Do you know grunge? Debora Ferrara Design for the fashion system Politecnico di Milano x index what is grunge history of grunge generation X Kurt Cobain the king of fashion fashion trends xdo you know what are you wearing? rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be deadwhat thanis grunge? cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool sound- garden
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alice in Grunge is a word that became synonymous with the Seattle sound. It’s a word that was used to describe a number chains of different “alternative” bands from the region in 1980s, and then also into the 1990s with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney and Screaming Trees. The first noted instance of referring to a Seattle band as “grunge,” was in a 1981 letter by Mark Arm, according to Clark Humphrey in his account of the Seattle music scene, Loser. pearl jam Bruce Pavitt later claimed to have popularized the term as a musical label in 1987, when he wrote some promotional copy for Green River, describing the band as “ultra-loose grunge that destroyed the morals of a generation”. In the late 80s, “grunge” did actually define a sound – high levels of distortion, feedback, fuzz effects, a fusion of punk and metal influences. Many of these bands were on either the C/Z or Sub Pop record labels. Jack Endino, the so-called “Godfather of Grunge” recorded Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Green River, Nirvana and Blood Circus between 1984 and 1989. But, by 1990, “grunge,” as a synonym for loud, heavy music, had peaked. 1991
Bands like Green River, the U-Men, Cat Butt, Feast and Blood Circus had broken up; Mudhoney and Soundgarden were veering into a new sound, and the scene was full of bands that didn’t fit the original label, like the Fastbacks, Young Fresh Fellows, Posies, Walkabouts and Beat Happening. Even Nirvana, now liberated from the more restrictive sound requirements of Sub Pop, wanted to go into a poppier direction. Their more commercial approach was apparent in their breakthrough album, 1991’s Nevermind. The 80s version of grunge, with long-haired musicians wailing away in front of tiny crowds at squalid clubs like the Central Tavern or Squid Row, was dead. In 1991, Nirvana’s Nevermind album, Pearl Jam’s Ten, and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger were all released, and the following year, Alice in Chains released their landmark album, Dirt. With four huge alternative stars all hailing from the same region, the music media wanted a label to describe this new Seattle sound. Despite the music sounding significantly different from each other, the “big four” Seattle bands were all labelled as grunge. Any other bands from Seattle at the time, were lumped into the category as well. Alright, I’m ready now, ready now I ain’t gonna, I ain’t gonna stop right now, no Alright, I’ll take it on, take it on me Take it on me, ooh baby All I ever ask, ever ask is Do you wanna, do you wanna see my fire Tonight, and take it with, take it with me Take it with me, hm baby? What if I left and it made no sense And you tell your friends and they hold your hands? Baby, nevermind, nevermind Nevermind, nevermind
nirvana - nevermind rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be deadhistory than of grunge cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool melvins
Doing it say I’m meat Which one stole my time Didn’t you say you’d watch it? Didn’t I? Evil stripped in me Three more stripped in time. Didn’t you say you’ve gotmelvins-revolve it? Watch me...Ah!
It all started with the Melvins. Forming in 1983 in Washington State, the band, as well as its generational peers, spent their time listening to the likes of KISS, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. The city of Seattle at that time was just shedding its hippie image while holding onto the hippie values of counterculture and non conformity. The Melvins were the first step in mixing metal and punk. In 1984, Green River and Soundgarden formed, followed by the Screaming Trees in 1985. The year 1986 brought the founding of Sub Pop Records and saw Seattle-based record label C/Z Records’ first release, Deep Six. This compilation, credited as the first distribution of grunge, included the Melvins, Green River, Soundgarden, Malfunkshun, Skin Yard, and The U-Men. The following year saw the forming of Alicve in Chains. Between 1988 and 1990, the tight-knit group of Seattle bands did a lot of member-trading and band transforming. Green River split into two groups: the members who wanted to stay “underground” formed Mudhoney, while those who wanted to become famous rock group formed Mother Love Bone. Representing another shift in those values of non-conformity. Soundgarden signed in 1988 with a mainstream label, A&M Records, to the dismay of many of their fans. At the start of the new decade, Mother Love Bone was set to become the rock stars they wanted to be when Wood unexpetedly died of a heroin overdose. Wood’s roommate, Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, wrote a tribute to his late friend. A few songs played with the surviving Mother Love Bone members turned into an entire album, Temple of the Dog. When Cornell decided that one of the songs would be better as a duet, he invited a backup vocalist, Eddie Vedder, to join him for the singing of “Hunger Strike”. chris cornell In the same year, Eddie Vedder joined the remaining Mother Love Bone members in eddie vedder “Society, you’re a crazy breed.”
