Britpop fashion
2023
Photography | Graphic Design
Fashion Photography
University assignment
The fashion bubble that I am basing my photo shoot on is the British mid-late 1990s music culture called Britpop. Britpop is a British-based music culture that
reactively arose from the popularity of alternative rock and US-led grunge music, and additionally drew its style and genre from punk rock (1970s) and indie pop a decade earlier (1980s). Britpop’s key bands were ‘Blur’ (based in London) and ‘Oasis’ (based in Manchester) where both were rivalled against each other. Both ‘Blur’ and ‘Oasis’ gained immense popularity; with Blur’s most recognisable song “Blur – Song 2 (1997)” and Oasis’s most recognisable song “Oasis – Wonderwall (1995)”.
My initial vision for the photo shoot was to capture a fashion trend influenced by musical culture but also following a stylistic 90s, Low-key lighting, grungy, flash photography vibe. Where expression and attitude were the key focus, and lighting amplifies the style. I’ve previously experimented with a candid technique, using Dutch angles with an ‘on camera’ flash to get a dynamic feeling of tension and excitement. Although this style has a general 90s vibe, I don’t want this to be the main format of photography for this project. The culture of Britpop and the bands ‘Oasis’ and ‘Blur’ subsequently led not only clothing fashion trends, but also influenced a photographic technique of lowkey lighting, dynamic angles, and rogue-like poses that ware utilised for promos and album covers during the 90s. This look and feel of melo youth-like attitude/ poses and lighting became a staple for Britpop’s genre, as bands would utilise techniques of both ‘on camera’ flash and single key lighting for studio photographs for promos.
Technique
To place Britpop’s fashion culture into a contemporary publication, I will nod and lean towards the original style of lighting techniques of both ‘on camera’ flash for dynamic angles and poses; and single key lighting for lowkey contrast that will stay true and amplify Britpop’s ‘melodic’ attitudes.
Fashion
A big staple in Britpop was not only the music and attitudes, but how the musical culture influenced fashion in Britain during the late 1990s. Clothing worn by the general British public was typically influenced by Britpop musicians as they would wear button-up shirts with jackets on top accompanied with denim jeans. Stylised as a British boyband vibe as ‘Blur’ and ‘Oasis’ members were in their late 20s during the late 90s.
Hair
What distinguished between this, and other fashion trends were also the clean-cut hairstyles that would follow a ‘naturally fallen’ look. Short middle parts and mops were mostly influenced by the band ‘Blur’ during the late 90s. Where shorter shaggy hair was typically styled with the band ‘Oasis’.
Accessories
To add an individualised touch, I will also be adding a 1990s Accurist wristwatch to the model. Accurist is a British-designed, Japanese-imported watch brand that is sponsored by British telecom’s Speaking Watch. This watch stands for the international imports to Britain that influenced small accessories of fashion during the 1990s, as Accurist was the leading wristwatch brand in Britain during the 90s. It remains true to Britpop’s attitudes and style as it’s worn on the hand as opposed
to being worn fully on the wrist; and amplifies the ‘Britishness’ that Britpop aligns itself with.
Publication
The publication I’ll be using to implement my photographs will be ID magazines. ID magazines specialise in premiering and scouting emerging talents in fields of acting, music, art, fashion, and other creative fields. Such emerging talents premiered by ID magazine were fashion photographer Nick Knight and
artist Wolfgang Tillmans. The publications style of ID focuses on youth culture
within creative industries, mostly through fashion news and trends. ID magazine’s fashion culture and youth centralised focus is compatible with Britpop’s music culture and will assist in contemporising Britpop’s fashion culture.
View the final I-D Fashion Magazine project below
Click here to view Photography
Byron McIntosh 