Heroin Chic

Heroin Chic was a look that became dominant in the fashion industry in the 90s, pioneered by Davide Sorrenti. The use of heroin was at a peak of popularity and quickly became a topic in most media industries. In fashion, it began with Calvin Klein's 'Obsession' campaign, and the debut of two models - Kate Moss and Jaime King.

The campaign was shot by Mario Sorrenti, who today is well-known successful fashion photographer for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. At the time, he was in a relationship with Kate Moss.

It was controversial. Twiggy's 'waif' look was taken to another level - very thin and bony, with big eyes - but  now with bags, smudged makeup, shabby appearance and 'stoned' facial expressions, implying that they were high. The use of heroin was glamorized, and cult stars had a huge influence (such as the death of Kurt Cobain).

Davide Sorrenti (b 1976) became involved in the skater lifestyle as a teenager in New York City. He was the creator of the skater graffiti group 'SKE Crew' and was influenced by the work of Larry Clark (see previous blog) and began to document his life. Soon after they met, he became involved with Jaime King, and she was included his work - his most famous photograph being of her cutting up her tights with a poster of Kurt Cobain in the background. The label of 'Heroin Chic' was born.

The look was criticized hugely; it encouraged drug use and eating disorders, the image of ideal beauty had become distorted, women were objectified, and 'healthy' models were no longer on the catwalk. Bill Clinton said "You do not need to glamorize addiction to sell clothes".

Davide died of an overdose in 1997 at the age of 20, leaving his work to be branded and critically acclaimed further.

Despite it's controversy, Heroin Chic is one of my favourite fashion movements. Being a huge fan of Kate Moss, Larry Clark and Mario Sorrenti's photography work, and of the hiphop/skater culture of the 90s, I quickly became interested in Davide Sorrenti's work. I love his naturalistic documentary style, and it's raw, grungey look. Here are some other thingssss...

Kate & Marky Mark!

Gummo

I thought it would be a good idea to post about the story behind my username... It's a quote from 'Gummo', a 1997 film by Harmony Korine which fascinates me. I discovered the film after watching Larry Clark's best known movie 'KIDS' [1995] of which Korine wrote the script. Larry Clark is a photographer i have studied, & i also visited his exhibition 'Kiss The Past Hello' at the MoMA in Paris in 2010. Being interested in Clark and his work, i was immediately drawn to Korine's. Gummo is a low budget, realist film set in Xenia, Ohio. It has been criticised for being pointless, boring and disturbing, and although I found it engaging, it was difficult to watch at some points. It depicts gritty reality of poverty in a town that never recovered from a tornado; people living in squalor, mindless violence and day-to-day activities of people who would today be stereotyped as 'white trash'.


Chloë Sevigny who plays Dot appealed to me due to her main role in KIDS, but Jacob Reynolds takes prime character playing Solomon. We see Solomon and his friend Tummler ride bikes, sniff glue and kill cats with BB guns, and it is Solomon who describes Tummler as having a 'marvelous persona'... 


"Tummler sees everything. Some say he's downright evil. He's got what it takes to be a legend. He's got a marvelous persona".


It interested me because it is, in my view, a huge compliment payed to Tummler whom he admires...who in reality is beyond senseless. 


The film lacks a consistent plot, and includes typical realist qualities such as its depressing tone and 'documentary' style filming. but I am a fan of realist films, and although pitied the people portrayed, I was also captivated. 


Other characters I feel worth mentioning are 'Bunny Boy', who never speaks yet is somehow the narrator of the film, and the Kid cowboys we see 'kill' Bunny Boy. I think they represent a separate theme of damaged youth and innocence...but to be honest, the whole film itself is open to interpretation.