eddie vedder
creating a new band, first named Mookie Blaylock, and then renamed Pearl Jam. Still, in 1990, Nirvana had yet to find a full- time drummer. Eventually, they were introduced to Dave Grohl through-coming full-circle-their friends, the Melvins. And so all the staple grunge bands of the ‘90s were made possible and grew through immense collaboration and perseverance. Before any of these bands really left Seattle, they would describe themselves in self- deprecasting ways, mostly as jokes, calling their bands dirt, scum and grunge. In 1991, when Nirvana reached number one on the Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart, with Pearl Jam following closely behind, “grunge” turned from a joketo an actual descriptor of the rock music subgenre characterized by guitar distortion, feedback and heartfelt, anguished lyrics. That same year, Mudhoney and the Screaming Trees entered into indie success. Soundgarden didn’t catch up with the commercial success of Nirvana and Pearl Jam until 1994. rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be deadgeneration than x cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool it-girlkate moss
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A label attributed to people born during the 1960s and Messy hair, careless makeup, flannel shirts and 1970s. Members of Generation X are often described vintage items are stapless of the grunge wardrobe. as cynical or disaffected, though this reputation Floral dresses paired with combat boots was the obviously does not apply to all people born during uniform of Riot Grrrls. Shirts with slogands and band this era. Many were beginning to see the effects of t-shirts images were paired with torn jeans. capitalism and didn’t support it. They refused to believe Grunge fashion was developed by Generation X and in societal classes and were annoyed by the idea of is a reflection of their frustration with the side effects of human value being defined by money and property. the eighties economical upswing. They didn’t approve of ”serving the machine” aka The grunge lifestyle is about individuality. It is filled career-oriented lifestyle. with people who want to be known for their words and People belonging to this group disdain of conformity work instead of adhering to what is expected of them. shows itself through grunge fashion. Through their style they express this philosophy. They Neil Young (who is known as the Godfather of Grunge), avoid spending too much time on grooming and favor Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden had looks that break the molds of society. They mix new gained huge commercial success and their style was pieces with retro or vintage styles and avoid chasing influencing fashion. People who dressed in grunge commercial trends in an attempt to remove themselves were seen as the ultimate rebels of their generation. from the pitfalls of capitalism. rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be deadkurt than cobain cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rather be dead than cool rath be dead than cool “I don't care what you think unless it is about me.”
"I am not gay, although I wish I were, just to piss xoff homophobes."
“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”
“I d rather be hated for who I am than loved“ for who I am not Kurt Cobain was born in 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. Kurt and his family lived in Hoquiam for the first few months of his life then later moved back to Aberdeen, where he had a happy childhood until his parents divorced. The divorce left Kurt’s outlook on the world forever scarred. He became withdrawn and anti-social. He was constantly placed with one relative to the next, living with friends, and at times even homeless. Kurt was not the most popular person in high school as he was in public school. In 1985 Kurt left Aberdeen for Olympia where he formed the band Nirvana in 1986. In 1989 Nirvana recorded their debut album Bleach under the independent label Sub-Pop records. Nirvana became very popular in Britain and by 1991 they signed a contract with Geffen. Their next album Nevermind became a 90s masterpiece and made Kurt’s Nirvana one of the most successful bands in the world. Kurt became trampled upon with success and found the new lifestyle hard to bear. In February 1992 Kurt married Courtney Love, the woman who was already pregnant with his child, Frances Bean Cobain. Nirvana released their next album Incesticide later that year. The album appealed to many fans due to the liner notes, which expressed Kurt’s open- mindedness. In September 1993 Nirvana released their next album, ‘In Utero’, which topped the charts. On March 4, 1994, Kurt was taken to hospital in a coma. It was officially stated as an accident but many believe it to have been an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Family and friends convinced Kurt to seek rehab. Kurt was said to have fled rehab after only a few days from a missing person’s report filed by Courtney Love. On April 8th Kurt’s body was found in his Seattle home. In his arms was a shotgun, which had been fired into his head. Near him laid a suicide note written in red ink. It was addressed to his wife Courtney Love and his daughter Frances Bean Cobain. Two days after Kurt’s body was discovered people gathered in Seattle, they began setting fires, chanting profanities, and fighting with police officers. They also listened to a tape of Courtney reading sections of the suicide note left by Kurt. The last few words were “I love you, I love you”. x x
