MY Magazine

MY M AG A Z I N E .

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MY 001/NOV 2013/ UK £4.50 US $9.99/AUS $13.50

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a F e, r tu l u

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Fashion

Interviews

11 Get the Look

21 Jez Collins

13 Meet the Designers

23 Dean Carter

15 Kahn & Bell

31 Liam Donnelly 35 Billy Harris

CONTEN

Photography

Writings

07 Les Nouveux Romantiques

05 Posers 17 The MTV Revolution 25 Looking Back Looking Forward

TS

29 Birth of the Metrosexual

From the Editor I am excited to present to you the first issue of MY Magazine for November 2013. The 1980’s were such an explosive decade with so many dominant cultures. The disappearance of the punks in the 1970’s then brought us the New Romantics, New Wave and then Rave following on later. For this issue I have decided to dig deep into the powerful subculture of the New Romantics and discover something new. Despite the movement being quite short lived and the fact that it ended up fading into the mainstream by 1983, was it still prominent and influential? I want to discover and analyse any cultural practices from the New Romantics that are practiced today and towards the end of the issue, this will be discussed. We look into the world of metrosexual men, what it’s all about and whether it impacts on the global fashion industry.

MY is exploring the culture of the 1980’s New Romantics whilst looking closely at the global fashion industry today. MY aims to dig deep into the New Romantics era to find out what it was actually like to live through the culture and what it was like to be a true POSER! Well that’s all from me for now. I hope you enjoy this journey through the culture of the New Romantics as much as I have.

Until next time...

Melissa X Editor in Chief

03 MY.

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Online Version

LET’S GET DIGITAL! 04 MY.

Photography: Derek Ridgers1

05 MY.

New Romantics = Posers They were christened everything under the sun from “posers”, “the now crowd”, “romantics”, “the cult with no name” and with the Blitz nightclub in London being so dominant, they were also know as the “Blitz Kids”. It was only when the press became involved that we all decided to colonise and name them the NEW ROMANTICS. This pop culture movement began as a club culture around 1979 just at the start of the 80’s explosion of the nightclub scene in London. After the outburst of punk everyone realised that anything was possible and anyone could do what they wanted. Post-punk saw people moving away from the aggressiveness that came with punk to find a more glamorous and gentler culture. The eccentric, daring and attention seeking fashion heavily inspired the culture as well as a new style of music that was as far removed from punk as possible.

The New Romantic culture grew almost parallel in two major cities: London and Birmingham. London brought us the nightclubs Billy’s and then Blitz as well as the bright characters Steve Strange and Rusty Egan. Simultaneously, Birmingham gifted us with the nightclub, The Rum Runner and the band Duran Duran. Birmingham also supplied us with the infamous Kahn and Bell store on Hurst Street and popular New Romantic character, Martin Degville.

After peaking in 1981 the culture was short lived and started to disappear by the mid 1980’s after becoming mainstream. As a result, the majority of New Romantic artists continued their careers without the aesthetics of the culture.

06 MY.

“Each subcultures’ style is always communicating an image” - Dick Hebdige

07 MY.

CULTURAL THEORY To develop our knowledge and understanding of culture, MY have looked at a key cultural theory by Dick Hebdige, a social theorist. We have digged deeper in order to understand the background details of what we are exploring which is the New Romantic culture.

Hebdige was one of the early academics that looked at youth cultures whilst coincidently studying in Birmingham. His most influential book: “Subculture: The Meaning of Style” actually builds on earlier work in Birmingham on youth subcultures.

With New Romantics being so prominent in Birmingham and London you will see a lot of discussion around these two large cities. Hebdige will have been looking at people from a similar area to the area we are diving into. There will be significant changes from when the book was actually published in 1979. Despite this we are still able to look at where the points we are making originally stemmed from. The majority of his research was concerned with the relationship between subcultures and social class in post war Britain. He delves into the meanings behind the fashionable appearances of working-class youth subcultures. Time Out said he approached the subject “with a sophisticated theoretical apparatus that combines semiotics, the sociology of deviance and Marxism and comes up with a very stimulating short book.”1 In ‘The Meaning of Style’ Hebdige considers the choices of each subcultures’ style and how it is always communicating an image. Whilst discussing his own points he relates his arguments to those of Roland Barthe who suggests “the signification of the image is certainly intentional (HEBDIGE, 1979, p. 101).”2 Alongside this, Hebdige (1979, p.101) debates that subcultures “display their own codes”3 and “in this they go against the grain of a mainstream culture.”4 So if this analogy has any truth then what is it that the New Romantics were trying to communicate? We will discuss this throughout the magazine looking at politics, fashion, music and society in general to understand what they really wanted to say. That’s if they were actually trying to say anything! We cannot completely rely on this theory as Hebdige has had some criticism after publishing this book and it may not actually relate to this subculture in particular.

As his book was only published in 1979, did he allow enough time to show any long term impact from the subcultures he was discussing? He looked at punk in depth and even though the subculture may have disappeared by that year – did he leave a long enough period of time to reflect on it accurately? We will carefully consider his theories as we explore the New Romantic culture.

08 MY.

Les Nouveaux Romantiques Starring: Harriet Carter Photography/Styling: Melissa Poulton Hair & Makeup: Riona Biddle using MAC Cosmetics

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2

GET THE LOOK 13 MY.

TREND

BEING A ROMANTIC The style bordered on androgyny with the guys being beautiful in a different way to the classic “movie stars.” They were actually pretty with luscious lips, protruding cheekbones and with the skills of applying make-up better than most women. Nina Blackwood, a famous MTV personality from the 80’s, asked “My Lord, what do they put in the water over there?”5 New Romantics were the first musicians to openly embrace fashion as being as equally important as their music. They experimented with an androgynous look that was described by the Mighty Boosh, a popular comedy TV series, as both “romantic poet” and “future sailor.”6 The 18th century poet blouse was a key necessity to symbolise the movement although they adopted a number of diverse themes such as Russian constructivism, pirates, 1930’s Berlin cabaret stars, theatrical characters and puritans. All joined the mix with the most essential conclusion for them to be completely unique.

