Clashcore: Fashion’s Latest Trend and Contrast Revolution
All Our Outfits Are Clashing, but Somehow, It’s Working
Fashion's latest obsession, clashcore, is a riot of contrasts—everything, everywhere, all at once, yet blends perfectly. VQ's Sarah Carmichael traces the evolution of this punk-inspired aesthetic defined from the ‘80s to the aughts and is now the epitome of carefree youth expression and identity
By Sarah Carmichael | December 9, 2024
Something bizarre is unfolding in fashion right now. Rules are being shattered, faux pas are intentional, and people are experimenting in ways that might seem like a chaotic mess—yet, somehow, it works! There are no rules. Plaid and polka dots still turn heads. Capri blue with mahogany? Sure, why not? This resistance to convention has given rise to clashcore: an evolved fashion trend rooted in the punk aesthetic of the ‘80s and Y2K pop culture, where individuals deliberately mix and match unconventional patterns, textures, and textiles.
At the heart of this trend is a wholesome element, shining through in the freedom to throw on what feels right: nothing is off-limits, and personal expression reigns supreme.
Most core trends on TikTok follow textbook formulas that make them distinct. Bows and ribbons are for coquette; jerseys and tracksuits are for blokecore. Others follow subtler nuances, like the sleekness of quiet luxury or the outdoor appeal of gorpcore. But clashcore throws all these aesthetics into a blender, resulting in combinations you wouldn’t expect. It’s the wild child of fashion, pairing Salomon hiking shoes with low-rise Bongo jeans and a ‘70s cardigan from your grandma’s closet. It may sound wrong on paper, but it looks fantastic!
Clashcore has always been a part of our fashion world; we're just seeing it in an evolved full-bloom iteration. It’s a resurgence of the punk era’s rebellious, anti-establishment attitude. At the forefront of this fashion uprising is the queen of punk romance, Vivienne Westwood, whose SEX boutique became a central hub for punk enthusiasts. When Westwood first emerged on the scene, her runways, like the Pirates collection (1981), featured clashcore ensembles: oversized striped blouses paired with her signature ‘squiggle’ pattern.
Other pioneers of the punk fashion era include British designer Dame Zandra Rhodes, dubbed the Princess of Punk, who spruced up dresses with holes and beaded safety pins in her 1977 Conceptual Chic collection. And Pam Hogg, the Caledonian Queen of Cling—known for her iconic skin-tight catsuits made of PVC and Lycra.
Fefe & Avril’s Aughts Clashcore
Photography courtesy of Getty Images
In the early 2000s, Fefe Dobson and Avril Lavigne emerged as the early architects of clashcore through their fearless fashion displays on red carpets and public outings. Dobson's eclectic melange of punk rock and Lavigne’s hallmark skater-punk vibe introduced a relatable edge to punk, seamlessly blending tank tops, ties, and baggy trousers with the feminine touch of mesh and fishnets. Their pioneering styles, filled with random patterns and textile combinations, not only defied the fashion norms of their time but laid the groundwork for clashcore.
The foremothers of clashcore built the Style Tribes of the 1980s—goths, punks, and new romantics—who made names for themselves with their unique fashion choices, distinct music tastes, and excess attitudes that forged strong identities and larger-than-life personas, inspiring generations to defy convention.
Over the years, something magical emerged from these Style Tribes: a renaissance and a seismic shift in how we use our clothing to express our identities and forge communities with those who share our quirks. Rebel fashion became a mainstay of expressionism, with punk roots gaining a foothold in pop culture.
Fast-forward to the aughts, when two rebellious rock stars from Toronto, Fefe Dobson and Avril Lavigne, stood out amid the heavy Y2K punk and alt craze.
Dobson and Lavigne redefined punk’s role in pop culture, catapulting what was once considered niche into the mainstream. By incorporating gothic glamour, steampunk edge, and rave-inspired flamboyance into their personal styles, they paved the way for the fashion-forward impulses embraced by Gen Z today. Their fearless style experimentation advances the culture of the Style Tribe foremothers to inspire future generations to break free and explore new sartorial territories.
Dobson’s 2009 MTV Red Carpet look exemplified punk glamour at its finest. The artist combined grunge elements with a plaid blazer (don’t forget leather elbow patches), maintaining the punk lore while adding a touch of sophistication. Beneath this, a black lace blouse offered a contrast of feminine allure, with the lace peeking out at the sleeves. Paired with this were black velvet pants embellished at the side seams and leopard-print ankle boots, introducing another pattern into the mix and embracing the ethos of styling in mismatched elements.
Similarly, Lavigne’s 2004 Juno Awards red carpet moment captured the punk-pop zeitgeist. The ‘Sk8er Boi’ singer projected an unapologetic attitude with fishnet sleeves layered under a mesh tank and a vivid red top. Her baggy black cargo pants, boldly emblazoned with "WAR child" and punctuated by silver chain loops, were grounded by a pair of Dr. Martens 3989 Bex Brogue shoes. This look was a quintessential display of early 2000s punk-pop fashion, emblematic of Lavigne’s ability to meld rebellion with accessibility, a trend she continues today in her fashion collaborations.
