The Height of Rave Sub-Culture
The rave scene was the pinnacle of youth counter-culture during the late 80s and early 90s. The merging of Chicago’s House and Detroit’s Techno birthed a new creation dubbed Acid House. Warehouses and empty fields became prime locations for these raves, influencing a fashion built to survive the outdoor all-nighters. Relaxed fits, neon and the iconic smiley face became the face of an era.
Margaret Thatcher clamped down hard on this culture, passing the ‘Illegal Rave Act’ in 1994 which banned any form of partying involving more than 20 people, ultimately destroying the outdoor scene. Living off hype, nightclubs began to imitate these parties but in a legal indoor setting and became the introduction to super clubs.
Acid House expanded into various subgenres — one of the most prominent being Jungle. A Caribbean-influenced sound that connected ravers from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds in the UK. Pioneered by DJs like Fabio and Grooverider, they found their audience through club nights like Rage, mixing bass-heavy sounds with reggae, funk and hip-hop which sonically formed the foundation of Drum ’n’ Bass. The eccentric patterns and colours of Acid House remained intact, but the bold branding of Moschino and Burberry now sit on satin shirts and bucket hats.
From streetwear to luxury, the 90s is an era of nostalgia that is regularly being tapped in to. Designers like Martine Rose are known for channelling 90s rave aesthetics in her designs with Prada and Raf Simons releasing rave inspired collections in recent years.
Goldie says “I strongly believe any form of music or artistic movement that has its identity and culture rooted in the UK in this way will last forever”
Written by Ali Twice for @originalshift