14 MY.

3

MEET THE VIVIENNE WESTWOOD AND MALCOM MCLAREN As punk influenced the mainstream even more, Westwood and McLaren looked for a different direction along the path of romanticism. Westwood raided history for ideas for their collection. 1981 saw the couple’s first catwalk show. Bursting onto the London fashion scene it offered a romantic look with inspiration from history and the third world. This period marked a huge turning point for both designers’ careers as they searched for a new trend. They found what they were looking for – a more romantic atmosphere. It didn’t take long for the famous ‘Pirate Collection’ to be snapped up by the famous New Romantic styled musicians such as Adam Ant. The collection announced androgynous and sexual suggestion whilst still being inspired by the study of 18th century men’s clothing and pirate flair. They sold their collections in the newly renamed ‘World’s End’ store on London’s most famous catwalk, the Kings Road.

15 MY.

WILLIE BROWN Willie Brown left college to set up his own shop called Modern Classics in East London to showcase his dramatic collections. He drew on inspiration from outside the box and New Sounds New Styles magazine in 1981 said “Russian Constructivist and Bauhaus artistic movements, steamships and locomotives, architecture and industrial design”7 were amongst his influences. David Bowie spotted Brown’s garments and one off pieces in the height of the New Romantic period.

DESIGNERS MELISSA CAPLAN As one of the original blitz kids she aimed to “create real clothes for real people.”8 Her clothes reflected her flair and intelligence and took influences from her interests in art, music and architecture. Caplan was renowned as being one of the leading designers to have surfaced from the alternative world of club culture. Steve Strange, Toyah Willcox and Spandau Ballet were her first customers and they began to spread the word of her creations. New Sounds New Styles in 1981 described “Caplanesque as layers and poppers and wrap overs and clever coordination of colours with weaves, all creating a silhouette which intimidate the fashion press by remaining, as they say of music on Radio 3, uncompromising.”9 16 MY.

4

“Straight to Kahn and Bell on grotty Hurst Street!”10 The New Romantics were said to praise Pattie Bell and Jane Kahn, who owed the store, for teaming up in the mid-70’s in order to offer Birmingham (and those who made the effort to travel to Birmingham) their flamboyant presence and their eye-catching, uniquely designed garments. New Sounds New Styles Magazine named them “Birmingham’s most influential alternative fashion team”11 in October 1981. The press began to notice that they were trendsetters after the establishment of their outlet at Great Gear Market on the Kings Road in London. Kahn and Bell really proved that you didn’t have to be in London to have leading & extravagant collections which famous artists were all gagging for.

They designed for some of the most popular bands during the New Romantics 80’s movement including Duran Duran and Shock.

Their clothing was celebrated for representing the New Romantic style with a sense of ‘theatre meets glamour’. They combined their influences to create collections of clothes that competed with the wildest of imaginations. They mixed African and Egyptian influences with futurism, fantasy and fetish which were a feast for any romantic’s eye.

I’m sure Birmingham has these two lovely ladies to thank for putting Birmingham’s fashion on the map. Did Kahn and Bell affect New Romantic fashion profoundly?

17 MY.

On one hand you could say Birmingham would have been lost without Kahn and Bell.

They were very influential and every city needed a boutique where you could get up and coming fashion. Before New Romantic fashion merged into mainstream, Kahn and Bell were one of the only shops in Birmingham supplying the New Romantic style so without them Birmingham would surelyhave had less influenc. You could say that without their presence in Birmingham maybe the culture wouldn’t have been as popular outside of London. Unless people had the time and money to travel to London to purchase the latest styles then Birmingham may never have seen the true New Romantic style around as much often as it did. Dave Rimmer, author of ‘New Romantics: The Look’, supported these ideas by saying Kahn and Bell’s “ presence on the small but growing scene kept the freak flag flying through the days of punk.”12 However you could argue with the points made and suggest that Kahn and Bell didn’t affect the fashion of the New Romantics drastically. Birmingham’s Rag market was a huge influence on New Romantic style along with charity shops. The fashion at the time was theatrical and often an adaptation of something previously owned or made from scratch. Without Kahn and Bell fashion could have seen even more of a push of creativity than it did.

It would have forced the true New Romantics to be creative and make their own outfits rather than purchasing them ready to wear.

“Patti and Jane were the queen and princess of the Birmingham New Romantic scene as fashion designers”13

KAHN & BELL

“Patti was the Vivienne Westwood of Birmingham with Jane as Zandra Rhodes”14 - Paul Edmonds

18 MY.

The MTV Revolution We delve into the launch of MTV in the 1980’s and we find much more than we barginned for.

Photo: Culture Club by Michael Putland/Getty Images 5

19 MY.

T.M.R Hello MTV. Today we are still significantly influenced by the 1980’s but the launch of MTV in that decade has more than influenced us – but did it revolutionise? It came at the perfect time for the New Romantic musicians in 1981 and it was allegedly instrumental in making the careers of artists at the time.

MTV became a valuable promotional medium for the artists. Artists such as Duran Duran, Boy George of Culture Club and Spandau Ballet had adopted the New Romantic style and used MTV to help drive their careers. Duran Duran in particular had help from the substantial rotation of their music videos on the TV channel. Looking back would the New Romantic musicians be as popular and successful without the help of MTV? With its glamorous, flamboyant and attention seeking style the New Romantics portrayed, MTV was perfect to highlight these artists’ individual image. Image and fashion were what made New Romantic musicians different from others so the opportunity to combine their music and fashion for video seemed a perfect match.

MTV’s affect on the New Romantic fashion at the time can be explained as substantial – and it could be said that the launch came at a perfect time. It could be suggested that it drove music artists at the time to be more creative with their fashion sense. An artist’s image became even more important in the early 80’s as a consequence of music videos creating even more coverage for the artist. Without MTV and before it came about, artists did consider their fashion ensembles but mainly for their live performances. MTV gave birth to music videos and with music videos came the pressure to have the most striking fashion because artists were going to be projected into their fans’ living rooms without even knowing about it.

Their videos could be used to showcase their looks, new outfits and what style they wanted to be seen wearing.

Musicians can be influential when it comes to people’s fashion sense and because music became more visual, the audience got to see more of the musician’s fashion sense.

This allowed fans to follow the trend set by their idols. So as New Romantic artists were being showcased wearing a particular style of clothing it meant that the fashion became popular a lot faster. This could be argued as a negative aspect for New Romantics. It could explain why the subculture became mainstream so quickly and disappeared. Instead you could look at MTV from a different perspective and suggest it didn’t really do much for fashion. There were other forms of media at the time such as popular magazines like The Face which would showcase and discuss what musicians were wearing and what style they wore without the need for video technology.

