THE JOURNAL

It was supposed to be anti-fashion. Brought about by the punk rock and skater-inspired genre that emerged in late-1980s Seattle and reaching its apex in mid-1990s Los Angeles, grunge dressing was rooted in unremarkable, everyday casual clothes for those “too cool to care”. Its foremost icon was, of course, Nirvana frontman Mr Kurt Cobain, the godfather of grunge, whose off-duty and on-stage wardrobe consisted of graphic T-shirts, oversized knitwear, plaid shirts and beaten-up Converse. The look was thrifted, slouchy, a little dirty, a tad ironic – and quickly adopted by fans worldwide.
However, it is Mr Marc Jacobs who deserves credit for elevating that anti-fashion aesthetic to the catwalks in the 1990s. Soon after, those same “unremarkable” clothes were styled in the pages of British Vogue and i-D, setting off a grunge obsession in the high-fashion world that – if the latest collections are anything to go by – is still very much alive.
In 2022, its biggest champions include everyone from punk-adoring tastemakers who came of age in the early 1990s to old-school brands who dressed grunge’s biggest names the first time around. To discover our edit of neo-grunge pieces from the likes of Raf Simons, Rick Owens and Dr. Martens, simply read on.
01.
The Raf Simons Smiley bomber

Known for harbouring a fascination with youth and popular culture, Mr Raf Simons this season returns to the grungy aesthetic that has shaped collections past. Here, the Antwerp designer presents a capsule that’s punctuated with the original Smiley badge, which has been subverted by every countercultural movement going, including the dazed variant once sported by Nirvana (a logo the band were rumoured to have borrowed from a local strip bar). This military-style black bomber jacket also comes made from Seattle-proof shell.
02.
The Givenchy distressed denim jacket

Distressed denim is notoriously tricky – a few misplaced slashes and one quickly veers away from 1990s grunge and towards 2000s “cheugy”. Unsurprisingly, California-raised Givenchy creative director Mr Matthew M Williams has discovered that elusive sweet spot with this heavily distressed panelled denim jacket, which feels novel without being a novelty.
03.
The Marni mohair-blend sweater

With its collection of vividly coloured and highly sought-after mohair-blend sweaters, Marni has struck upon a winner with rare near-universal appeal. This example, a bright-green argyle sweater, speaks not only to fans of Ivy League style and the colour fiends who frequent the Italian label, but also, its grandfatherly, vintage-style charm wouldn’t look out of place in the wardrobe of knitwear lover Mr Kurt Cobain himself.
04.
The hot-pink Vetements logo T-shirt

From Cobain’s subversive floral frocks to Balenciaga’s heeled Crocs – as with his grungy forebears, Mr Demna Gvasalia shares a disregard for sartorial conventions. However, no piece better captures the designer’s punkish spirit than this T-shirt, which pairs a punchy hot pink with an irreverent unicorn print.
05.
The punk-inspired Dr. Martens Derby shoes

Dr. Martens have been the footwear of choice for numerous countercultural movements for more than 50 years, from London punks in the 1970s to the Northwestern riot grrrls of the 1990s. This season, the hallowed British shoemaker has joined forces with streetwear label Neighborhood for a pair of modern, chunky black shoes that go against the typically strait-laced Derby’s suited-up image.
06.
The Camp High tie-dye hoodie

Tie-dye is a treatment more commonly associated with the freewheeling Summer-of-Lovers of 1960s Haight-Ashbury than the grungy youths of the 1990s. In fact, it’s said that Cobain personally disdained the trend. However, if there was any piece that could’ve converted him, it’s this chunky-knit hoodie from Camp High in a sludgy shade of green.
07.
The amped AMIRI flannel shirt

No grunge-inspired wardrobe is complete without a generous smattering of flannel. For a contemporary twist on the staple lumberjack shirt, one could do worse than to turn to AMIRI. This piece comes in a classic black-and-white plaid, but earns bonus points for the distressed touches.
08.
The distressed wide-leg Acne Studios jeans

Acne Studios may have its origins in Stockholm, but with its punkish, irreverent clothes, the label has long proved that grunge is a global language. These vintage-inspired light-wash organic jeans look straight out of the West Coast grunge scene, with a 1990s-style wide-leg fit and understated distressed detailing along the hems.
09.
The classic Converse high-top – with a twist

Few brands can claim a stake in the grunge revival quite as confidently as Converse, whose shoes were worn religiously – and pretty much exclusively – by Cobain. And while the grunge star favoured a battered black low-top that mirrored his devil-may-care attitude, for SS22, the brand has teamed up with Mr Rick Owens for a sleek white high-top that reads as casual yet crisp.
10.
The Enfant Riches Deprimés Parisian band tee

Ever since Mr Yves Saint Laurent brought skinny silhouettes and all-black-everything to the ateliers of Paris in the 1960s, France’s fashion elite has consistently sought sartorial inspiration from the world of rock ’n’ roll, all while lending it a suitably Gallic twist. This black band-style T-shirt is the work of Franco-American label Enfants Riches Deprimés, which continues that offbeat Left Bank legacy and has earned the approval of grunge’s “First Lady” Ms Courtney Love.