The document explores the origins and influence of punk fashion. It discusses how Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren's London clothing shop in the 1970s served as a home base for high-end punk fashion and helped establish many of its iconic styles. Key punk fashion elements are then outlined, such as safety pins, tartan fabrics, controversial graphics, and leather/vinyl materials. The document also examines how punk aesthetics have been referenced in high fashion couture over decades and continue to influence modern streetwear trends.

1. p u n k x f a s h i o n
B Y G I O N N A K I N C H E N • T Y L E 2 4 6 8
a zine exploring punk's
influence on streetwear
& couture throughout
contemporary history

2. vivienne westwood,
sex, and the origins of
punk fashion
V I V I E N N E W E S T W O O D A N D M A L C O L M M C L A R E N ' S
L O N D O N S H O P W A S A C O R N E R S T O N E F O R P U N K
F A S H I O N .
In 1971, Malcolm McLaren and his then-girlfriend Vivienne
Westwood began selling secondhand clothes and items
designed by Westwood in their store at 430 King's Road in
London. Throughout the seventies and eighties, the shop
would go through several rebrandings and transformations,
eventually becoming an iconic location in fashion history.
The shop, which most notably went by the names "Too Fast
To Live, Too Young To Die," "SEX," "Seditionaries," and
"World's End," served as the home base for high-end punk
fashion. Among its patrons and employees were punk icons
such as the Sex Pistols, Siouxie Sioux, and Chrissie Hynde,
who were drawn to Westwood's designs for their
provocative graphics and fetish-inspired silhouettes and
materials. As Westwood developed as a designer, she would
eventually go on to found her own brand, Vivienne
Westwood, now one of the world's premier couturiers.
1971:
mclaren
and
westwood

3. P U N K F A S H I O N , L I K E A N Y O T H E R S T Y L E ,
H A S S E V E R A L I D E N T I F Y I N G E L E M E N T S .
H E R E A R E S O M E O F T H E M .
SAFETY PINS AND STUDS
Safety pins and studs are some of the most
recognizable identifiers in punk fashion. The use
of the safety pin in punk fashion was originally
utilitarian—it was used to hold together tattered
clothing, or attach patches to jackets and other
articles of clothing.
TARTAN
Tartan emerged in the 1980s punk scene, where
tartan kilts and skirts were often worn by punks.
Since then, tartan has become a staple in punk
fashion, and has been interpreted in countless
different ways.
CONTROVERSIAL GRAPHICS
In the early punk scene, a staple in many punks'
wardrobes were clothes featuring purposely
offensive or shocking graphics. Things like
swastikas and inverted crucifixes were common.
LEATHER, VINYL, AND RUBBER
BDSM-inspired silhouettes and fabrics were
often worn in punk circles, and things like leather
jackets and bondage pants became staples.
COMBAT BOOTS
Big, clunky boots are an essential part of punk
fashion. Dr. Martens became the boot of choice
for many punks in the 1980s.
cornerstones
of punk
fashion

4. punk goes
couture
P U N K H A S B E E N M A K I N G I T S M A R K O N
T H E H I G H F A S H I O N W O R L D F O R
D E C A D E S .
V I V I E N N E W E S T W O O D F / W 1 9 9 3
Punk is one of the most oft-referenced
subcultures in contemporary couture. Perhaps
because of its history of strong political
messaging, or simply because of its
rambunctious and rebellious ties to youth
culture, countless designers have put their
own unique spin on punk styling. The next
several pages will be dedicated to
highlighting the various high fashion
interpretations of classic punk style.
J U N Y A W A T A N A B E F A L L 2 0 1 7 R T W

5. J E A N P A U L G A U L T I E R S / S 2 0 1 1 H A U T E C O U T U R E
In this Chanel look, fashion legend Karl
Lagerfeld interprets Chanel's signature
tweed in a rebellious way, combining a
moody color palette and pattern that is
reminiscent of punk's classic tartan. Adding
to the edge is the feathered sleeves, which
appear almost tattered on the runway, and
the matching chain-strap bag and edgy
hairdo.
C H A N E L F / W 2 0 1 4 H A U T E C O U T U R E
Jean Paul Gaultier often cites punk as one of
his most important references, and it shows
in his Spring 2011 Haute Couture collection
inspired by British punk and French can-can.
In the look pictured above, JPG combines
traditionally feminine botanical lace and t-
strap heels with an edgy high-low skirt and
pants, and punk-inspired leather fingerless
gloves and spiked hairdo.