The

Second

British

Invasion

Did MTV help popular British artists become as successful as they were in America in the early 1980’s?

This popularity was known as ‘The Second British Invasion’ where MTV found they had little choice but to play a great deal of British New Romantic artists’ videos as that was the ‘in thing’. After the ‘First British Invasion’ which was mainly dominated by the Beatles in the 1960’s, the second invasion then rose and peaked by 1983. It was said that American youth were fast asleep since American music had collapsed and had become very stagnant. Many sources confirm that MTV played a strong part in the British invasion into the US charts.

New Romantics aimed to give something lighter and return positivity and enjoyment to the music industry. Rather than singing about their troubles and politics they allowed pop to be used as escapism.

“It was turning away from the negativism of punk and the doubt and despair and political guilt of so much postpunk”15 said Simon Reynolds, author of the book “Rip it up and start again: Postpunk 1981-1984.”15 Musicians at the time didn’t want to completely reject punk/postpunk but they felt like that had been and gone and now they needed to try a new direction.

20 MY.

British pop artists at the time offered something distinctive with their synthesizer driven music and their stylish fashion sensibilities.

The New Romantic movement offered more polished music than what had come before it. A Rolling Stone magazine issue called Trend in 1983 had the headline: “England Swings: Great Britain invades America’s music and style.”16 It discussed the week in July in 1983 when seven British acts conquered the Billboard Top 10 singles charts. These acts included New Romantic icons Duran Duran and Culture Club. These two bands were the most successful British acts that made it in America and together had a combined eight Top 10 hits in 1983.

Reacting against punk rock’s grubby guitars and fashion sense it was insinuated that, “Rusty Egan put together a gleaming synthesised soundtrack, the music of the future.”17 And with this gleaming, futuristic sound of music, New Romantic fashion sat parallel. You can explain the sleek and futuristic style of New Romantics by the music they were listening to. Music clearly affected fashion as you can see a strong similarity between both styles. However, on the other hand, you can debate that fashion could have influenced the new style of music and that the two are forever influencing each other. Our interview with Dean Carter, an original New Romantic, confirmed that he“noticed the music coming through first, playing in the clubs and what was being played on MTV.” All in all you could say MTV gave artists a foot into the music industry’s front door but it also created problems in the sense that, before long, the power of the video being played on MTV outshone the prominence of the music. Were musicians spending more time and resources on promotional videos rather than the actual music? It was reported that the music didn’t have much substance so were artists more preoccupied with their image? That is something only further research can answer.

ROMANTIC 6

MAGGIE?!

21 MY.

MARGARET THATCHER | CAUSING A STIR

HOW DID THE NEW ROMANTICS IGNORE MAGGIE AND MAKE THE U.K SWING AGAIN?

By 1981, Conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher had been in office for two years.

She had pushed for reform of the trade unions and wanted to drive privatisation of public industries and utilities. Popular New Romantic cities - London and Birmingham were suffering with mass unemployment, protest marches and inner city riots as unemployment was dramatically increasing. By 1981 “more than 2.5 million were unemployed with around 6,000 people joining the dole queue daily.”18 History suggests that there were mixed reactions to politics from people in the early 1980’s. On one side lay the aggressively politicised artists such as The Clash and UB40.

For example, UB40 named their band after a British unemployment benefits form. However, on the other hand, there were New Romantic artists such as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Culture Club who flamboyantly sang about escapism and created a more positive atmosphere.

Despite having differing reactions to British politics at the time can all attitudes be moderately interpreted as responses to a growing sense of resentment and anguish about the transformations unleashed by Margaret Thatcher?

In more affluent suburbs of London and the Midlands it has been suggested that Thatcher had more of a groundswell of support.

Is there a representation of this support through the New Romantic culture? They developed a brighter, aspirational version of pop where nightclubs, dressing up extravagantly and going out were more of an imperative than politics and the rest of depressed Britain.

Could Margaret Thatcher and the mixed responses to her reforms explain British music’s burst of creativity? You could say that Thatcher stimulated a creative effect on music and fashion from the late 70’s, throughout her time in power and even after. The bitter era saw a side of harsh lyrics, aggressive guitars and thrashing percussion when politics encountered music. Whereas it seems that as usual the New Romantics wanted to be different and voice a different outlook. It was known that they had a softer attitude to politics which they displayed similarly through their music. Their music chose to neglect the depressive era and embrace the ideology that ‘we can be anything that we want to be.’ It appeared that they were escaping the current darkness through their brighter more optimistic music. The youth at the time were trying to remain optimistic about the future despite listening to artists that were singing about their anger and the fact that they thought there wasn’t going to be a bright future. Thank god they had the New Romantics to turn to, hey!

Playing melodic synthesised pop allowed them to be free from their political anxieties. The New Romantic artists wrote songs that would distract people from their real life monotony such as pit closures and never ending dole queues.

After music, fashion then naturally follows and you can see the same principles through how they dressed.

Fashion sense at this time was flamboyant, colourful and full of ruffles, this was 22 MY.

equivalent to the style of music.

Maybe this is why the movement gained such popularity? Did people want to forget and escape the midst of the 80’s economic recession? It seemed like society no longer wanted to moan about what was happening and wanted to follow the crowd who were offering dandy, eccentric distractions. They drove towards a theatrical look whilst embracing the gender-bending attitude to fashion.

At some nightclubs such as The Blitz Club in London, clubs operated a strict door policy which allowed them to turn away anyone who didn’t live up to the ‘weird and the wonderful’ standards they were expecting. This was because they wanted an exclusive clientele. Perhaps New Romantics only wanted to be surrounded by people with the same attitudes and positivity when out nightclubbing.

Alternatively could it be simply explained as ignorance? Perhaps they weren’t completely comfortable with the way they dressed and only wanted to be surrounded by people with the same acquired taste so that they wouldn’t feel like they were being judged by other subcultures. Could it be that they were intimidated by associating themselves with other cultures? It is possible to reason with both sides of this argument. The real question was, would you let you in?!

Were the new romantics really as optimistic as they appeared? Were society and politics affecting them more than they let on through the music they made and listened to and the clothes they wore. Music and fashion are popular methods that people use to express themselves. You would have to look beyond these methods to search deep into the soul of the New Romantic to find out if even the happiest subculture around at the time, was struggling to deal with Britain’s social and political problems. Please see our interviews with two original New Romantics who can give us a greater understanding of what they thought was really going on.

