Anti-Fashion: An Age of Radical Rebellion
How to be unapologetically oneself and gain the confidence to put oneself out there to question the trends and to break the rules.
Anti Fashion refers to different styles of dress which are above all else a contradiction of the trends of the day. This can be seen as a sort of rebellion against trends in fashion. It is typically radically creative and considerably outrages. While it is a relatively old idea it reached its peak in the ’90s, it gave young designers the confidence to put themselves out there to question the trends and to break away from them.
It was then when legends of the fashion world found their start. Belgium designers ‘The Antwerp Six’ particularly Ann Demeulemeester were among the pioneers of the movement after they drove from their hometown in Belgium to London for their debut their collections in the British Designer Show as well as Raf Simons who emerged afterwards and Martin Margiela who emerged shortly before the group.
Although iconic designers like Yohji Yamamoto, Vivienne Westwood, Rei Kawakubo and Issey Miyake emerged long before The Antwerp six they were instrumental in ushering in this new age. Their stand-out style set the scene for it and lay the groundwork it.
Yohji Yamamoto has always done what he wants to do rather following popular trends. His work is edgy and rebellious. He took the world by storm when he opened his Paris boutique in 1981. Never had the world seen such over silhouetted, dark tones and drapery designs. He took a dark approach to women’s wear in a time when rainbow brights were huge. Saying that ‘Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy- but mysterious. But above all black says ‘I don’t bother you- You bother me.’ in an interview with the New York Times. His passion for quality was seen in the luxurious fabrics that he used. He takes inspiration from nobody but himself. He pays great attention to detail. Today his label Y-3 boasts stand-alone stores all around the globe.
Vivienne Westwood played a huge role in the punk movement giving the adolescent youth of the day an identity, her garments were used as a sign of rebellion. Saying that ‘I don’t think that punk is a spectre or overemphasized-it made a big impression, as there had never been anything like it before. She took old styles and turned them into something outrages and rebellious but her most well-known phase came when she reached the third phase of her store. It was seen as a backlash against all things retail. It was open sporadically. It was as much about attitude as it was about fashion. But did not find international success until her 1981 collection ‘Pirate.’ Which displayed ethnic cutting techniques based on rectangles. It was a unisex exploration of the past-made-future. It was during this time she began to find her feet as a designer and to become independent from the style of her then partner. She found power in the past saying once in an interview that “We are the past. Where do you get your ideas from, if not from the past?”
Issey Miyake set the foundation for Japanese designers by being one of the first Japanese designers to showcase their work in Paris. He is the recipient of the Legion of honour and for good reason. His designs allowed the wearer to choose how to wear clothes. He took Japanese dress and reworked them with his own techniques. In post-war Japan when the Japanese were facing an identity crisis he gave them an identity, something to identify with. He was a champion at balancing western and eastern cultures at a time when the two were so divided. He reshaped the symmetry of clothes. Although he has said that he is opposed to the words “haute couture,” “mode,” and “fashion because they ‘imply a quest for novelty.’
Rei Kwabukubo’s greatest works have always reflected her philosophy of self-sufficient women. Her clothes questioned the idea of dressing for attention once saying that, ‘They are for modern, working women. Women who do not need to assure their happiness by looking sexy to men, by emphasising their figures, but who attract them with their minds.’ She explored the relationship of clothes to the body. But it was her 1982 collection Destroy that put her over the top it features overly large, loosely knit sweaters with holes of varying sizes that looked like had been slashed open. It was a dark style that was dubbed the ‘Postastmastic look’. It began a revolution, it redefined idea’s of beauty, she created a whole new idea of body and dress. Her response to her success being, ‘I never intended to start a revolution. I only came to Paris with the intention of showing what I thought was strong and beautiful. It just so happened that my notion was different from everybody else’s.’
It should come as no surprise that Ann Demeulemeester played a huge role in this movement the designer has never been one to do what everybody else is doing. She doesn’t follow trends she starts them. She was one of the first designers to merge menswear and womenswear creating ‘unisex’ clothing. But before she was a fashion icon and hugely successful businesswomen she caught the attention of the world for the first time at the 1986 British Designer Show where her distinct style, use of contrast between black and white and unique pairings made her stand out above the rest and turned the world of fashion on its head. Saying that ‘Black is not sad. Bright colours are what depresses me. They’re so… empty. Black is poetic. How do you imagine a poet? In a bright yellow jacket? Probably not.’ when talking about her use of colour or lack thereof. But the designer did not hit her stride until later with her S/S97 collection with its features of mismatched clothing, one-shouldered outfits and clothing cut to look like they were falling off in a ‘Grunge-meets-Gangsta way’ so wrote Katherine Betts, The result? It left boutiques, shops, studios and even museums grappling for her designs as well as an urgency to create something similar. It was on that day when she secured her status as an ‘Icon’. She has, of course, continued to rock the industry with outstanding style and her brilliant mind since.
Raf Simons is arguably the most influential menswear designers on the planet. Kanye West has humbled him as his ‘idol. Anne Wintour has named him ‘rock star in his own right.’ and ASAP Rocky has gone as far to call him a ‘Fashion God.’ From the beginning, he has said that his design is connected to emotion and this is reflected in his work. His surroundings have always reflected in his work. He burst out onto the scene in 1995 but did not participate in his first fashion show until 1997 where he debuted his fall-Winter collection of the year. A transformative show in his career. It was here he unveiled his school referenced clothing a ‘American college students and English schoolboys with a background of New Wave and Punk.’ a theme that would become reoccurring in his work. “I am somebody who focuses on a dialogue between generations, that’s the drive of my work. I believe the young generation take the power; they’ll take over at one point, but the older generation, they’ll push it away only because of the fear. I’m the opposite; I’m curious.” he said when discussing his inspiration later saying that ‘I am very attracted to things that I cannot define.’
Martin Margiela although not an official member of ‘The Antwerp Six’ he is considered to be an honorary member of the group considering he graduated alongside the six and he too was part of what began the movement. His breakthrough fashion show came in 1989 where he debuted his winter/fall 1989 collection on the catwalk of a fashion show on the outskirts of Paris that broke every rule in the book, the seating plan was first come first serve., the front role was full of local children and the runway was uneven. The industry fell in love with it. Since then his shows have taken place in venues like subway cars and playgrounds. He has famously refused interviews and the public spotlight. His works have challenged almost every convention in the fashion system. Taking a stance against inequality, consumption and social standings. He is widely known for his artisanal style from which he created from vintage clothing that he gave a new purpose. His designs are can be easily recreated at home with a sewing machine which most may argue is part of its appeal.
One common denominator amongst all of these incredible people is that they had the courage to stand out, to break away from the crowd, to be different, to be unapologetically themselves and to create a style that was special and unique to them and reflected who they were and what they stood for and a result of their bravery they became icons.
Since the beginning of year 2020, Ad Astra is stocked in and represented by omnifinery.com.
Text: Editorial Staff
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Evgeny is an art director and a global citizen based in Hong Kong and working between Asia and Europe.
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