The Gothic Craze

Although many people claim to be part of an individual cult… most ‘fashion statements’ blend into the moulds of our current society.  Those who dare to bare flesh and nudity or wear statement gothic/punk/dark clothing are often singled out and made to feel ‘freak-like’… and then we wonder why we are a cloned generation.

Some would dispute that these people are attention seeking, others will say completely the opposite.  One thing is for sure.  Leather is one of the most revolutionary and pliable materials in the fashion world.  How many wardrobes can we honestly go into today without finding a leather garment… be it a pair of shoes or a trench coat.   So the big question is, what singles these individuals out from the rest of us ‘generic leather wearers’?  It’s all in how they wear the clothes.  The attitude that coincides with their stand out look.  It could of course be the fact that they team these leather garments with masses of dark make up and extreme hair. 

We first associate sex with the terms ‘bondage’ and ‘fetish’ but they are reinterpreted entirely differently in the fashion world.   Designers are consistently pushing raunchy fabrics and this sexual idea into the public eye.  The colour black itself is associated to sex.  The legend says that any girl who owns black underwear has sexual desires.  This is perhaps what makes some designers so successful.  They know that they can play on the publics most intimate desires by creating these designs that we pine after, that we can associate with something within our lifestyle.

There is a definite distinction between the leather imitation that we see in our high street shops that is mass produced and the original leather designs we associate with old ‘rock and roll’ bands like The Rolling Stones. 

So what is the essential leather garment to have in your wardrobe and how should you wear it?  It depends how you want to approach this trend.  If you like the understated look and want to team your leather with another high street trend, it is probably best that you throw on a pair of doc martins or a subtle leather jacket.  If you would like to make a bold statement, here are a few tips I suggest before you chose your combination. 

Designer work photographed- Mugler, Givenchy, Ann Demeuelemeester, Gareth Pugh, Kanye West.  Image sourced from- http://fashionindie.com/paris-fashion-week-packs-in-the-trends-and-carries-them-for-you/lisbethean-leather/#gallery