Interview

JEZ COLLINS 7

WHO: Jez Collins WHAT: Founder of Birmingham Musix Archive & New Romantic Lover WHY: Celebrating, Preserving and Sharing Birmingham’s Music Heritage VISIT: birminghammusicarchive.com

How would you describe the fashion of the New Romantic culture in 3 words?

Daring…challenging…Metrosexual.

What do you think were the reasons behind why the movement started?

Well Birmingham’s manufacturing industry at the time was in decline with high unemployWould you say the New Romantic style ment as a result. People felt the need to create was similar to any other style before or their own style to try and escape the dark grey after the time? landscape that was Birmingham. The exciting Like most new styles it felt like it was an adapta- stir that punk caused was over and the New tion of things that had come before but with a Romantics wanted to reject everything negative modern twist. that was happening and cling to the positives.

Duran Duran mirrored Thatcher’s sense of How do you explain this culture? “you can have it all.” However New Romantics I would say it was a rejection of punk and post did reject Thatcher’s idea that everyone was punk. New Romantics wanted to be vibrant and equal and that we weren’t different so everyone glamorous using make up to create a shock fac- needed to be treated the same – which caused a tor. Music wasn’t very cutting edge compared to hell of a lot of political instability. other cultures that had come before.

Do you think this was a male dominated When did you notice the movement start- culture? If so, why? ing and where and how did you hear No I don’t – no more or no less of either sex. about it?

Even though the main faces of the movement In the early 1980’s- I’d probably say 1981. and the musicians tended to be more male MTV played a big role, the dawning of the first orientated. videos and the first glamorous look of videos meant that fashion needed to keep up and make What do you think this movement did for more of a statement as artists were now making males at the time? music videos.

23 MY.

Quite a shallow culture that was built from inspiration from Studio 54, it picked specific glamorous clientele.

They had a notoriously bad door policy in both Birmingham and London nightclubs. The culture was more about style than substance as it didn’t challenge politics or the system. It was more about having a good time and less about what was going on around you. The only politics it had were shallow and about the way people dressed.

New Romantics were perceived as puffs and queers but they actually weren’t. To dress the way they did – so feminine – they had to be tough, gay or not. You dress and act in that way at that specific time, you had to be prepared.

It led to a more prominent gay community. John Lipton was an example of a man that because of the movement felt able to use it as a form of self-expression. Allowed men to dress how they wanted and because they weren’t the only ones doing it – it lost the shock factor and people began to accept it.

What was the economy like at the time? Was this culture affordable or expensive?

Unemployment was high. People made things and got creative by adapting old clothing. People would steal from shops as they felt it was the only way as they just didn’t have the money.

This led to creativity within fashion as everything wasn’t easily accessible and on your doorstep – you had to make it or go out and find it. I would say that people did still buy bespoke and expensive designer items but overall it was affordable in terms of charity shops, the Rag Market and making your own clothing.

How do you think the culture has influenced today?

Musicians such as Duran Duran have with their aesthetic look and their videos on MTV. You continuously still see elements of the glamorous style around in fashion.

How do you feel this has affected the rest of society and fashion today?

The culture gave society very feminine men in the public eye such as Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran and Boy George. I think the way they were accepted into society has influenced men to be as feminine as they want to be.

I think men are more confident when making fashion choices today. Men have become more in touch with their feminine side with regards to fashion and grooming and don’t feel judged if they want to look and sound different.

When did you notice the culture disappearing & why do you think this happened when it happened?

Everything works in cycles and like most trends and movements the culture ran its course. Fashion is always changing and you see fashion come and go especially with the early adopters looking for something new. As New Romantics became more mainstream and no longer an underground culture, people started to look for something else.

Are there any negative points you think of when you think of this culture?

24 MY.

Interiview

DEAN CARTER WHO: A New Romantic Fanatic WHAT: An Original New Romantic in Birmingham WHY: Lived through the culture and will always be New Romantic at heart

How would you describe the fashion of the New Romantic culture in 3 words?

What do you think were the reasons behind why the movement started?

Outlandish…Stylish…Attention seeking.

Would you say the New Romantic style was similar to any other style before or after the time? Or do you think it was unique?

Britain had an economic wobble at the end of the 70’s. People still wanted to go out and enjoy themselves and do something different. The music was different whilst the mixes of people were accepting. People were looking forward to the new 80’s.

Unique with a blend of previous styles from the 18th century.

Do you think this was a male dominated culture? If so, why?

How do you explain this culture?

If you were asking me about music in particular then I would say yes. But in terms of the culture as a whole and who followed it, I would say it was evenly mixed between men and women.

New and exciting. Punk meant you were either black or white whereas New Romantics were a shade of grey. I would say that the New Romantic culture wasn’t always joyful though.

What do you think this movement did for males at the time?

When did you notice the movement starting and where and how did you hear about it?

I think it made things easier for men with respect to fashion and your appearance. It was a turning point for gay people which allowed them to become more accepted.

It was clear through music and the music videos on MTV. I started to notice a common thread around 1980/81 and I loved it! Peppermint Place in Birmingham started holding club nights where New Romantics were able to mix. When you see someone wearing something new and a different style of fashion you tend to ask what music they’re into and that’s how you hear about new styles.

Where were the clubs and the places to go in this culture at the time? Which clubs did you go to?

Peppermint Place, Faces, Snobs, Holy City Zoo, The Rum Runner all of which were in Birmingham and were the places I loved to go.

25 MY.

What do you think was the need for the change? Do you think New Romantics became too mainstream?

I was also aware of the clubs in London but tended to stick to Birmingham for going out.

How would you describe the mood/ style of the culture? How do you think this differs to other cultures in the 70’s & 80’s?

Like anything people move on, get bored and get over it. I think it became too mainstream and lost its adrenaline.

Flamboyant, individual, happy, extovert whilst New Romantics still tended to act quite moody and aloof when out and about.

How do you think this has influenced today, through both society and fashion?

What was the economy like at the time? Was this culture affordable/expensive?

It has its place in history like any other pop culture. Influenced people through music. I think more importantly it influenced mens’ lives and makes today feel like they can dress and appear however they want.

