After years of hiding in the closet, the gothic style is reborn and, this time round is entitled to applause from the red carpet. Here it is, imposing as if it were a black butterfly.
After years of hiding in the closet, the gothic style is reborn and, this time round is entitled to applause from the red carpet. Here it is, imposing as if it were a black butterfly.

Artwork by Mariana Matos
Artwork by Mariana Matos
Last March, The Guardian published a text — entitled Back to black: goths go mainstream in corsets, leather and lace, the piece, signed by journalist Rachel Hall, was one of the first to alert to the impact that this admittedly controversial trend was already having on the fashion industry — where it explained, with precise details and examples, the return of the infamous goth aesthetic. “It’s been 20 years since pallid faces, dark eyes and black clothes haunted UK secondary schools and shopping centers. While some might argue that they never left, merely retreating into the shadows, the consensus for 2022 is that goth style is returning to mainstream culture with a vengeance.” Thus began the analysis, which pointed out one of the most important differences of this new-old trend — the gothic is now red carpet worthy. Long gone are the days when wearing tight black from head to toe (the heavy makeup, the night hair, the chunky necklaces, the metal chains, and the sunglasses were an indispensable, but not mandatory, plus) was associated with troubled high school kids, those who locked themselves in their room listening to strange music and magicking satanic rituals — all in our heads, admittedly, but the prejudice was there. “There are some differences this time. The modern goth is more likely to take inspiration from ultra-glam ‘hot goth girlfriends’ such as Kourtney Kardashian and Megan Fox and the fashion world darlings Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto than the Marilyn Manson-loving self-proclaimed outsiders of the early 2000s.” Another nuance to take into account, according to the publication, is the fact that nowadays these “goths” do not adhere to the “goth” lifestyle (pass the redundancy) and prefer instead to integrate elements of that culture into their daily lives. How? With a wonderful Saint Laurent biker jacket or with some Miu Miu ultra-compensated heel loafers, for example. The list is almost endless.
Let's go back to May, more precisely to the night of the Met Gala. Karlie Kloss (Givenchy), Nicki Minaj, Kate Moss e Bella Hadid (Burberry), Kendall Jenner (Prada), Amy Schumer (Chloé), Joan Smalls (Tom Ford) — all of them deviated from the Gilded Glamour theme and preferred strong, “moody” look in total black that screamed power and elegance in equal measure, and that broke with the empty opulence and extravagance recognized in the so-called Gilded Age. A way of making a point, or simply a coincidence? A mixture of both, but more. Goth has gone from being weird and unusual to the mainstream. This year, the term “gothcore” is one of the most searched on the search engines specializing in fashion, whether by the constant appearances of the couple Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, who seem to live in a post-modern gothic bubble (even their sumptuous wedding, held in Italy, had details of the trend), or by the glimpses of the duo Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly, whose outfits of the day compete directly with the first pair of love birds. In November last year, Taylor Swift had already hinted that we might be on the verge of a goth attack: when she took the stage at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in Ohio, in a black lace jumpsuit courtesy of Louis Vuitton, which winked at her new, emancipated, free phase and shouted: “these clothes are not for girls.” That is if we are to ignore the less obvious — Swift's last album had folk horror references. A similar path to that taken by Olivia Rodrigo, the new music sensation, who seems to have ripped off the well-behaved schoolgirl cardigans and taken on the goth princess aesthetic, which references the emo sub-culture of the 2000s. The intended look? More Wednesday Addams and less “my body has been decomposing for over thirty hours.” The secret is (also) in the make-up.
Because, after all, nobody seems to want perfect makeup when you can have smudged eyeliner, blood-colored lips, and such a nonchalant look that inspires respect... and admiration. Plot twist: goth is finally cool and aspirational. A sign of the times, of course, and as fashion is (always) a reflection of an era, the heavy emotions of recent years are giving way to a way of being full of personality, which does not conform to a rosy world idea — not even for dressing the public persona we take to the street. As Sophie Daly, owner of a goth business on the Depop platform and one of those interviewed by The Guardian, said, “visually a goth could literally be anything now. In 2022, goths don’t even have to wear black.” A good example of unofficial goths that everyone admired? Angelina Jolie, Zoe Kravitz, or Winona Ryder. In order to recreate their glorious street style photos, the demand for iconic pieces from the earlier goth period — read 90s and early 2000s — skyrocketed, with Olivier Theyskens and Rick Owens at the top of the most sought-after designers, while “homages” were seen a bit all over the catwalks, with particular emphasis on the apocalyptic universe of Demna’s Balenciaga and Daniel Roseburry’s creations for Schiaparelli — his spring/summer 2021 Haute Couture collection was dubbed “a gothic fantasy.” Like any trend, an accessory du jour must be highlighted. After fishnet stockings and leather gloves, here comes the era of the corset, either leather or lace. Seen on celebs as disparate as Dua Lipa or Julia Fox, the corset is the final blow to the well-behaved girl image. After it, everything will invariably be dark, sexy and provocative.
Most popular
.jpg)
Gracie Abrams em Lisboa: "Foi libertador ser um pouco mais 'barulhenta' nesta fase da minha vida"
13 Feb 2025

A Mango Selection apresenta a sua nova coleção: eis as escolhas de Vicky Montanari
12 Feb 2025

Relacionados
.jpg)

.jpg)
Gracie Abrams em Lisboa: "Foi libertador ser um pouco mais 'barulhenta' nesta fase da minha vida"
13 Feb 2025