Gothic fashion and culture is a deep and mysterious labyrinth that is difficult to summarize in a few words. This multifaceted subculture encompasses a multitude of branches and movements that give each individual a unique perspective on gothic fashion. However, one key question remains: where does gothic fashion come from?
To understand the roots of gothic fashion, we need to analyze its origins and explore its influences. Let's lift the veil on gothic fashion and explore its beautiful, dark and multifaceted origins, as well as the cultural and social history that underlies it.
Contents
What are the origins of gothic fashion?
Who created gothic fashion?
Modern Gothic Fashion Icons
What are the origins of gothic fashion?
The Victorians
When it comes to the history of gothic fashion, the Victorian lifestyle and customs are an important chapter that cannot be bypassed. Although gothic fashion has evolved to produce modern emo styles and lively gothic styles, the classic Victorian gothic style has always been at the heart of this fashion movement.
During the Victorian era, gothic mourning clothes had a profound effect on the entire fashion world. The high mortality rate at the time made death an everyday topic of conversation. Unlike today's society, where death and darkness are considered taboo, the Victorians embraced these elements as an integral part of their daily lives and maintained an open attitude towards death.
It was this courage to face death that prompted people to express their sadness through clothing, and when Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert died in 1861, she wore only black. High society followed suit, and the behavior evolved into a fashion.
Men wore black gloves, dark suits and, if they wore a hat, a black band. Women's mourning dresses were extremely strict and were usually made of large quantities of black, coarse crepe cloth. Widows would initially wear a black veil, which could be changed to white after a period of time. The mourning period for men is usually only a few months, while for women it can take up to two years.
Glam Rock, Punk and New Romanticism
These pioneers of gothic fashion were a direct outgrowth of the punk movement, whose radical anarchy spread rapidly in the United Kingdom in the 1970s as the era of glam-rock, characterized by sequins, scarves, and heavy makeup, came to an end.
August 1979 marked the dawn of the goth movement as we know it today, with the release of Bauhaus' The Death of Bela Lugosi, which is often regarded as the first goth record. Since then, an entire generation has come to recognize one of the founding fathers of gothic music -- Peter Murphy.
Although Murphy now denies that he belongs to gothic culture and does not explicitly identify himself as part of it, his influence on gothic culture should not be underestimated. He was also influential with Suzie Salk, who is recognized as a model and creator of Gothic fashion.
The charisma of David Bowie, the passionate performances of Patti Smith and Iggy Pop, the melancholic anguish of Joy Division, and the glamor of the New Romantics all contributed to the further growth of the goth subculture in the 1980s. Despite the many stylistic influences, the pioneers of gothic fashion are often credited to Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy and The Cure's Robert Smith.
Who created gothic fashion?
The 20th century saw the emergence of lesser-known style icons who contributed greatly to Gothic fashion and culture, even before they were influenced by the likes of Sukhi Sukh, Peter Murphy and Robert Smith.
Theda Bara
Silent movie star Siddhartha Barra is considered a patriarchal pioneer of gothic fashion and has been called “America's first goth.” Her gothic style broke away from traditional dress in the 1920s and was notable for her dark eye makeup, bold yet eerie clothing, and overall gothic style.
To add to her mystique and appeal, her name and backstory were reimagined. Her real name was Theodosia Burr Goodman, born in Ohio, however the studio changed her name to Siddhartha Barra, an alphabetical rearrangement of Arab Death. The studio fictionalized her backstory almost entirely, claiming that she was interested in the occult and was born in Egypt “in the shadow of the Sphinx” before traveling to Paris to pursue an acting career.
Siddhartha Barra handcrafted those daring costumes and wigs for the movie, most of which, sadly, went up in flames in a fire at MGM Studios. Today, Bala's images are iconic, showcasing her love of long black dresses, bold costumes, dark eye makeup and intense eyes.
Vampira
Vampira, the iconic original character created by Myra Nurmi, was born in 1954 when Myra attended a Hollywood party wearing a vampire costume inspired by Charles Adams' New Yorker cartoons. Attending the party was Hunter Stromberg, Jr., the newly appointed program director of WABC-TV in Los Angeles, who was so taken with Madra's look that he approached her and hired her to create a new, original character, and Vampira was born.
Vampira is aloof but friendly, sarcastic but sincere, and her sharp puns are part of her charm. She wore long, dark dresses with heavy waists, had bushy eyebrows and long, straight, dark hair, a style that was very different from the rock 'n' roll style that was popular in the 1950s. Nurmi didn't just play Vampira in costume; her keen interest in alternative subcultures, the occult, and all things unique suggests that her true gothic temperament wasn't rooted solely in her love of gothic fashion, and that Vampira's personality and style influenced horror-movie night host Elvira, who was known for her “valley girl” style, wit, and gothic style. “ style, wit, and gothic aesthetic that became an icon of the 90s.
Modern Gothic Fashion Icons
Siddhartha Bala and Vampira have certainly blazed the trail for alternative styles. Let's take a look at some of our favorite modern gothic inspirations.
Amy Lee – Evanescence
Amy Lee, the iconic lead singer of Evanescence, needs no introduction. Vogue magazine even praised her as the “Queen of Goth Girl Style.” Amy loves fashion and often designs and creates clothes herself. For example, the dress she wore in the underwater section of the Going Under music video was made by her. Today, with her amazing fashion sense, she continues to inspire a new generation of goth lovers.
Ellie Rowsell – Wolf Alice
Ellie Rosell is the lead singer of Wolf Alice, and her style is cool as hell. Ellie's look tends to lean more towards trashy rock and indie rock, but she has also mentioned that as her confidence has grown and the band's music has evolved, so has her onstage look. In the early days of Wolf Alice, she wore halter dresses and boots, but more recently, she's opted for suits, flowing dresses, and jumpsuits that fit the band's increasingly sophisticated style.
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