SUBCULTURES: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SKINHEADS

'This is England' (2006) by Shane Meadows. Image tsken from http://media.warp.net/images/this_is_england1.jpg

So following on from our research into the subcultures out there, we are now required to select a particular subculture that we're interested in investigated in much more detail. As a big fan of the 'Levis and Docs' look, I have chosen to look at the Skinhead movement. Of course we're all familiar with the 2006 film 'This is England', which gives a credibly accurate insight into 1983 England life and the trials and tribulations following the pressures of the recession. The Skinheads are retrospectively looked at as a negative trend due to the general understanding of their culture being of the Neo-Nazi Skinheads who, as most will know, were quite shockingly racist and created a lot of controversial press at the time. However, it is my aim to highlight the qualities and colourful culture of the non-racist Skinheads who were, in some cases, quite an inspirational group of people in that they had very strong views and were never afraid to voice those views to get justice for what was right. I will be investigating the subculture in as much detail as possible; looking at where the Skinhead movement originally came from. What were their motivations? What influenced their fashion choices? I hope to answer all of these questions with as much primary information as possible, ideally through interviewing or somehow contacting an original Skinhead who can tell me first hand what their culture was like.

THE 'GRUNGE' SUBCULTURE

For this section of the module, we were required to work in groups to research in as much depth as possible into a given subculture, of which ours happened to be 'Grunge'; a personal favourite. We investigated the subculture considering the following questions:

• When was Grunge popular? When did it start?
• Where did it branch from? What were the influences?
• Who were the iconic figures of the time?
• What was the popular Grunge music?
• What was the Grunge fashion/style?
• When did Grunge become commercial?

The following images demonstrate and document our findings:

Image taken from refinery29.com

Image taken from lifelounge.com.au

Image taken from blog.cleveland.com

Imsge taken from last.fm

Image taken from http://moderninkmag.com

Kurt Cobain. Image taken from http://images4.fanpop.com

Image taken from http://upload.wikimedia.org

Image taken from http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com

Image taken from http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/28825849/The+Offspring+offspringfisheye5000512.jpg

Green River. Image taken from http://www.ear.fm/Encyclopedia%20G/green_river.jpg

Sound Garden. Image taken from http://fadedflannel.com/soundgarden

Marc Jacobs Grunge Collection. Image taken from http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhln56KYWz1qhf962o1_500.jpg

Image taken from http://4.bp.blogspot.com

Johnny Depp. Image taken from http://data.whicdn.com/

Kate Moss and Johnny Depp. Image taken from http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/90%27s-vintage

DOVER STREET MARKET; Return Visit

On my first visit to Dover Street Market I was quite tentative and on edge, feeling intimidated and inadequate by the seemingly exclusive environment; like I shouldn't be there. In fact, after making a second visit with more confidence in my demeanor, I fell even more in love with the store. It became apparent that the DSM is much more accessible than I first thought. What particularly struck me was the fantastic layout and overall interior design intended by Rei Kawakubo to create an 'ongoing atmosphere of beautiful chaos', and that's exactly what she has achieved here. Each floor has it's own unique, quirky design while continuing the theme of what I felt quite successfully represented the feel of a regular outdoor market with the unpolished concrete floors, scaffolding framework and unfinished wood work. The conventional market feel is also re-iterated by the visibility of the stock behind the rails, differing from a usual high end store who would be more likely to store their stock far from the public eye. DSM has a very engaging atmosphere even with the slightest touches such as the playful stances in which some of the mannequins are placed. I personally really liked how there was mostly only one of each garment hung on the rails, giving that slight hint towards the exclusivity of the merchandise available in store. I would conclude in saying that the interior design of Dover Street Market definitely sheds an alternative light on high end shopping; it's a great place to go to experience fashion in a very different and less intense environment.

