LOS ALAMITOS, CA — The mysterious case of ironic fashion — thrifty JNCO jeans, luxurious bohemian, etc. — created a pattern in 2023 amidst the chaos, strengthening my expectations for 2024 fashion. In a time when the internet is cracking open and politics are colliding, contemporary minds are pressured to confront modernism and sexism through artistic persuasion. 

The evolution of the fashion industry

Vogue’s past runway collections of the early 90s to the 2010s highlighted low-waisted jeans, men’s hipster fits, pantyhose, Ralph Lauren polos, and trucker hats. Hip hop’s global domination, Paris Hilton with her tiny chihuahuas, and Avril Lavigne led young people into an era of impenitent trends. Loudness became the norm in every lifestyle and on every platform. 

With the departure of 2023, the Golden Globes reminded and praised the fashion industry’s past years of movements and elegance to celebrate the new year. Specifically, on Jan. 7, 2024, there was a dazzling showcase of the award ceremony aired live on news channels and social media. The psychological aspect of fashion was emphasized more often than public perception, which held its prominence since the 2000s. 

Repurposing and upcycling vintage clothing, the Utah-based thrift bus ThriftJamCo originally started with two business partners who traveled to various cities in their automobile. Profiting off of low prices, ThriftJamCo operates by buying worn-down textiles in rack houses and rebranding them. Recognizing the economic and environmental benefits of their fashion approach, many optimistic high schoolers are stacking their wardrobes with rare pieces or redesigning outdated clothing; a perfect example is the boho-inspired denim maxi skirt.

Identifying ironic fashion 

Virgil Abloh, a well-known fashion designer and entrepreneur for the brand Off-White, wittingly described ironic fashion as having the ability to say two things at once in a video produced for Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

“I use this overriding construct between tourist and purist to categorize the type of work that I’m trying to do,” Abloh said. “A purist can find value in meaning based on an underlying premise, whereas a tourist has curiosity, ambition, and is willing to seek out, pacify that need to see something or to know about it.”

The purist perspective

I think the crisis between reality and the fashion industry lies in the face of publicity. If mainstream media continues to jam-pack trends, there’s a possibility that the “tourist” approach will eventually fade. As consumerism rates go up, designers and stylists are becoming indifferent to creating a fashion statement that will last. Advertising techniques are no longer about spotted celebrities wearing the latest handbag on BuzzFeed. In a tight spot bound for growth and rebellion, young influencers might find a newfound freedom in being ironic. 

Maximilian Davis’ Ferragamo, in the Fall Winter 2024 Show, was undoubtedly reminiscent of the 1920s, an era of liberal and surreal inventions. Everything from the wide shoulders of his coats to the Joan Miró resemblance on his dresses displays the concept of convenient and unisex clothing.

“From crucial conversations around sustainability and climate change to confronting sexism, sizeism, ageism, or transphobia, fashion has plenty more work to do,” said Edward Enninful, former editor-in-chief and European editorial director of British Vogue, in the November 2023 issue. 

Ultimately, the desire and will for humanitarian causes or uncensored protests leads activists toward the individualistic clothing of the ironic fashion phenomenon. Transcending conventionality, these hushed collections expose much more of our intentional society than the loud, apathetic aspects.