6. A L E X A N D E R M C Q U E E N S / S 2 0 1 9
Moschino's off-the-wall brand identity shines
in their Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear collection, a
tongue-in-cheek commentary on the
philosophy of seeing fashion everywhere, in
everything. Here, the model wears a dress
literally made out of a trash bag, an idea
lifted from women in the early punk scene
who often wore garbage bags as dresses and
skirts. The idea of purposely defying what is
seen as acceptable and proper is a
cornerstone of punk, and Moschino takes that
philosophy to the next level by literally
presenting a trash bag as couture. This look
could also be interpreted as a whimsical
endorsement of sustainable fashion and
upcycling, another idea that coincides
perfectly with punk's historical use of fashion
to express political and social messaging.
M O S C H I N O F A L L 2 0 1 7 R T W
Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2019
collection took inspiration from the painter
Francis Bacon and the photographer John
Deakin, using graphics inspired by and lifted
from the two artists' work to create striking
punk-esque looks like the one above. The
house of McQueen has consistently pushed
the envelope of what's acceptable in fashion,
and embracing the edgier side of life isn't
out of character for the brand. In this full-
leather look, a studded motorcycle jacket is
paired with leather pants, both covered in a
messy graffiti-style print. The clunky boots
round out the look and make it all the more
punk.

7. V E R S A C E S / S 1 9 9 4 R T W
Rei Kawakubo's Comme des Garçons has
consistently embraced punk, both in its
philosophy and aesthetics. In this look from
the brand's Fall/Winter 2000 Ready-to-Wear
collection, the classic punk tartan is splashed
over a tailored jacket and paired with a
flowing tulle skirt. It plays on the ideas of
androgyny and gendered dress, a concept
that has been woven into the very identity of
punk since the beginning.
C O M M E D E S G A R Ç O N S F / W 2 0 0 0 R T W
This Versace dress became iconic in 1994
when it was worn by Elizabeth Hurley,
pictured above, to a red carpet movie
premiere. Here, Versace marries punk,
sexuality, and classic glamour by crafting an
evening gown with a high slit, plunging
neckline, and exposed obliques, all held
together with safety pins, a staple in punk
fashion. In the spirit of punk, the dress
caused quite a bit of controversy for its edgy
and revealing nature. It remains arguably the
single most recognizable piece of clothing
Versace ever produced, and the garment
that made the brand a household name.

8. I R I S V A N H E R P E N B R I N G S P U N K T O T H E N E W A G E .
Iris van Herpen is one of the most promising designers to
emerge this century, and her forward-thinking designs go
beyond referencing punk aesthetics (although you will find
a physical reference here and there, like the studded
leather number pictured above). Where van Herpen shines
brightest is in her embodiment of the philosophy of punk.
Van Herpen has consistently pushed the envelope in the
fashion world, creating mindblowingly intricate pieces using
methods and materials never before seen in couture. Van
Herpen often relies on combining technology with fashion,
and was one of the first designers in the world to ever 3D
print garments. Her work encapsulates rebellion: she rebels
from the haute couture tradition of handcrafted garments
and looks to the future of fashion with sustainable
technology and science, and she rebels from traditional
standards of beauty with her disconcerting yet hypnotizing
avant-garde silhouettes. And like the punks before her, van
Herpen sees her brand as a personal exercise in freedom. In
an interview with EuroNews, van Herpen said, "My work is all
about freedom. And I think we should all be able to express
ourselves the way we feel, to be able to express our own
identity and to be creative in that. I think anybody should
be able to wear what they want."
today:
iris van
herpen and
the
philosophy of
punk

9. punk influences in
modern streetwear
P U N K R E M A I N S A N E S S E N T I A L
R E F E R E N C E I N M O D E R N S T R E E T W E A R
A N D Y O U T H C U L T U R E .
Punk fashion started as streetwear, so it's no
surprise that the subculture has had a lasting
influence on everyday dress. The DIY ethos of
punk is a large part of the reason why it's had
so much of an effect on the way people
express themselves in everyday life—punk is all
about authenticity and accessibility, and so is
streetwear. Today, we can see the influence of
punk in modern wardrobe staples like political
t-shirts, like the popular ones sold by Black
Lives Matter, which harken back to the
controversial and highly political graphic shirts
worn by punks in the 70s and 80s. It makes
perfect sense: punk was a subculture born out
of dissatisfaction with the status quo and
defiance of hegemony. We're currently living
through one of the most politically and socially
tumultuous times in American history, and punk
serves as a touchstone for the outward
expression of that dissatisfaction. For young
people, that defiance comes naturally—among
Generation Z, a new subculture has emerged in
the late 2010s that takes quite a few visual
cues from punk. "E-girl" and "e-boy" fashion,
which, by the way, were the top two "outfit
idea" Google search queries respectively in
2019, take inspiration from punk, goth, hip-hop
and skate fashion. Safety pins, tartan, clunky
boots, graphic shirts and silver jewelry are a
huge part of this newly emerging subculture. It
only serves as more proof that punk isn't going
anywhere—it remains one of the most prominent
cultural touchstones in contemporary history,
both on and off the runway.