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than than be rath cool rather be be rather dead _ in the Kurt Cobain has an enshrined place pantheon. fashion’s probably the antithesis of the Though it’s no denying there’s punk attitude he lived for, choices how his gender-subversive fashion idea have gone on to inform a radically new of androgyny that resonates with millennials today and rejects the archaic social against. conventions that Cobain once rallied denim to love of disheveled From Cobain’s we take worn-in fabrics to grandad cardigans, dominant trends and a deep dive into today’s show you how Cobain did them all first. raf simons spring 2017 chen peng autumn 2018 . oversization
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Literally, everything he wore was completely ill-fitting, ill-fitting, completely was wore he everything Literally,
silhouette his own aesthetic signature in the ‘90s. ‘90s. the in signature aesthetic own his silhouette
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street style phenomenon. phenomenon. style street
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sartorial spectrum. spectrum. sartorial
definitely sits on the more subversive end of the the of end subversive more the on sits definitely
but Kurt Cobain wearing pajamas to his wedding wedding his to pajamas wearing Cobain Kurt but
shirt when it’s rendered in Italian silk (thanks, Gucci) Gucci) (thanks, silk Italian in rendered it’s when shirt
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outerwear has been writ large across the runways. runways. the across large writ been has outerwear
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billowing, distressed sweaters with destroyed hemming, probably probably hemming, destroyed with sweaters distressed billowing,
Today’s street style capitals are filled with fashion folk donning donning folk fashion with filled are capitals style street Today’s
homage to Cobain, by way of Margiela. Margiela. of way by Cobain, to homage
recently, it was Raf Simons’ whose FW16 collection that paid paid that collection FW16 whose Simons’ Raf was it recently,
Though Yeezy Season One also featured tattered knits, more more knits, tattered featured also One Season Yeezy Though
wear, XXL-scale shapes. shapes. XXL-scale wear,
design DNA, like the designer’s love for distressing, conspicuous conspicuous distressing, for love designer’s the like DNA, design
between Cobain’s anti-fashion stance and Margiela’s off-kilter off-kilter Margiela’s and stance anti-fashion Cobain’s between
There is probably a gamut of aesthetic comparisons to make make to comparisons aesthetic of gamut a probably is There
fashion is Martin Margiela. Margiela. Martin is fashion
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back knitwear seems like an unlikely reference today. today. reference unlikely an like seems knitwear back
The late rock star’s love for sloppy, careworn, ripped and patched patched and ripped careworn, sloppy, for love star’s rock late The
could have such staying power? power? staying such have could Who knew Kurt Cobain’s ratty, moth-eaten, thrift-store knitwear knitwear thrift-store moth-eaten, ratty, Cobain’s Kurt knew Who
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simple, pale oval shades basically cemented Cobain’s Cobain’s cemented basically shades oval pale simple,
features of the Grunge God’s immortal style. These These style. immortal God’s Grunge the of features
Arguably, they can be considered one of the most iconic iconic most the of one considered be can they Arguably,
Christian Roths. Roths. Christian Cobain loved his alien-esque, Jackie O shades by by shades O Jackie alien-esque, his loved Cobain
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behemoths from Gucci to Versace all jumping on the trend. trend. the on jumping all Versace to Gucci from behemoths
trends but it’s now taken a universal approach, with big brand brand big with approach, universal a taken now it’s but trends
Steinmetz are solely focused on a millennial take on nineties denim denim nineties on take millennial a on focused solely are Steinmetz
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silhouettes. silhouettes.
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holes, shredded and ripped as hell. hell. as ripped and shredded holes,
always vintage, sandblasted, washed-out, worn-in, ridden with with ridden worn-in, washed-out, sandblasted, vintage, always
Cobain wore his angst as well as he wore his denim, and it was was it and denim, his wore he as well as angst his wore Cobain
nonchalance when it came to literally everything. everything. literally to came it when nonchalance style, and that’s thanks to Cobain and his enviable sense of of sense enviable his and Cobain to thanks that’s and style, x grunge of signature hallmark a been always has denim Distressed . ss18 Alexander wang daniel johnston for supreme daniel sacai ss17 sacai .tees band
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the ‘Hi, How Are You’ shirt, styled over a grungy-girl-on-the-prairie look look grungy-girl-on-the-prairie a over styled shirt, You’ Are How ‘Hi, the
brand Sacai made a subtle nod to Cobain, with its own take on take on on take on take own its with Cobain, to nod subtle a made Sacai brand
Fast forward a few years and high-fashion have followed suit. Japanese Japanese suit. followed have high-fashion and years few a forward Fast
2012. 2012.
