Music has been the key influencer in keeping goth and alternative fashion styles relevant over time. Through research including literature reviews, surveys, and interviews, the author determined that music from the 1970s/80s like Siouxsie and the Banshees helped establish goth fashion, while 90s artists like Winona Ryder influenced alternative style. Modern artists now influence the styles, continuing the cycle. The author prototyped various fashion and design elements and plans to create an experience center event to showcase how music drives goth fashion culture.

1. How Media Created Goth
Capstone 2020 Final Presentation
Kilee Tiner

2. Introduction
For my Senior Capstone, I am creating a project that answers the question “How
and why do certain fashion trends such as goth and alternative continue to cycle
and stay relevant within society?”
My topic takes a look at how music, social media, advertising, and other forms of
communication influence and keep the styles alive.
I plan on using my project to show and introduce others to the history Gothic and
Alt fashion, while informing them on how powerful music, design, and media is in
the alternative fashion world.

3. Research - literature & internet
I started out this project with research focusing mainly on surveys, interviews, and
deep literature and internet research.
“Based off of my deep research, the survey, and the interviews, the key influencers
for goth and alt fashion come from music, all the way back to the 1970’s and 1980’s,
where it really first started to emerge. Key influencers from the past are those such
as Siouxie and The Banshees, for the early traditional goth, and people like Winona
Ryder for the 90’s alt scene, but nowadays, it seems people entering the alt fashion
community are influenced by modern artists, which were influenced by past artists.
Research has led me to the conclusion that fashion is a cycle, it will continue to stay
relevant as long as the key influencers and musicians continue to dress and cycle
the fashion from the past. Media is key.”

4. Research - surveys
The conclusion from my survey
with 54 responders was that most
people believe music is the key
influence for fashion styles.

5. Research - interviews
I conducted three interviews, one
over the phone, one through email,
and the other a zoom video call.
From those three, I was again able
to confirm that music was and has
been the key media influencer for
goth fashion, as well as friends and
social media like AOL messenger.
Interview video clip with Chloe

6. Week 7 Prototyping
Once research was done, it
was time to dive into
prototyping. I organized my
tasks by week.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4XguAD
x-
LAKcKJxcr24asS3?si=LRxqrwr5QLuOx
Qfu0nCi2g
Link to playlist
moodboard
Font creation preview
Physical poster

7. Week 8 Prototyping
Gift box
packaging
design and
physical build

8. Week 8 Prototyping - continued
Style inspo and
before and after
photo editing

9. Week 9 Prototyping
Sketches for sewing and designed shirt,
progress and final.

10. Week 9 Prototyping -
continued
Embroidery practice and zine using
inDesign pages

11. Week 10 Prototyping
For week 10, I researched app building
websites but ended up changing the
swag bag task to a brand identity task a
little more, since I realized I had no brand
identity.
Current app building websites - some research
Adobe xd - familiar with and easy to use, not sure if builds actual app tho
App machine - Drag and drop almost spoon fed style, easy to use.
appery.io cloud based, easy to use with apple
https://mashable.com/article/build-mobile-apps/ website has good list of
resources.

12. Conclusion
In conclusion, I have decided to go forward with an experience center event for my
final project, which will include a variety of items mentioned in week 10 research. I
have came to the conclusion that music is the strongest leading factor for goth
fashion culture, and that I want to showcase how that works. My research was able
to help me prototype items and tasks to solve the initial question that prompted the
project. Through my prototyping, I was able to determine what to go forward with and
what to include now that I’ve done the research and tested out a few things.
My next steps will include: creating a solid brand identity for the event, coming up
with a final list of things to include for the event, how to set it up to be physical and
visually pleasing, conducting a photoshoot, designing all small aspects and goodie
bag items, designing an outfit to be displayed, and coming up with solid ideation for
the final project display.

13. THANK YOU!