Punk music and fashion is usually associated with the late-70s, when The Sex Pistols topped the charts and Mohawk hairstyles were a common sight on British streets. Yet a number of modern fashion designers are embracing the punk ethos in their new collections, as today’s young people reject the establishment, just like their counterparts did 30 years ago.
Fashion icons such as Balenciaga, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Burberry have all been using the punk look on the catwalk in recent weeks; an ironic turn-around for a style which began life as an anti-fashion statement.
Although the punks of the 1970s would barely recognise what these designers have done with their beloved skinny jeans and black leather jackets, the influence is obvious in some of the 2012 autumn collections which will hit the catwalk during London Fashion Week in February. And it’s not just the clothes that are reminiscent of times gone by, but the hairstyles, make-up and piercings too.
One of the leading ladies of punk first time around, designer Vivienne Westwood, knows better than most how to create the perfect punk-rock look and her upcoming collection is expected to recall some of her earliest successes on the catwalk. Even young designers who were in short trousers during punk’s first outing are getting in on the act, including the team at Alexander McQueen’s McQ label.
Alice Dellal, the queen of the new “posh punk” style, is the living embodiment of everything that designers are aiming for in their new collections. The handbag heiress who is famous for her unapologetic style off the catwalk has totally embraced the punk ethos, and has even gone as far as shaving half her head.
In the past, a look like that would have killed off the career of any young model, Dellal however is not only in demand for catwalk shows, but has been signed up as the figurehead for a campaign advertising Karl Lagerfeld’s new Chanel handbag.
Dellal is not everyone’s cup of tea, cultivating a rebellious image that has seen her take part in some ill-advised photo shoots, including some featuring drug-taking. The modelling industry has worked hard to distance itself from drugs in recent years and many insiders are unhappy that Dellal has undone all their hard work.
The punk look isn’t just making an appearance on the catwalk, however; the success of the recent film adaptation of Steig Larsson’s novel “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” has made a star of its spiky-haired star Rooney Mara. Her character, the magnificent Lisbeth Salander, is the very definition of everything that modern punks want to be; rejecting society’s norms and embracing rebellion and independence.
Perhaps the best thing about the return of the punk look is that it is so easy for ordinary women to recreate without spending a fortune in designer stores. First time around, the punk look was all about individuality, raiding jumble sales and charity shops for items that can be ripped apart and fixed back together with safety pins. With charity shops more numerous now than they were in the 1970s, there should be plenty of choice to help fashion followers to create their own punk look this autumn.
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