status, and the singer even lent his illustrations to Supreme back in in back Supreme to illustrations his lent even singer the and status,
Thanks to Cobain, Daniel Johnston’s iconic artwork has reached cult cult reached has artwork iconic Johnston’s Daniel Cobain, to Thanks
into the limelight. limelight. the into
inadvertently thrusting Daniel Johnston, an outsider artist at the time, time, the at artist outsider an Johnston, Daniel thrusting inadvertently
Johnston’s album art) at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, Awards, Music Video MTV 1992 the at art) album Johnston’s
Most famously, he wore the ‘Hi, How Are You’ shirt (bearing Daniel Daniel (bearing shirt You’ Are How ‘Hi, the wore he famously, Most
icons, however, Cobain chose a more underground approach. approach. underground more a chose Cobain however, icons,
Nowadays, the trend for band tees exclusively indulges the mainstream mainstream the indulges exclusively tees band for trend the Nowadays,
the tribute tee into his garb of off-beat grunge. grunge. off-beat of garb his into tee tribute the
fate, it was zeitgeist-shaker Kurt Cobain who unapologetically worked worked unapologetically who Cobain Kurt zeitgeist-shaker was it fate,
Kanye West to Justin Bieber to Kim Kardashian and in an ironic twist of of twist ironic an in and Kardashian Kim to Bieber Justin to West Kanye Nirvana T-shirts are donned by everyone from trend-riding millennials to to millennials trend-riding from everyone by donned are T-shirts Nirvana . Alexander wang ss18 Alexander wang
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tee, Kanye readily pairs his plaid with Supreme and and Supreme with plaid his pairs readily Kanye tee,
A$AP Rocky loves to wear a flannel over a hip-hop tribute tribute hip-hop a over flannel a wear to loves Rocky A$AP
mixed with luxe streetwear. streetwear. luxe with mixed
Grunge staples like the flannel shirt are now being readily readily being now are shirt flannel the like staples Grunge
Kanye West, and Rihanna. Rihanna. and West, Kanye
who have reinvented grunge but the likes of A$AP Rocky, Rocky, A$AP of likes the but grunge reinvented have who
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remains a trend-proof, wardrobe staple. staple. wardrobe trend-proof, a remains
flannel shirts have survived the purge unscathed and it it and unscathed purge the survived have shirts flannel
Despite the dominance of athleisure in recent years, the the years, recent in athleisure of dominance the Despite
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jacket, in many forms, achieved iconic status and and status iconic achieved forms, many in jacket, In the later-half of the 20th century, the leather leather the century, 20th the of later-half the In
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This season, Kanye West presented his take on the grandad grandad the on take his presented West Kanye season, This
literal replica of Cobain’s cigarette-hole-filled cardigan. cardigan. cigarette-hole-filled Cobain’s of replica literal
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signaled a revival of sorts. sorts. of revival a signaled
slightly waned, but recent seasons on the fashion calendar have have calendar fashion the on seasons recent but waned, slightly
Over the last few years, the grunge appeal of the cardigan has has cardigan the of appeal grunge the years, few last the Over
fashion. fashion.
It’s an iconic look that epitomizes Cobain’s nonchalant approach to to approach nonchalant Cobain’s epitomizes that look iconic an It’s
with a simple white t-shirt and pair of baggy jeans. jeans. baggy of pair and t-shirt white simple a with
strummed through “The Man Who Sold the World” and “Polly”, paired paired “Polly”, and World” the Sold Who Man “The through strummed
Cobain wore his fuzzy cardi, sloping slightly off his shoulders as he he as shoulders his off slightly sloping cardi, fuzzy his wore Cobain
$137,500. $137,500.