Affordable at first with fashion being purchased from charity shops but then became less affordable when the style drifted into mainstream and then high street shops.

Has it affected you on a personal level today? If so, how has it?

When did you notice the culture disappearing & why do you think this happened when it happened?

It did at the time. I don’t feel like a changed person purely because of the New Romantics but you never know it could’ve affected me in ways I haven’t realised.

Mid 80’s when disco started to take over.

People got tired of the look as it was such an effort – there is only so long you keep it up for. It disappeared as the music disappeared and as artists either disappeared or moved in different directions away from the New Romantic style.

Do you notice any contemporary practices of the culture today? Are any of these through the fashion industry?

Not in particular - unless you actually relive the culture through a New Romantic themed event, etc. But with fashion you can always see previous styles come back around and you can see this with today’s fashion.

What music came after?

Disco and Synth pop.

26 MY.

LOOKING BACK. So after looking back at the history of the New Romantics and the culture as a whole we think its time to start looking forward. It’s now clear that music, politics, media and social perspectives of the culture can affect fashion. A special thanks to Jez Collins and Dean Carter for helping us really appreciate life as a New Romantic in the 80’s.

After exploring the New Romantics in depth you could link Dick Hebdige’s theory to the subculture. Hebdige discusses how subcultures style is always communicating an image and that the image is intentional. After research, I think it can be supported that New Romantics were trying to communicate “You can be whatever you want to be.” The style of the culture was very theatrical, outrageous and attention seeking. The members of the culture wanted to “go against the grain of the mainstream ”19 like Hebdige’s theory suggested and be whatever and whoever they wanted to be. The theatrical look could explain that they were dressing up to be somebody different to who they usually were and aiming to ultimately shock their audience. You could link the sense of rebellion away from punk to Thatcher’s policies of ‘everybody is equal’ because New Romantics wanted to be different and unique. They put their middle finger up to the punks and spelt out that they were clearly over any depression and that they were ready to be positive in order to look forward.

So just like the New Romantics we are looking forward.

Can we see any of the cultural practices of the New Romantics in today’s generation? And more importantly, can we see them within the global fashion industry and are any of these practices affecting it?

It was mentioned in both our interviews by Jez and Dean that they thought the New Romantic culture “most importantly influenced mens’ lives and made them feel like they could dress and appear however they wanted.” So do you think these practices of men dressing and appearing however they like are in fact practiced today? Lets explore…

27 MY.

LOOKING FORWARD. 8

28 MY.

Questionaire

ARE YOU METROSEXUAL?!

9

29 MY.

DAVID BECKHAM | POSTER BOY FOR METROSEXUALS

Are you metrosexual? Is your boyfriend metrosexual? That is the question! Don’t hide it answer the following questions truthfully – there is nothing to be shy about! Would you say you (or your boyfriend) are a modern man in touch with himself and his feminine side? Well if more than one of these is answered with a ‘yes’ – I think it’s safe to say you should embrace being metrosexual (or tell your boyfriend he needs to.)

David Beckham has been labelled as the ‘Metrosexual Poster Boy’ and who doesn’t want to look like David Beckham?

1.Do you groom and buff your hair and body and then dress in fashionable clothing both at work and for going out in the evening?

2.Do you stay up to date with the latest hairstyles, the newest threads, and the right shaped shoes?

3.Have you ever confused any guys when it comes to your sexuality?

4.Do you make these same guys are jealous because of your success with the ladies?

5.When you interact with women do you find it easy to flirt?

It appears evident that in the current day the pressure to be beautiful is no longer only restricted to women. Western Europe has the “largest male grooming market in the world”20 and in recent years there has been a major boom in the sales of men’s beauty products across the world. With media being as celebrity and reality TV crazed as it is today – do we endlessly judge both sexes on their appearance?

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B.o.t.M A survey we conducted resulted in 83% of men saying they feel more under pressure now than ever before about their appearance. As well as 86% of women saying they think it’s harder now for men to not be judged by their appearance. Is it fair to say there is a continuous urge for competition in most aspects of life? It is noticeable that the modern man is now increasingly concerned about his appearance whilst more women are finding these metrosexual men attractive. Results from our survey show that 91% of women prefer a well groomed man to a rugged one.

Are men becoming everything that women have been for such a long time? Is this the end to the sexual divide which has always been around between women and mens’ appearances and the extremes they take to maintain it in the bedroom and the bathroom? According to Mark Simpson, a socialist, “It’s the end of sexu­ al­ ity as we’ve known it.”21 Did you know that the term metrosexual only came to light when Mark Simpson, an out-spoken, social commentarist, first published it in 1994? He published the term in his ‘Here come the Mirror Men’ article in the Independent. The concept was developed after being based on the masculine identity that is being portrayed in a media-driven world.

Metrosexual seems to have drifted into the mainstream and become the norm today but has this always been the case and when did we first see signs of men being ‘Metrosexual’?

It’s clear that men can be just as vain as women – are men happier now that their able to show it? Lets discuss.

You can see glimpses of metrosexual characteristics coming through in previous decades From the ‘Whiz Kidz’ to the ‘Brat Pack’ look, of the sleeked back hair of James Dean

and Marlon Brando in the 1950’s.

James Dean melted women’s hearts by being their ‘world class rebel’ whilst Marlon Brando was the élite at making ‘torn t-shirts sexy.’You can see it in Mick Jagger’s skin tight clothing of the 1960’s as well as David Bowie’s dazzling glam rock ways of the 1970’s. However, it didn’t emerge into the mainstream and high street throughout those decades until the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Is there a particular reason why it didn’t and what made the 80’s exceptional?

You can’t deny that the New Romantic culture generated a lot of metrosexual men. The key descriptive words that are used to describe the New Romantics are pretty similar to those that describe being metrosexual. Before the label ‘metrosexual’ was defined, men displaying metrosexual characteristics in the 1980’s were described as being experimental.

By the 1980’s men weren’t sure whether they would be accepted or attacked for being in touch with their feminine side. The New Romantic movement and the iconic stars of the movement showed the public that they had the chance to be whomever they wanted to be. The fact that MTV were embracing new romantic artists such as Duran Duran and Boy George who styled their dramatic hair with glamorous make up, demonstrated that men could relax a little and follow in the New Romantic footstep. MTV showcased the New Romantic musicians who shared the message that guys could and were experimenting with make up and ruffled shirts and there wasn’t as much of a divide between the two sexes with the androgynous look. New Romantics didn’t only make it acceptable to wear make up, dress flamboyantly and femininely – they made it fashionable!

