Gothic: the dark classics of fashion
Although the historical Gothic period dates back to the 13th-15th centuries, the details of the Gothic style of clothing are more or less repeated in fashion until today.
From Marlene Dietrich to Lady Gaga, every decade of modern times has seen one or another manifestation of the Gothic aesthetic that has become so embedded in fashion history that it has become an immortal classic in the same way that the black dress has become an indispensable accessory for the femme fatale.
Gothic classics
It is important to note that the often confused Goths (a youth subculture, particularly popular in the 1980s) and Gothic (a centuries-old style in literature, architecture, art, fashion, and other areas of life) may sound like one and the same thing. But rest assured, we're talking about the latter. It is characterized by lace and frills, long dresses, high collars and a mystified, mysterious black aesthetic revolving around them.
Obviously, black is the favorite color of the fashion world, and whole books have been written about why designers themselves choose black clothes so often. The extravagance of black color is filled with the creations of the fashion house Alexander McQueen , which has a lot of classic and well-known gothic aesthetics - frills, lace, dresses reminiscent of the Middle Ages (maybe because of this classic approach, Alexander McQueen is so loved by the noble Kate Middleton). Alexander McQueen drew inspiration from medieval church paintings, vampire films, the Victorian era. Such admiration for mystical historical and fictional personalities with each presentation of the Alexander McQueen collection took the audience to the creepy fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm or to the dungeons where Marie Antoinette awaited the guillotine.
Dark interpretations
Rick Owens, who is also called the godfather of gothic glamor by fashion lovers, also embodies an important idea of gothic fashion - rebellion and resistance to normality. Both in creating and presenting his works, R. Owen seems to break the established rules. For example, a decade ago, when tap dancers dressed in his black outfits appeared at the presentation with furious expressions on their faces.
Ann Demeulemeester has said that good fashion is like rock music: it needs anarchy and rebellion. Her deep V - necks, accentuated by oversize patterns and textured black leather, are considered the modern equivalent of an intellectual, poetic gothic look.
No one knows how to play up the idea of romance like Elie Saab. And the gothic romance that emerges in his long-silhouette dresses, decorated with high necks, ribbons, ruffles and tulle, only reminds us that gothic inspirations can also be discovered through the prism of soft images.
Relevance today
The couture collections this spring probably nod approvingly to the idea of Gothic immortality. Elie Saab, Yves Saint Laurent, Fendi, Michael Kors, Givenchy long-silhouette dresses with a high neck in the autumn and winter fashion presentations of 2022 echoed the well-known gothic proportion and reminded that this choice is one of the most fashionable this cold season.
At the presentation of the 2023 spring and summer collection, the models of the Dior fashion house were very elegantly dressed in black lace , and the spirit of the latest Versace creations was even nicknamed the "Dark Gothic Goddess" by fashion critics, as it emphasized dark makeup and black tulle veils. Fitted silhouettes, insanely high black heels and a catwalk decorated with black candles just screamed - Gothic is firmly on the Olympus of fashion classics.
Gothic details can be like a pepper to an ordinary everyday combination - it will make it sharper, but more interesting. The most famous fashion opinion makers, from representatives of the Kardashian family to the Hadid sisters, often step into the dark side. Therefore, after taking inspiration and wishing for new winds in the wardrobe, gothic can become an unexpected, but correct choice.
