ostrogoths who were nomadic German tribes that fought against Roman rule” (Faye Arkane)(9). After the fall of the Romans, the term then became associated with this new French style of architecture, later known as Gothic architecture which took over Europe in the 12th century and is still around to this day. The 18th century birthed this phenomenon called the “Great New England vampire panic” which follows this religious and superstitious fear that the dead came back to life and drained them of their blood but it was a tuberculosis outbreak. This irrational fear brought about vampirism, causing a knock-on effect on Bram Stoker, who wrote the infamous “Dracula” and lit the fire of gothic literature alongside others. Once cinema was invented and established, goth became imbued with the horror genre and literary tropes became visualised.

Eventually, the 1980s came around and so did the birth of goth music and fashion. Many people attribute the rise of goth to the “...Bauhaus’ 9-minute debut single ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’ which was released in 1979” (Faye Arkane)(9).In 1982, goth became more mainstream due to the influence from ‘The Cure’ following their album ‘Pornography’ and the establishment of nightclubs such as ‘The Batcave’ in London and ‘The Banshee’ in Manchester. These clubs became home to up-and-coming goth artists and “...to those who had slipped between the cracks of the gritty brutality of Punk” (Underground)(10).

The gothic subculture began hitting the runways in the late 1970s under the label of ‘haute goth’.Haute goth can be labelled as a “...celebration of identity, change and the pursuit of something new” (Emily Fromant)(12). Designers were drawn to the tenebrous and seductive nature of goth, leading them to create high-fashion abstract silhouettes. They honed in on Victorian and Edwardian aesthetics whilst experimenting with futuristic elements. A designer who carved out this new gothic genre is icon, Alexander McQueen.

Gothic Politics

In 1979, Margeret Thatcher came into power until 1990, creating a rise in ‘Thatcherism’.Thatcherism ideology consisted of a free market economy, reduced state intervention and rising British nationalism. Thatcher’s policies led to significant social and economic change, which depending on which class you derived from meant good or bad change. Socially, conflict arose, particularly with the working class, more specifically the minors. This led to the Miners strike of 1984 as Thatcher wanted and achieved the closing of 20 coal pits, amplifying unemployment and her reputation as the ‘Iron lady’.

However, unlike punks, goths typically regard themselves as apolitical, making distinct gothic politics and ideologies hard to define. Alongside this, the goth subculture doesn't have any pronounced political messages or call to arms. This is due to the subculture being formed based on the music. However, the subculture as a whole does hold emphasis on individualism, diversity, creativity and the denunciation of violence and hate but these ideas are not universal. Inspired by romanticism and neo-romanticism,  ”Goth ideology is based far more on aesthetics and simplified ethics than politics”. (@corleoniss)(11)

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