A protest or demonstration by an individual or group are most often held in order to make a political statement, a means of expressing an opinion by those who lack the political power to challenge the system via traditional methods. Encompassing every societal facet from the rule of law, economics and defence to education, culture, media and the environment, the application of political policy directly impacts on the lives and futures of any given population.

When applied inequitably to, or at the expense of a particular community, a physical protest or demonstration may be the only way for vulnerable or disadvantaged sections of society to bring their plight to the public consciousness.

Though fashion may seem a small and somewhat trivial aspect of a protest movement, the above quote from designer Katharine Hamnett illustrates fashion’s ability to aid the conveyance of a political or social message. Fashion has long been a medium that provides an accessible way of establishing a perceptible identity among supporters of a common cause, acting as a kind of non-conformist uniform, easily adopted in order to signal solidarity, affiliation and their appetite to question authority both on and away from the picket lines. Some of the most significant and era defining protest movements are epitomised by the fashions worn by their proponents, creating some of the most iconic imagery in both political, culture and fashion history.

Earlier iconic movements depicted more by their statement badges, placards and posters were the suffragettes back in 1910.

Subculture:

‘A cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture.’

Subcultures and subculture style can be regarded in much the same way as more literal forms of protest movements. By it’s very definition, subcultural lifestyles are a form of protest, though not always overtly politically affiliated, subcultures or countercultures are ultimately born out of a desire to protest against broader mainstream culture. In times of political upheaval, economic unrest or global conflict, the subsequent protest movements seeking to defend the rights of those affected have gone hand-in-hand with the development of subcultures. The hippie scene of the 1960s and early 70s with its

peace-loving rhetoric and liberal values, naturally allied itself with the anti-war campaigners and the portrayal of hippie gathering’s in the media meant that hippie style quickly came to embody the crusade for peace.

During the Western post-war era, a new and profoundly influential social group wholeheartedly embraced this subcultural spirit. The advent of the teenager in the 1950s spawned waves of like-minded and therefore similarly attired youth tribes who would not only challenge the rules of society but also
inspire the endeavours of an entire industry.

This young generation, eager to differentiate themselves from their more conservative and conventional elders, looked to fashion, music, literature and art as mediums to outwardly articulate their individuality, alternate ideologies and unwillingness to conform to old social constructs and previously held di
ctates imposed upon their antecedents.

One of the most seminal subcultural influencers was the punk movement that evolved during the mid 70s. Its sneering attitude and aggressive anti-authoritarian stance, sent shockwaves through the decade’s establishment of the time and caused consternation in the media and amongst the general public. Born from an amalgamation of earlier subcultures, Punk’s confrontational and provocative DIY aesthetic, along with its deconstructed, fetishist clothing and body art turned commonly accepted dress codes and gender identity on their head.

“The basic bond of any society, culture, subculture, or organization is a public image.” – Kenneth Boulding

The emergence of the teenager and subculture styles such as Punk began the dismantling of not only society’s rulebook but also that of the fashion industry. Fashion had long been governed by what anthropologist Ted Polhemus identifies in his book ‘Streetstyle’ as ‘trickle down’. An effect whereby high fashion trends dictated by the industry permeated downward from the upper echelons of haute couture eventually arriving at the mainstream market. The rise of subcultural style promoted popularity to a younger, cooler market causing a ‘bubble up’ effect as Polhemus describes, which saw high fashion inspired by street fashion in a clearly tangible way.

This demand forced the hand of the old school houses to realise this ‘bubble up’ effect in their collections but perhaps more importantly, motivated a new wave of designers who would be instrumental in the reshaping of a formally rather staid and elitist industry.

Vivienne Westwood came to prominence as one of the architects of the Punk fashion scene, selling radical and outrageous designs at ‘SEX’, Malcolm McLaren’s boutique in the King’s Road. Her subversion of traditional tailoring interspersed with bondage and biker references, profoundly shocked her own establishment and helped conceive the prototypical image of Punk.

Though Punk was all but over by the late 1970s it had spawned not only a new anarchistic ethos amongst the young generation, but also an array of subculture variants and continues to imbue fashion with its rebellious essence long after the original movement’s decline. Throughout her career Westwood has consistently stayed true to her punk roots and more recently she has embarked on a series of campaigns that have infused the fashion show spectacle with serious political protest to highlight environmental and social causes.

Katharine Hamnett, who has regularly drawn on streetstyle influences for her collections, is perhaps most recognised for her protest slogan t-shirts. Hamnett’s designs emblazoned with statements decrying the use of pesticides or opposing nuclear warfare. Like Westwood, her designs are her cultural statements, transforming their wearers into living, breathing banners while her runway shows have often been a platform for the protestation and promotion of political causes.

Latterly, designers such as Rei Kawakubo and Martin Margiela have used key subcultural elements to subvert the fashion system they themselves are part of.

Kawakubo’s early austere deconstructed aesthetic was resolutely anti-fashion while Margiela’s fusion of exaggerated proportions and bricolage of everyday objects with haute couture craftsmanship remonstrated with the industry’s fixation on luxury fashion.

