Punk

late 70s

The punk subculture is a youth movement based around aggressive genre of punk rock music,which first emerge in the United States and the United Kingdom in the mid-1970s.Early punk fashions intended to appear as confrontational, shocking and rebellious as possible.This style of punk dress was significantly different from what would later be considered the basic punk look.In general Punks stand out with outrageous hair styles in vibrant, unnatural hues,ripped clothing held together by safety pins or wrapped with tape,safety pins and razor blades that are used as jewelry.Punks tend to adorn their favorite rocker jacket or vest with pin-back buttons and patches of bands they love and ideas they believe in, telling the world around them a little bit about who they are.In contrast to punks who believe the fashion is a central part of the punk subculture, there are some punks who are decidedly "anti-fashion," arguing that music and/or ideology should define punk, not fashion.Current factions of the punk subculture have different clothing habits, although there's often crossover between the different subgroups in terms of style.


Punks.Picture taken in The West End, London in June 1972.

Anarchist Fashion

Vivienne Westwood is associated with the punk subculture in Britain in 1970s.She is linked with the Sex Pistols via Malcolm McLaren and their SEX boutique in London during the 1970s.Their early designs captured the essence of street wear during that era, especially the punk youth subculture.Westwood contribute to an aesthetic that brings a subcultural style to the forefront of fashion.
Images: Vivienne Westwood and a poster for the Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the UK Photo PA.

Vivienne Westwood &Malcolm McLaren "Bondage" suit, 1976 Bondage straps between the knees, which were an extension of the sado-masochistic look that they promoted at the time for its shock value.The suit became one of iconic garments of punk style, one that is still in production to this day.





Metal studs, PVC, tartan and fishnets strike a rebellious chord of Punks were present in Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2007 collection .