Every day, we speak a language that requires no words at all. Welcome to the tribe. By Gerald Tan
Every day, we speak a language that requires no words at all. Welcome to the tribe. By Gerald Tan
When pictures of Gosha Rubchinskiy’s spring/summer 2018 menswear show first hit the web in June last year, many were surprised by what they saw at the end of the collection. After a riveting passage of oversized t-shirts, graphic sweaters, and neon-coloured jerseys and track pants on the runway (all inspired by the attires of the original Russian rave-goers), Burberry’s signature check turned up as an unexpected guest—first as a nondescript hint on a cap before exploding onto trench coats and bomber jackets.
The sartorial curveball didn’t just highlight Rubchinskiy’s knack for unifying his personal experience growing up in a post-Soviet Union. It also gave legitimacy to Chav style—a controversial look that’s synonymous with the English working class. Easily identiflable by the unique combination of sporty tracksuits worn with Burberry caps, the infamous look was the subject of much debate in the UK because of the proletariat associations. However, together with Burberry’s Christopher Bailey, Rubchinskiy’s reimagining of this contentious style brings to the fore fashion’s role in providing various groups and communities visual cues to call their own.
At its core, fashion is an act of self-expression. It’s also a celebration of individuality. But the course of fashion’s history has shown that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. People seek sartorial solidarity. Through fashion, tribe members share the same beliefs and attitudes, aside from their distinct looks and personalities. Think: Punks with their studded leather jackets and tartans; Mods with their mini-skirts and Vidal Sassoon bobs. During the excess of the ’80s, Rei Kawakubo’s ground-breaking works at Comme des Garçons birthed a legion of devotees who connected to her severe, avant-garde leanings. Before Riccardo Tisci exited Givenchy, he was noted for the inclusion of familial themes in his collections, crafting clothes around tribes such as basketball gangs and Chola girls. Whether at Dior Homme or Saint Laurent, Hedi Slimane struck a chord with designs that speak to cool kids who want cool clothes that bridge fashion and music.
However, the face of the world is rapidly changing. And with every corner of the globe now more connected than ever before, communities are also increasingly being redefined through the use of technology. Popular social media plaforms like Instagram have allowed millions to engage with each other in a split second—all through the ease of using a mobile phone. The fashion industry has taken notice, and its gears are slowly but surely rumbling to life to adapt to this evolution. Under the intellectual charge of Raf Simons, Calvin Klein has recently launched an ongoing campaign that heightens the power of a hashtag by featuring groups of people who share a connection. Starring the likes of Solange Knowles and the entire A$AP Mob, and lensed by Willy Vanderperre, the shots see the artistes posing in denim together with their “musical families”. Another timely revision to its #MyCalvins movement is the inclusion of “Our family” to the slogan. It’s a firm reiteration that no man is an island. The desire to belong is human nature, after all.
THE SHAPE SHIFTERS
With a predilection for boundary-pushing uniforms that change the human form, this flock worships at the altar of brands such as Rick Owens and Hood By Air. Almost cult-like in their appearance, their influences range from Goth to Brutalist architecture and share a common thread: An experimental energy that is raw and primal.
THE HYPEBEASTS
Be it sneakers or the latest collaborations, this fervent group is always ahead and on top of things. They count the Dover Street Markets of the world as their favourite haunts, and designers such as Supreme, O-White’s Virgil Abloh and Demna Gvasalia as their heroes. A product of the digital revolution, Instagram is their playground, and they have astutely harnessed its power to construct a visual identity rooted in streetwear.
THE ECCENTRIC ROMANTICS
Gucci’s Alessandro Michele is the leader of the pack, dressing the New Age dandies and vintage magpies in a myriad of decadent flourishes. This unique mélange of characters speak breathlessly of what fuels them—in particular, beauty in all its diverse forms. Their thoughts on “gender fluidity” roll off their tongues in poetic verses, then manifest in eclectic ensembles that blur the lines.
THE DIGITAL SQUAD
The subject of a book by Marko MacPherson, this band of pioneering women such as Chiara Ferragni, Eva Chen and @garypeppergirl a.k.a Nicole Warne have carved out impressive Chiara Ferragni’s rise to fame has inspired many careers by tapping onto the infinite potential of the Internet. Through engaging articles that deal with issues such as inclusivity and empowerment, front row adventures and gorgeous OOTD shots, they are the “rule breakers” and “disruptors” who are not only changing the fashion landscape, but also becoming the mouthpiece of women around the world.
By Gerald Tan PHOTOGRAPHY: SHOWBIT