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So with media, music and fashion on their side – metrosexuals had the opportunity to embrace their ‘feminine’ side without being as shocking as they would have perhaps been pre New Romantic culture. You can see in some of the articles in this magazine that New Romantics wanted to be themselves with the freedom to express who they were or who they wanted to become. Perhaps without this burst of freedom and the ideology of ‘we don’t care what you think’– maybe metrosexuals would be still covering up their feminine qualities. Eric Anderson, a sociologist known for his research on masculinities studies, discusses the rise of the metrosexual. He describes the 1980’s as a “period of time full of homohysteria”22 whilst saying “that now all these homophobic codes are disappearing.” “Skinny jeans, pink and putting a lot of effort into your hairstyle are no longer signs of homosexuality. The early word we use to describe this was metrosexual.”23 His argument corresponds with our point of view that up to and including the 1980’s there was homophobia and disapproval. But shortly after we then saw signs of this disappearing and behaviours were then being newly described as metrosexual.

Could Eric Anderson be agreeing with the dates we were looking at for the birth of the metrosexual?

Is this just a coincidence? Or have metrosexuals been around forever? Looking at another point of view it could have been that the 1980’s merely sparked the labelling of the term metrosexual that didn’t become a common term until the 1990’s. Lets hear what some of today’s generation of self-proclaimed metrosexuals have to say.

BIRTH OF THE

METROSEXUAL

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Interview

MEET LIAM “The self-proclaimed Metrosexual”

WHO:Liam Donnelly WHY: Self-proclaimed Metrosexual and Fashion Blogger WHAT: Proud to be well groomed and well dressed VISIT: www.liamdonnelly.com

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Interview

So Liam, thanks for your time. Lets get straight to it, would you call yourself a metrosexual?

Yes and I’m pretty proud about it.

What do you think makes you a metrosexual?

I do tend to get people looking at my clothes and thinking they’re a bit unusual but then I see them wearing the same thing maybe 6 months later. So I suppose I’m a bit unusual.

So anyway back to the question – sorry! I’d say ultra modern, individual, simple and sleek.

Do you enjoy shopping and keeping up to date with new trends?

It would probably be my shoe collection… I can’t officially confirm how many but I will say I have Well I would never wear something because well and truly sailed past the 35 pair mark. everyone else is. I like to keep ahead of the trends. I like to blog and follow blogs to find new Explain your beauty regime? things as well as looking online for new upcoming brands.

Well I do the usual. I shave 3 times a week to keep a clean look. I get my haircut and styled Do you spend a lot of money on clothes? regularly. I wash my face and moisturise. I do What is your most expensive item? blow dry my hair and style it every morning without fail.

Yes, my girlfriend says I spend too much. I do have a slight issue but I prefer quality over quanWould you openly discuss the lengths you tity. I love well made clothes so I will pay more go to in order to keep up your appearance? money for the quality and originality. I would If not – why would you hide it? probably say the most expensive item I own is a jacket. I think I paid about £340 for it. I have a I wouldn’t say I go to any extreme lengths to slight obsession with jackets… I have an endless keep up my appearance but I wouldn’t hide how collection.

I look after myself or how much I love clothes to anyone. I openly tell people who ask.

What beauty products do you use?

What makes you take so much pride and effort in your appearance?

Dress badly and they remember the clothes.

Dress well and they remember the man!

I’d say the same thing applies to hair and your appearance on a whole. I love that little quote, haha.

How would you describe your fashion sense?

I use Abercrombie and Fitch and Nicole Farhi aftershave. I use Molten Brown shower gel, moisturiser and hair wash – I love the smell. I also use Mr Natty hair products and beard oil.

Why do you have these beauty regimes?

To keep me looking clean, bright-eyed and bushy tailed!

Do you think many men have similar beauty regimes but they hide it?

I’m a modern man so I’d say my fashion sense would be modern. I like to think a bit different Yes, it is pretty much the norm nowadays to be and not mainstream. I like to find new and differ- well groomed. ent labels about a year before other people start wearing them.

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Why do you think they hide it?

Who inspires you in the public eye?

They probably think they would be considered effeminate or they’re probably not comfortable with themselves.

Andrea Pirlo, the footballer – now he’s a cool bloke with some cool clothes. I guess for a mainstream celeb I would say David Beckham because you can’t deny he’s a suave guy and wears some smart clothes.

Do you feel happier when your appearance is at its best?

Do you think the media portrays men taking care of themselves positively or negatively?

Yes I suppose so. Wearing new clothes does make you feel good about yourself so I guess it makes you feel happier.

I would say quite positively. You find a lot of male celebs endorsing beauty and fashion advertisements. This is as well as male models being paid similar or more, in some cases, to female models.

Do the media and celebrities influence your appearance?

In some cases yes but mainstream celebs don’t really influence me. If someone who I didn’t like wore something then I probably wouldn’t wear it or anything similar because I don’t want to be associated with that person in the public eye. Is that a bad way of looking at it? Oh well.

Well I do look at celebrities but those that have a similar taste to me.

Do you think it’s easier for men to show their feminine side today? And if so, why?

Do you think there are bad connotations surrounding the label metrosexual? And if so, why do you think this?

Well I don’t think many people are actually aware of the official label ‘Metrosexual.’ If you told them what it actually meant they may look at it negatively I suppose. Probably because they don’t want to put an official name on it – and stupidly enough, maybe because they think people, who don’t know the official definition of the word, may assume they’re gay?

Do you think it’s easier for women to look after their appearance without being judged than it is men?

I think maybe a few years ago but I think society has moved beyond that now and has just accepted that most people, male or female, just want to look good and impress through their appearance.

Yes I suppose so. I can only comment on today but I can imagine people questioning men a lot more. I think you have a lot more freedom now and you can get away with wearing unusual things without having people assume that you are gay. Especially pink – pink has become the norm for both sexes.

What do you think has changed to make men embrace being metrosexual?

Well celebs did it first and people follow them so I guess that’s how things become mainstream.

People in the limelight are other people’s main influences, people such as sportsmen/women, musicians and actors. You see brands have also adapted to metrosexuality and given their customers the option now to buy more fashion-forward items – you see a lot more men’s fashion about. I think menswear has become a lot more popular and a lot more brands are embracing it at fashion events. I guess as the world has become a lot more connected with technology, more cultures are influencing the UK.

