After dealing with a global pandemic controlling our lives for the past few years, it seems that people have gotten sick of pretending everything’s okay and instead are now embracing the darkness. Interestingly, this has led to one of the most compelling fashion trends for a while.
Avant Apocalypse might have been inspired initially by designers such as Rick Owens, known for his gothic avant-garde style, but a social media platform TikTok has taken this initial inspiration and turned it into a growing trend. Proving once again to be a wasteland of endless potential.
This dystopian fashion trend is defined by a futuristic look with a grunge aesthetic and punk revival. It has been adopted by several fashion houses and even some designers who have added their own spin on the trend. A Berlin-based fashion label Ottolinger has combined this trend with their signature element of deconstruction, and this heavily supports the overall aesthetic of Avant Apocalypse, which encourages the wearer to experiment and wear clothes ”wrong”. This leads to an end result resembling scavengers clothed in layers and leather, similar to the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max.
Sci-fi movies, in general, are a big inspiration for this trend, and this comes as no surprise after being stuck at home watching endless tv day after day. Major franchises such as Star Wars, Matrix and Dune all helped shape this trend with their futuristic styling and, at times, apocalyptic themes.
One aspect that has made Avant Apocalypse so popular throughout different demographics is the fundamental need to feel secure and adapt to our environment. This style of clothing can give an impression of modern armour and make the wearer feel more confident and secure in a world that feels unpredictable and frightening. After two years of living amid a global pandemic, not to mention the sensitive political climate, rapidly rising global warming, and economic difficulties, it is no wonder why we are desperate to feel safe now more than ever. Immersing ourselves to this so-called “Pandemic era punk look” can actually be a viable coping mechanism since it is well established that clothing can have a big impact on our state of mind. For example, wearing leather can boost confidence because, at one point in time, we hunted animals, killing them with our bare hands and then wearing their skin. This was a primitive display of power, and although nowadays it is more common to shop clothing at stores rather than hunting them down in the wild ourselves, this feeling of power remains. The same is often true for darker colours and other garments we unconsciously or historically link to certain events or emotions.
This particular fashion trend has a unique opportunity to help us through these difficult times by allowing us to adapt to the post-pandemic world as well as externalize our fears in order to face them. Or if for nothing else, if the end of the world is actually approaching, at least we are dressed for the occasion. Because let me tell you, if there is a dune buggy of vicious cannibals coming my way, you bet I am swapping my sweats for a stylish but protective leather assembly and perhaps a matching mallet.