Clashcore On The Runway
Photography by Jack Hathaway & Matt Reid
House of Hendo's Spring/Summer 2023 collection electrified the runway with its audacious mix of colours and textures. Under Kelly Henderson's visionary direction, the collection featured flamboyant hues and diverse silhouettes. Each piece juxtaposed different textiles and historical references, manifesting the brand's clashcore ethos.
Sagradesa's Fall/Winter 2025 showcase at F.A.T refined the essence of clashcore. Designer Maxime Cadena-Chercover artfully balanced a medley of textiles and patterns, presenting a harmonious array of gingham dresses elegantly trimmed with lace and accented with whimsically tied bow stockings. The cohesiveness is a glimpse into a sophisticated evolution of clashcore.
Exhibit A, KILLSTAR. Lavigne created a collection where feminine elements meet goth-inspired nuances. Featured in bubblegum pink, this collaboration includes a mysterious skeleton cloak, a sheer bodysuit, and barbed wire print mini dresses, bridging eras and subcultures.
Now that you understand clashcore’s origins, let's explore how Gen Z embraces it with ease. Today's ensembles aren't bound by the strict rules of punk's past. Instead, they represent a blend of thrifted treasures with haute couture, mixing punk aesthetics with streetwear to create another wave of youth rebellion.
Two of the Gen Z style icons of clashcore are Montreal-based artist Zeina Mates and Toronto rapper SadBoi, each adding a distinct identity to the trend. In the visualizer for her track 'Hooked' Zeina is a vision in Masha Popova, parading down the street in knee-high Roadkill boots, paired with an asymmetrical denim mini skirt and an acid-wash hooded ‘Indigo Star’ shirt (total Y2K influences). Furthering the clashcore in the promo for the video, stylist Kelly Ann Panagakos made her a canvas for patchwork mismatch mastery in ERL and Marni. The streetwear-inspired look exemplified clashcore's ethos of deliberate dissonance and creative freedom.
Artist SadBoi poses in a clashcore ensemble for the Vodka by Saintwoods 2024 campaign.
Then there's SadBoi, who pushes clashcore into deeper, more audacious realms even as she sets a grill ablaze to promote Vodka by Saintwoods. Wearing a Jinx latex top by Miaou, distressed denim micro shorts, and thigh-high lace garter tights offset by red Hunter rain boots—her ensemble challenges conventional fashion norms, merging daintiness with grit.
Mates and SadBoi are driving the engine further for clashcore nuances in fashion culture and setting the tone for how so many Gen Z fashionistas are carefully clashing their outfits. To infiltrate more into the culture, newer design houses like House of Hendo, MARAM, and Sagradesa are pushing the envelope further with collections that epitomize the clashcore ethos of limitless creativity.
When House of Hendo showcased its Spring/Summer 2023 collection, there was a spike in this clustering of patterns, hues, and silhouettes that don’t necessarily strike as uniform. Designer Kelly Henderson championed colour blocking in its most rebellious form—a visual symphony that felt surprisingly cohesive. A rich green spandex tank paired with bold red floral trousers reminiscent of '70s wallpaper prints, topped with a blue duster vest featuring ornamental motifs, exemplifies their mastery of combining various colours, patterns, and textures with seamless precision.
Designer Maram Aboul Enein of MARAM skillfully blends clashcore elements by harmonizing light and dark motifs. This is exemplified by the green orb-sprayed Holistic Living T-shirt paired seamlessly with the sequined Solaris Fringe Midi Skirt in orange.
Sagradesa's Fall/Winter 2025 collection serves as a manifesto for clashcore. Each piece was a soup of textiles, patterns, and asymmetric silhouettes that made the Victorian era more risqué. Somehow, on the runway, there was an overall cohesiveness as there was uniformity in the lace-to-plaid aesthetic. But at its core, there was a mix-and-match theme filled with playful, theatrical ensembles.
House of Hendo, MARAM, and Sagradesa are not merely participating in the clashcore movement; they are defining its trajectory at a high-end level. By intentionally designing within the chaos-themed trend, these trailblazers are setting a new standard for how clashcore is perceived and incorporated into mainstream fashion. Their collections demonstrate that even the most seemingly disparate elements can be woven together to create ensembles that are not only striking but also marketably chic. This approach has carved a niche for clashcore in the luxury segment, appealing to a sophisticated audience that values both innovation and artistry in their wardrobe choices. As these designers continue to push boundaries, they solidify clashcore's place as a formidable and evolving force in the fashion market.
But for now, expect a continuing wave of unexpected combinations. This trend thrives on reinterpretation and experimentation—a celebration of individuality and the beauty inherent in chaos, likely to resonate with those bold enough to redefine personal style. As designers and style icons continue to mix patterns, fabrics, textures, and aesthetics, expect to see more colour blocking, unconventional layering, and historical references reimagined through a contemporary lens.
Clashcore is here to stay as long as we never give up on expressing ourselves through fashion.