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Interview

BILLY HARRIS So Billy, thanks for meeting with me. Lets What makes you take so much pride and get things started straight away. Would you effort in your appearance? call yourself a metrosexual?

I suppose to look good for everyone and for my Yes, yes I would. own self-esteem. I hate spots they make me feel so down.

What do you think makes you a metrosexual?

How would you describe your fashion sense?

Well I definitely care a lot about the way I dress, the way my body looks and the things I own like my car I’d say expensive! I love designer clothes and and clothes. brands. I bought three pairs of the same trainers within 5 months because once they are worn Explain your beauty regime? slightly I can’t wear them. I need my trainers to be looking fresh all the time.

Well for my face I use a scrub and moisturiser and for my hair I use gel and hairspray.

Do you enjoy shopping and keeping up to I use a trimmer for a bit of stubble which also pre- date with new trends? vents any shaving rash which is all part of taking care of my appearance. I get my hair cut and styled Yeah I love shopping – if I had more money I’d every other week. shop daily.

I use sunbeds once or twice a month to give me a little more colour but mainly to clear up any spots. I Do you spend a lot of money on clothes? also go to the gym 5 days a week to keep a defined What is your most expensive item? look.

Yes too much – I like brands like Vivienne WestWould you openly discuss the lengths you go wood, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, D&G, Prato in order to keep up your appearance? If da and Moncler. I have a Gucci Jumper that was not – why would you hide it? £370 and a Bulova watch that was £340.

Yeah I would, I don’t really care. Wouldn’t talk Why do you like to have these beauty reabout sunbeds though, I think people would think gimes?

I was gay.

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Well because my hair doesn’t look how I want it to look when it’s natural. I want to prevent spots and keep myself looking clean and fresh.

Do you think it’s easier for women to look after their appearance without being judged than it is men?

Do you think many men have similar beauty regimes but they hide it?

Yeah definitely but I do think it’s getting easier.

Boys are reaching the same level as girls now with using the sunbeds, fake tanning, plucking their eyebrows and straightening their hair. I think boys can wear jewellery without being judged these days.

All my mates take pride in the way they look but some don’t spend as much as me on clothes.

I’m in a friendship group where all my friends are pretty open about how much they go to the gym and how they look after their appearance.

Do you think it’s easier for men to show their feminine side today? If so, why?

Why do you think they might hide it?

Yeah it would have been more frowned upon years ago but people are over it now and aren’t that bothered by it. Girls like it when lads take care of themselves, no one wants a dirty, smelly, spotty boyfriend – do they? When I told my girlfriend I used sunbeds she wasn’t shocked or didn’t really judge me or think twice about it. But when I told my aunt who is 51, she thought it was extremely weird and couldn’t get over it.

I don’t think many men do hide it anymore. If they do it’s probably because they don’t look very good.

Does the media and celebrities influence your appearance?

No I don’t really look at that stuff and to be honest I don’t really watch much television. I do look at social media though – like Instagram.

If I see guys on Instagram with fresh clothes that I really like then I would go out of my way to copy them.

What do you think has changed to make men embrace being metrosexual?

Well men have more of a disposable income to spend on looking good these days. More products are a lot more accessible to men and promoted a lot more in the press, on TV, etc.

Do you think there are bad connotations surrounding the label metrosexual? If so, why do you think this?

I don’t think people are that bothered about it.

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COSMENTICS

Does the rise in metrosexuals give the global fashion industry the opportunity to create a massive new customer base? Metrosexuals tend to have a vast interest in shopping, fashion, fitness and personal grooming and the term is becoming increasingly mainstream as well as being used when defining some behaviours of men. Did you know that there are “around 1.5 million references to metrosexual on Google�24 and this figure is constantly rising?

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With research into metrosexuals in the UK, America and Asia it is clear that anything it affects it affects globally. ABC News stated “In 2012 global sales of men’s skincare jumped nearly 20% with the majority of that, $2.4 billion dollars, coming from South Korea!”25 “South Korea is by far the largest in a growing global market for men’s cosmetics accounting for 20% of sales in the global skin care market in 2012.”26 South Korean men are increasingly turning to BB cream foundation and anti-aging products to achieve Korean Pop perfection spending “$900 million a year on cosmetics.”27 You can’t deny that Korean pop stars and celebrities who are endorsing these products, help push these high figures.

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This recent trend indicates that perceptions of masculinity are changing around the world and especially in Asia. Are we forgetting the image of strong and masculine men and replacing it with the more effeminate metrosexual male? You can see this trend picking up around the UK and the US with beauty products such as eyebrow grooming kits selling 12 well. This can be explained with celebrities in the public eye such as Peter Andre who are paying to get their eyebrows shaped.

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You can comprehend this through the statistic of Anastasia Soare, an eyebrow expert who has seen her “male clientele grow to about 20% of her eyebrow appointments, from about 5% six years ago.”28 Concealers and anti-ageing creams that are popular in South Korea are becoming popular in the US and UK markets where they are constantly being advertised in trendy mens’ magazine.

METROSEXUAL | MEETS THE FASHION INDUSTRY

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It’s not only the cosmetic sector being affected; the fashion sector is seeing considerable growth.

You can gradually see the ‘gender power balance shifting.’ Market Line’s research has forecasted that by 2014 the world market for menswear will have a “market expansion of over 14% during a five year period.”29 Could this be because metrosexuality is being promoted in men’s magazines and the media with images of young male celebrities and models wearing fashionable clothes?

It has been proven that the media affects how men dress and with media growth, men’s lust for fashion forward clothes is more visible. Quick witted marketers have taken advantage of this developing market by regularly parading acts of male vanity in the media.

In previous years, before metrosexuality was as common, it was said that men didn’t shop for pleasure but instead out of necessity and not because

they actually cared what they looked like. However, it is clear by looking at all our research that this is changing. This can be supported by the fact “the 2011 statistic for the US market for womenswear grew by 1.4% whilst menswear increased by a whopping 5.3%.”30 according to Euromonitor International.

The introduction of “London Collections: Men” can be described as evidence of a growing market for high end designer menswear and was an important step forward for the fashion industry and British Fashion.

It was in January 2012 when London announced their dedication to an entire weekend of menswear fashion designers.

