Everybody’s Raving About Club Culture Fashion
Wide eyes, strobe lights and electronic beats are without a doubt the essence of a rave party. Only a handful of words can describe the euphoric feeling of letting go to the music and finding freedom in the power of the rhythm. Amid laser lights and smoky spaces, a new generation of style emerged, in what we know today as rave culture. In the mid-to-late ‘80s, British youth culture experienced the biggest revolution in music, fashion and lifestyle since the 1960s. The style of ravers reflected both the acid house music of the era, but also the people’s perspectives on life at that time.
With Margaret Thatcher’s new government strategy in place, and the uprising of the miner’s strikes breaking out across the nation, the fashion of rave culture took a new trend approach. Free and functional clothes, a fundamental factor for dancing with ease, took precedence with a disregard for designer labels. Though this was the case for devoted ravers, luxury fashion houses around the world are taking inspiration from dance crowds in a number of ways: In Milan, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons had techno DJ Richie Hawtin create the soundtrack for Prada’s F/W21 show, whilst in Paris, Coperni showcased its same show with a display of clubwear fashion, featuring a curated soundtrack of techno music, and Matthew Williams brought a new look to Givenchy that year, presenting a show that took form as a techno club. While over the years, the rave look evolved along with the scene itself, it kept the same values: uncovering a new expression and form of fluidity for gender and sexuality.
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The term “to rave” originated in the 1950s, meaning to party excessively, and was coined by jazz musician, Mick Mulligan, who was later dubbed the “King of the Ravers”. Raves were initially used to describe the wild Bohemian parties held by the Beatnik in Soho, London, but later became a term used for the booming mod youth culture of the early 1960s to describe wild parties in general. American rock and roll singer, Buddy Holly’s “Rave On”, referenced the term, describing it as the “madness and frenzy of a feeling, and the desire for it to never end”. The impact of rave style on fashion was widespread, as an array of looks, ranging from fluorescent T-shirts to tiny surf shorts, to bandanas and boiler suits and bucket hats, undermined luxury labels of fashion, however also inspired them for future collections. In the late ‘80s, clubgoers swapped designer outfits for a unisex oversized T-shirt and sneakers look.
Overalls and oversized became the trend amongst ravers, for freedom of both movement and expression. The most recognizable clothing item of that time was the Acid House Smiley T-shirt that featured a yellow smiley face that best conveyed the main values of the rave community: peace, love, unity and respect. By the mid ‘90s, sportswear replaced the industrial look and brands began to incorporate rave fashion which, in turn, brought a greater streetwear influence to the fashion industry, and rave essentials extended to Stüssy T-shirts, Adidas tracksuits, coloured shades and spaghetti-strap tops.
The interpretation of the word “rave” was perhaps used broadly, changing throughout the decades due to evolving music genres, however, several aspects of its definition have remained the same, such as the style of the partygoers and their rave spirits. Club culture and rave fashion became an important aspect of lifestyle to many, providing an atmosphere of freedom and fluidity for every gender and sexuality. It was a subculture of fashion that was generally seen as ambiguous in its styling as it was and still is today, more about providing a sense of community amongst the people. There is no fixed identity or style in the crowds of raves, but instead, spaces that encourage freedom and fluidity.
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