NOTJUSTALABEL.COM

 I can't believe I haven't discovered this little gem before now! This site is my perfect little bit of something I like. Everything is laid out for you right there on the home page, in a very concise layout; arts, fashion, events and brilliant industry insights all in one place, not to mention the stunning photography featured on the collection pages.  I'm especially impressed by the 'Community' tab, which provides contact details for various fashion houses around the world, along with job opportunities in the industry and courses available for study; its fanatastic! There's something for everyone, I would definitely recommend a visit!

FARFETCH.COM

The first thing to strike me about this site was the super-sleek graphics, completely up-to-date with modern contemporary fashion. The whole layout is really engaging and I'm a particular fan of the 'People' branch of the home page, which has everything from upcoming exhibitions to the latest fashion must haves. Farfetch is a fantastic resource for not only fashion but for arts too! I love everything about this site, from the photography to even the fonts used. It all appears to be very carefully considered and there's great attention to detail which really makes a difference to the aesthetics and appeal of a website along with the quality. The perfect go-to when you need a 'hot off the press' fashion fix!

ABSOLUTE VINTAGE: 15 Hanbury Street, Greater London

Absolute Vintage, not far from Brick Lane, was a great find! It had a bit of a warehouse feel with hundreds upon hundreds of little gems spilling from shabby, antique-looking furniture as soon as you enter. However, as an avid vintage and charity shop shopper, I found it slightly overpriced and overwhelming. I'm not usually a firm believer in the 'less is more' approach to interiors but in this case, the store could definitely benefit from a thorough clear up! But despite my little grumbles, Absolute Vintage still holds that little charm which comes with all vintage stores; something I can never resist. So for me, still a pleasant venture.

WARNING: do not enter if you have an issue with tidiness, I would say it loosely resembles a jumble sale!

START: Rivington Street

I had great difficulty finding this store! Admittedly this may have been something to do with my distraction by Brick Lane, however it's a great little boutique store with a very sumptuous feel created by the beautiful chandeliers and dimmed lighting. START has a very contemporary vibe, or as some would say, 'hipster'; appealing to the younger experimental customer with a very friendly reception. It almost struck me as a higher end alternative to Urban Outfitters with a similar to the clothing collection and certain aspects of the decor sparked a familiarity.

SELFRIDGES: Oxford Street

A buzzing epicentre of thriving fashion activity; Selfridges is completely mesmerising in all aspects, from the incredible installations (shown above), to its vast collections and displays. I could spend a whole day in this store simply in awe of everything. As I think (or hope!) is normal,  I spent my entire visit scouring the crowds for those famous faces and hoping to catch a glimpse of something so incredibly chic and exciting. The enormity of this store is unreal, with little boutique style sections devoted to separate designers; there is a very exclusive feel about this store, you almost feel like a celebrity yourself just being there. Everything is on such a huge, glamorous scale; down to the furniture and even the perfectly styled locks atop some of the staffs' heads! The goings on in this shrine to fashion is quite overwhelming and would expect it to be more intimidating than anywhere else, when in fact the staff were more than happy for myself and friends to collect photographs and jottings of our findings. Selfridges is a great representation of what the modern fashion industry really has to offer.

ACNE: Dover Street

A beautiful store complete with brightly painted piano and an array of magazines and interesting books on display with great attention to detail in the layout of the store. I was unfortunate in that I was unable to purchase an Acne Paper but have been lucky enough to take a sneaky peak at one of my friends' and it is a great representation of the store and brand itself. The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly; more than willing to provide any information needed and seemed much more welcoming than some of the other high end stores. Would definitely not hesitate to make a second visit!

DOVER STREET MARKET: 17-18 Dover Street

Undeniably one of my favourite stores in London on the whole. The interior and layout is reminiscent of a museum, with the various glass cabinets displaying intricate and beautifully crafted jewellery and ornaments; it is truly magnificent. The welcome however, is not quite as spellbinding as the contents; with photography forbidden, security guards around every corner and finely groomed staff leering suspiciously at anyone who dares enter without a Laboutin laden model profile.