Corsets, radical cuts and long coats gradually conquer the streets. Inspired by the Gothic aesthetics, fashion today tends to the dark side to better meet a certain disillusion and to express a rejection of the established standards.
Origin
This new craze for gothic fashion – arising from the punk movement of the 1970s – goes back to 2024, but was fueled by the first season of the Wednesday series, launched in 2022. Actress Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday Addams, has become one fashion icon, with outfits inspired.
Other cultural productions have also contributed to the return of Gothic to the fashion scene. Consider, for example, the movie Nosferatu by Robert Eggers (2024) with Lily-Rose Depp in the lead role, the Remake Beetlejuice Beetlejuice by Tim Burton (2024), or the book ‘How to be a goth’ by Tish Weinstock (ed. Radar), came out in October 2024. The recent exhibition in Palais Galliera about designer Rick Owens, an iconic figure from the Underground and an important reference for gothic enthusiasts, has also influenced the trend.
The gothic inspiration today refers to different variants. The list includes, for example, ‘Boho Goth’, which combines the gothic style with the free and natural spirit of Bohemian, ‘Gothic Western’, who mixes the romance of Johnny Cash with a rebellious and dark spirit, or ‘goth Glam’, which, as the name suggests, combines Glamour with the darkness of Gothic. So many options that make it possible to adjust the trend to the different target groups of the market.
Evolution
For autumn-winter 2026-27, the Première Vision experts talk about a new type of gothic trend: the ‘new dynasties’. The silhouette will be very radical with a spacious, dramatic and sculptural cloak, often black or deep red.
According to PV experts, “the new dynasties resonate with the new fascinations for dystopian universes, metaphors for a world in crisis.” This theme is also reflected in the beauty world, embodied by lively, even bioluminescent pigments and tight makeup.
The launch of the Boloria brand by Olivier Theyskens, a figure of the romantic gothic aesthetics, is also expected to renew the genre. The first collection is planned for 2026.
The figures
According to Klarna, the payment platform, the Goth Girl-Trend is a great success and is expected to persist. The company in particular sees strong performance on gothic jewelry: plus 85 percent for rings in the form of a cross, plus 69 percent for those in the form of a bat and plus 120 percent for earrings with a cross. And the ready-to-porter does not remain left behind: plus 43 percent for corsets, 86 percent for bodies of Netwater, plus 90 percent for tops of velor and plus 134 percent for coats of the same fabric. Finally, black lipstick is a real hit with plus 738 percent in a year.
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