The recent Bob Dylan biographical drama, A Complete Unknown, has renewed interest in how rock stars dress.
It focuses on the iconic singer-songwriter’s early life (set in 1960s New York City), but costumes worn throughout narrate a decade defined by counterculture fashion rebellion.
What’s seen on screen is denim, denim and more denim. Throw in a mix of corduroy and leather, and you have the perfect combination of a polished workwear aesthetic.
Early in the film, Dylan (played by Timothee Chalamet) wears boot-cut jeans, but eventually embraces the skinny look.
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Over the years of his career, Dylan’s style then veered towards dressing modishly: slim leather jackets, Chelsea boots and tab collar shirts.
As much as rock has a broad definition, so does the style associated with the music genre.
The late Kurt Cobain (his 30th death anniversary was last year) is more known for being a grunge icon.
In 1992, Marc Jacobs paid homage to his style of flannel shirts and lumberjack coats with a runway show (under the Perry Ellis label). Materials such as silk and cashmere were instead used to give a feel of luxury.
The designer sent samples to the alternative-rock musician as a tribute.
“Do you know what we did with it?” Cobain’s wife, Courtney Love, told Women’s Wear Daily in 2010. “We burned it. We were punkers – we didn’t like that kind of thing.”
Yes, Cobain rejected the very idea of fashion – or rather, consumerism, but he remained a big influence.
In 2018, Jacobs relaunched that collection via his eponymous label.
“The ‘grunge’ collection epitomised the first time in my professional career I was unwavering in my determination to see my vision come to life on the runway, without creative compromise,” read the press statement.
Vivienne Westwood (who died in 2022) is known for having grown her career by styling punk rock bands. She was famously associated with The Sex Pistols.
Her idea on designing is very much like the music it represents.
“I’ve used fashion to challenge the status quo,” she told L’Officiel in 2018.
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Westwood’s clothes were often deemed abrasive. She paired traditional fabrics like tartan with metal hardware the likes of zippers and safety pins, as well as making eclectic use of haphazard hems and cuts.
All that said, the 21st-century rock look is very different. For example, you have Lisa of Blackpink donning avant-garde creations for her Rockstar music video last year.
The K-pop singer was seen dancing in cropped jackets, biker boots and leather halter tops. She also wore futuristic designs made from silver-coloured fabric.
The promotional visuals for the track showed her in everything from bandannas to overalls, with lots and lots of bling – a far change from her sweet and flirty girl group days.