MTV Unplugged performance sold at auction for a whopping whopping a for auction at sold performance Unplugged MTV Back in 2015, a cardigan worn by Kurt Cobain on Nirvana’s 1993 1993 Nirvana’s on Cobain Kurt by worn cardigan a 2015, in Back . Gucci Resort 2018 Balenciaga Fall 2018 Fall Balenciaga yeezy keany west ss18 .layering
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Though Cobain’s style was slightly more unhinged than Balenciaga’s Balenciaga’s than unhinged more slightly was style Cobain’s Though
of how Cobain’s lessons in grungecore remain resolutely relevant. relevant. resolutely remain grungecore in lessons Cobain’s how of
directorship of Vetements’ Demna Gsvsalia, is a superb example example superb a is Gsvsalia, Demna Vetements’ of directorship
note. Balenciaga’s FW17 Menswear collection, under the creative creative the under collection, Menswear FW17 Balenciaga’s note.
to athleisure, brands at the upper-echelons of fashion are taking taking are fashion of upper-echelons the at brands athleisure, to
combine everything from motocross culture to religious iconography iconography religious to culture motocross from everything combine
More recently, as streetwear codes mutate into new territories and and territories new into mutate codes streetwear as recently, More
look with a sense of impenetrable cool. cool. impenetrable of sense a with look
oversized knitwear, his blasé attitude to fashion is what imbued his his imbued what is fashion to attitude blasé his knitwear, oversized
if it was graphic t-shirts, light wash denim jeans, a flannel shirt and and shirt flannel a jeans, denim wash light t-shirts, graphic was it if
Cobain was a deft hand at mixing textures and colors. It didn’t matter matter didn’t It colors. and textures mixing at hand deft a was Cobain
abundance of layers. layers. of abundance
lights and a demanding live set, Cobain preferred to wear a heavy heavy a wear to preferred Cobain set, live demanding a and lights
Even when he was performing onstage, under the gaze of bright bright of gaze the under onstage, performing was he when Even
casual layering remain unrivaled, even today. today. even unrivaled, remain layering casual Kurt Cobain might be an involuntary style icon but his lessons in in lessons his but icon style involuntary an be might Cobain Kurt . 2018 Fall Balenciaga Gucci ss 2018 Yohji Yamamoto Ss19 Yamamoto Yohji . fluifity gender x
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Though there a whole host of queer icons to thank for fashion’s fashion’s for thank to icons queer of host whole a there Though
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On runways from Milan to New York, from Prada and Gucci to to Gucci and Prada from York, New to Milan from runways On
permeated the fashion industry. industry. fashion the permeated
Over recent seasons, conversations around gender have also also have gender around conversations seasons, recent Over
he certainly helped the cause. cause. the helped certainly he
mainstream society’s understanding of the performativity of gender, gender, of performativity the of understanding society’s mainstream
nail polish. Though Cobain can’t be solely credited with widening widening with credited solely be can’t Cobain Though polish. nail
of The Face, donning a buttoned-up tea dress and chipped red red chipped and dress tea buttoned-up a donning Face, The of
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man enough to indulge his femininity too. too. femininity his indulge to enough man
Though Cobain’s style is immortalized by grunge, he was often often was he grunge, by immortalized is style Cobain’s Though
Cobain was basically a feminist fashion icon. icon. fashion feminist a basically was Cobain It shouldn’t really be a surprise to die-hard Nirvana fans but Kurt Kurt but fans Nirvana die-hard to surprise a be really shouldn’t It . Gucci ss 2018 _
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success even with the creation and subsequent subsequent and creation the with even success
personalities who have built or strengthened their their strengthened or built have who personalities
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ARE YOU WEARING? ARE YOU O YOU KNOW WHAT KNOW DO YOU
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than than be rath cool rather be be rather dead _ was born as an anti The grunge fashion the use social and anti capitalist expression, as of logos and slogans was strongly used given a identification, and each symbol was specific strong connotative importance with and unique characteristics. the logo and its repetition is the most Today capitalist striking example of consumerist and using society as all fashion companies are this trend with the sole purpose of increasing tool. sales, therefore as a mere marketing philosophy has today Expressing one’s practiced become a maximalist activity, through the use of mass tools, social networks, which do nothing but make everyone equal. While in the 80s and 90s, grunge clothing one’s individuality, is a tool to express one’s way of living and thinking and therefore grunge clothing not to conform, today’s or, can represent identification to a group really at worst, cases in which you are not aware of the symbols you’re wearing, not knowing and ignoring their identifying value, you choose a shirt only because you are seen to an influencer. The solution is to investigate the symbols by discovering their true meanings in order to understand the historical-cultural period in which they were born.