Gen Z is embracing the gritty, messy aesthetic of the late 2000s and early 2010s known as 'indie sleaze', with French designer Isabel Marant at the heart of the revival. Marant's iconic suede wedge sneaker, 'The Bekett', first popularised by Kate Moss in 2011, has been re-released in collaboration with Converse, starring Moss's daughter Lila Moss in the campaign.
Indie sleaze, a term coined on TikTok in 2022, describes a grimy hipster style featuring ripped tights, skinny jeans, and messy hair, originally documented by party photographers like Mark 'The Cobrasnake' Hunter. The aesthetic was embodied by UK TV series 'Skins' and celebrities such as Alexa Chung and Sky Ferreira, and was distinct from the bohemian look of Sienna Miller.
According to cultural critic Ruby Justice Thelot, the term 'indie sleaze' did not exist at the time; the style was called 'hipster' or 'Tumblr style'. The revival is partly driven by young people who missed out on clubbing during Covid lockdowns, craving the visceral experience of packed dance floors.
Design student Chloe Plasse, 21, says the era 'seems like such a cool time to be alive' and wears Marant to capture its essence. The trend has also been boosted by social media, with accounts like 'Indie Sleaze' on Instagram documenting the original party scene.