However it doesn’t seem to be just the UK who is supporting menswear designers – the enthusiasm can be seen globally.

Both LA and Vancouver now have Mens’ Fashion Weeks.

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Despite the fact New York is yet to announce a Mens’ Fashion Week, they continually support menswear. Paris has always encouraged their menswear runway shows as part of their dedicated Fashion Week alongside womenswear. You can see metrosexual characteristics appearing within this industry by looking at where the fashion industry is heading with regards to menswear.

Another example would be Burberry who opened its first UK standalone men’s store in Knightsbridge in October 2012.

They reported that during 2011’s financial year “men’s accessories were the fastest growing area of its business while sales of men’s tailoring doubled.”33 Alongside Burberry, Alexander McQueen also opened a new menswear space on Savile Row in October 2012. This was just before they were due to showcase their Furthermore, men’s fashion mens collection for the first time stores have also started pro- at ‘London Collections: Men’. moting the importance of style.

Clothes have been said to ‘make These statistics and store openthe man’ and you have lasting ings show how metrosexual beimpressions of men through the haviours can be seen within the way they are dressed.When it fashion industry and could be comes to choosing an outfit it is helping the growth of menswear. even more time consuming for In addition to this, further support men than women with a statis- comes from people in the industic stating “it is taking men 13 try. Adam Kelly, Buying Managminutes compared to only 10 er for mens designer wear, says minutes for women.”31 The poll “There is definitely a demand for also shows a “third of all men more catwalk fashion.”34 He says regularly consult reviews and “We now get customers coming magazines to see which groom- in with catwalk images from style. ing products they should be uscom and telling us which pieces ing and 29% always make sure they buy designer brands.”32 they want35 to buy from the collections.” Whilst Stacey Smith, It is evident designer brands are Menswear Buyer for designer improving their menswear busi- boutique Matches announced ness today. 2012 saw the opening of Christian Louboutin’s Mens only boutiques in New York, Los Angeles and London after the first was officially opened in Paris after high demand for the mens collection.

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“We have definitely spotted the rise of an increasingly fashion-literate men’s customer who follows the runway and comes into the store knowing what the key pieces for the season are.”36 Jesse Thorn, founder of the mens clothing podcast ‘Put This On’, described the menswear market as undergoing a “renaissance.”37 “The surge was prompted by the modern generation’s acceptance of dressing nicely. Older generations saw a large contradiction between masculinity and any amount of vanity.

This was then compounded by the recession and people refocusing on what has traditionally been a pretty masculine value, craftsmanship and quality.”38 You can argue against seeing metrosexual characteristics within the global fashion industry and dispute that the growth of menswear isn’t primarily because of metrosexuals becoming mainstream. Could the growth of the menswear fashion industry be because of something completely different to the metrosexual behaviours of men? Could men actually be working on going back to their original train of thought and masculine ways by looking at craftsmanship and the quality of the clothing? This could be viewed as more of a ‘macho’ way of looking at fashion.

This could be a different explanation for why menswear has seen such significant growth today and in recent years. Could it be that men have noticed the importance of investment pieces that have a lot of craftsmanship and quality?

Jian DeLeon, Associate Editor at Complex Magazine, confirms this point as she declares “Men are picking up big-ticket items like English-made shoes or Italian-tailored suiting, where the cost is justified because of the quality.”39 Could it be that men are looking at fashion with the mind set of, if they are going to purchase an item of clothing then they should just ‘be a man about it’ and purchase the ‘real deal’ rather than settling for any less.

Despite delving into this contrasting point of view it is evident you are still able to link this discussion back to the fact, metrosexuality is now mainstream and that the 1980’s potentially pushed this ‘male renaissance.’ Even if men were looking from more of a masculine perspective by looking for investment pieces with quality, you still see metrosexual characteristics. Men would have to make a conscious effort to choose to spend on quality which points out that men are in fact thinking in depth about fashion and, more importantly, are interested in what they are wearing. Before the rise of metrosexuals, men that thought a great deal about fashion would have been described as being effeminate and not all men would have displayed this side so openly before metrosexual won a spot in mainstream.

Having immersed ourselves into the New Romantic culture we asked ourselves whether the cultural practices of the New Romantic era are still prevalent today within the global fashion industry. We wanted to understand whether these practices had any influence on the industry today. After intense research on this subject we discovered men displaying extensive metrosexual characteristics today. These metrosexual characteristics mirror the feminine behaviours that some of the New Romantics flaunted.

When exploring the global fashion industry it is clear that there are huge practices of metrosexual behaviour today. You can see it through both the cosmetic and fashion industries.

Statistics confirm that these practices are around today. Our survey showed us that 81% of men are said to feel a lot more comfortable about purchasing cosmetics today over any previous decade. This can be backed up by a study that tells us “men spend $121 a year on grooming and beauty products, up from $90 five years ago.”40 Alongside this in the fashion sector, Mintel reported in August “25 year old males have spent an average of £178 on shoes in the past year whilst women of the same age spent a mere £171.”41 MY asks the question whether these practices of metrosexuality have affected the fashion industry in any way. After weighing up both sides of the argument it seems only fair to confirm that MY thinks it has had a considerable affect on it. Market Line research supports us with the statement “menswear is expecting to exceed $402 billion in 2014.”42

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If we are being honest MY didn’t expect this to be the cultural practice of the New Romantic culture that is around today and in our fashion industry. Normally subcultures and pop cultures that are similar to the New Romantics would tend to affect the fashion industry in completely different ways. We found we had to search deeper to find the underlying factor of metrosexuals to really understand what the New Romantics have done for today’s generation. Other subcultures may affect the global industry by witnessing similar trends and styles from their culture coming back into fashion. Yet this isn’t really the case for the New Romantics today. Glamour is normally always seen in fashion but not to the extent that the New Romantics expressed it. They didn’t necessarily cause a big stir and drive a dramatic change to style which is sometimes what other cultures are known for. For example the 1960’s affected the fashion industry massively by changing the length of women’s skirts; the 1960’s has been praised for handing us the mini skirt.

Nevertheless, we were pleasantly surprised when we found quite an unfamiliar and unique practice that is being practiced today, men’s metrosexual behaviours. This made MY more intrigued when discussing our points. Have you found this point just as fascinating?

Let us know what you think @ www.mymagazine.com!

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