The ’80s was a period of sartorial flamboyance. A testament to that was the New Romantic movement at the time, popularised by music icons like Boy George and David Bowie, who frequented a nightclub in London called the Blitz originated the movement. The Blitz was a hotbed for creatives from multiple disciplines to parade around in their creations. Legendary milliner Stephen Jones was a known regular at the scene, often creating experimental headpieces to don at every party. The patrons of the nightclub were coined in popular press as “Blitz Kids”.
Their discerning style? Gender-bending ensembles with a varied pool of references to historical Romantic themes, including frilly shirts in the style of the English Romantic period, Russian constructivism, French Incroyables, the Pierrot clown and more. With a rule-defying point of view when it comes to putting together pieces, the main consensus for all of the looks is that they evoke a perception of the eccentric and the striking, making it an extremely fluid movement that many resonated with due to its spirit of experimentation.
This season, there was an evident resurgence in the New Romantics movement. Loewe and Louis Vuitton showed flowy balloon pants down its runways. Saint Laurent put its lavallière blouses in luxurious silk in full view. On the other hand, Gucci and Miu Miu interpreted the movement by adding copious amounts of shiny embellishments to their pieces.
Below, peruse Vogue Singapore’s selection of statement pieces to embody the subculture of the New Romantics into your wardrobe.