In the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks, Walter Van Beirendonck put the language of protest at the heart of his AW15 collection. His demand to ‘Stop Terrorising Our World’ and positive messages that celebrated life’s beauty and resilience referenced the placards of protest in their bold appliquéd designs.

Prior to Van Beirendonck’s poetic yet political commentary, another mode of protest fashion bought a different kind of disquiet on the catwalks.

Karl Lagerfeld’s SS15 Chanel show garnered both praise and censure for sending placard-waving models down the runway delivering feminist chants through designer branded megaphones. The feminist message could be seen as somewhat ironic given the industry’s – and indeed Lagerfeld’s – well publicised views on female beauty and body image and the event was criticised for undermining the important work of protest in order to sell some clothes.

Others felt that Lagerfeld’s high profile had been used for good, championing a movement that fashion has often chosen to dismiss and putting the medium of protest back in the public domain, at a time when political antipathy has overtaken political will. The continued use of protest metaphors in fashion collections illustrates the continuance of the trickle down – bubble up’ effect and also begs the question as to whether protest fashion is really more about consumerism than campaigning.

“We are so conformist; nobody is thinking. We are all sucking up stuff; we have been trained to be consumers, and we are all consuming far too much.” – Vivienne Westwood

The subversive and anti-establishment fashions championed by both subcultures and protestors alike has created an outlet for both group member and outside consumer to visually celebrate their individuality or express a social ideology or belief system contrary to predominant mainstream principles.

The creative nature of fashion makes it an ideal platform for all forms of protest backed by an industry that can make these styles accessible to all. However, popularity in the mass market has been both positive and negative for subculture consumer and mainstream consumer alike.

The increasing amount of protest-influenced fashions infiltrating the runways and high-streets has allowed these movements to engage with a whole new audience while making it easier for individuals to express their affiliations and political opinions.

Though in many respects subculture style is the antithesis of the modern fashion industry with its antipathy towards prevailing trends, its integration into the mass-market continually reenergizes the industry’s creativity, subsequently giving a global platform to designers to make a political statement or subculture affiliation to celebrate who may have otherwise remained niche.

However, for this inspiration-hungry and highly competitive arena, subcultural styles with their back-stories and belief systems are also a commodity that can be used to bring added value and authenticity to mass-market merchandise. This pillaging of subculture style not only flies in the face of the underlying ethos of individualism, but also arguably makes this individuality harder to attain.

A powerful visual identity can see a subcultural ethos make an indelible mark on society but equally it can see subculture styles become so popular that their absorption into the mainstream is massively accelerated. Hastening their dilution and ultimate demise, lessening their ability to make the same meaningful cultural impact as their predecessors.

With this in mind it could appear that truly authentic counterculture is becoming a thing of the past. Arguably the more the mass market adopts subculture fashion, the more it diminishes the underlying values on which they are based, rendering their protest statements as mere statements of style.

However it has always been the natural fate of subcultures to be diluted and absorbed into mainstream culture. Era-defining ideologies can also be era-confining and as government rise or fall, societies shift and once opposed establishments change direction, the role of an associated subculture can become obsolete. The metamorphosis of their membership, the adaptations and amalgamations made to subculture style over time also creates smaller collectives whose ethos and image can be harder for a mainstream audience to pin down to a defining visual characteristic.

This could spell bad news for an industry reliant upon subcultural symbols to lend relevancy and credibility to a mass-produced products. Indeed, an increasing number of rather questionable monikers and fictitious subcultures being promoted by the industry suggest that fashion is running out of genuine and easily discernible subcultures to borrow from.

With this in mind it could appear that truly authentic counterculture is becoming a thing of the past.

Arguably the more the mass market adopts subculture fashion, the more it diminishes the underlying values on which they are based, rendering their protest statements as mere statements of style.

However it has always been the natural fate of subcultures to be diluted and absorbed into mainstream culture. Era-defining ideologies can also be era-confining and as government rise or fall, societies shift and once opposed establishments change direction, the role of an associated subculture can become obsolete.

The metamorphosis of their membership, the adaptations and amalgamations made to subculture style over time also creates smaller collectives whose ethos and image can be harder for a mainstream audience to pin down to a defining visual characteristic.

This could spell bad news for an industry reliant upon subcultural symbols to lend relevancy and credibility to a mass-produced products. Indeed, an increasing number of rather questionable monikers and fictitious subcultures being promoted by the industry suggest that fashion is running out of genuine and easily discernible subcultures to borrow from.

Normcore, Grungewave, Seapunk, Health goth and New Lad are just a few of the labels peddled by various corners of the fashion industry over the past several seasons to add breadth and depth to monetary trends.

While these more recent subcultural phenomena may be creating a less impactful presence in the public consciousness than some of their more explicit forerunners it also protects them from a certain amount of mainstream appropriation. Perhaps instead of the placards and provocative statements, the underground going underground will be the protest that changes the fashion system.