NYT Fashion Pub: Skinhead Style is Back
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The New York Times’ Sunday fashion insert doesn’t normally cross paths with Hatewatch. But a headline in the Sunday, Sept. 16, edition caught our attention: “Skinheads are Moshing Their Way Into the Style Mainstream.”
According to the brief magazine article, big-name designers like Dior Homme and Heidi Slimane are bringing skinhead style back to the runway. For a movement now largely known for its racist violence, that’s quite a comeback.
Skinhead researcher and Portland [Ore.] State University professor Randy Blazak says that while he hasn’t seen a pair of Doc Martens boots in over three years, skinhead style as a mainstream fashion fad isn’t anything new. As a matter of fact, racist skinheads are often angered to see their style co-opted, whether by anti-racist skinheads or trend-seeking teenagers. “It undermines their message when that style is diffused to the mainstream,” said Blazak.
The Times also improbably claims — on the basis of what evidence it’s hard to say — that skinhead style has been not only appropriated, but defanged, by European gay men: “Skinheads went underground until gays, who have disarmed much of the movement’s racism, recently began dragging them out of the closet… .”
Blazak says while researching the skinhead movement in England in the 1980s, he accompanied a skinhead into a bar and found himself surrounded by guys with shaved domes, black boots and suspenders. But the pub wasn’t a hangout for racists or ultranationalists; it was a gay bar. Still, that doesn’t mean that gays had “disarmed” the movement’s racism. Says Blazak: “Just because there are gay skinheads doesn’t mean that racist skinheads are going away.”
on September 22nd, 2007 at 3:44 pm
This is very ignorant of “Skinhead” culture. Firstly, the original “Skinhead” wasn’t racial in anyway shape or form. Currently around the world there are “Skinheads” that still aren’t racial - in fact, some are “anti-racist” - the S.H.A.R.P.S., etc
Secondly, these fashion designers aren’t looking at bringing in a re-birth of Ayran Brotherhood styled fashion with swastikas and such in symbolism. They are looking at selling some doc martins, braces and possible getting the “bald” back in fashion to sell razors and head shavers.
For a so-called “Hatewatch” site, you all sure do a good job of making the hate alive with such ridiculous conclusions as this. You would imply that if Celtic Cross jewelry became all the rage - it would be a epidemic of racism…instead of a re-birth of interest in Celtic Paganism…oh hum
on September 26th, 2007 at 8:47 am
wow how stupid is that a nazi fashon hahaha skinhead aint about racism. i think before you publish bullcrap raed the history first. the first skinheads are anti racist. then stupid boneheads decided to dress like us. get your facts strait
on September 26th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Actually the first Skins where Apolitical. They where working class dock workers in England.
There are many different types of Skinheads(in fact we have a pretty good history on my site of Skin evolution).
Guys think, we went through this in the 60’s when everyone wanted to dress like a hippie.
Let them go on and put the clothes on.. Skin is a lifestyle not a fashion statement.
Laurie..LOL wonder how many girls are going to shave their heads!
on November 20th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
I am going to side with the last three comments. It seems the only thing these Boneheads have done, is further the ignorance of the original Skinhead ideal and lifestyle. Hatred and ignorance breed the same thing. Let’s do our part to remove the hatred and racist stigmas that accompany the Skinhead culture. Spirit of 69!
Assume nothing; believe very little, and if need be, actually look into something before you speak of hatred and racism. I don’t look all that sexy with an ear-tag.
Cheers! 3oi3 Denver
on February 17th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I’ts funny that you people see Racists and call them skinheads, or even racists that call themselfs racist, 98% of people that become skinheads thinking the cult is racists is because of lies and misinformation like this, maybe you should but your own site on your hatewatch list for creating a misinformed prejudice against skinheads. And to think people read this stuff and point fingers at what you call the badguys,now im going to get herrased for being a racist when im not.
on July 6th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Yeah. I’ve seen skinheads all over the place. At rock concerts, in shopping malls–all over. It’s becoming cool and rebellious to be racist. It makes me feel hurt inside.
on August 21st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
i am once again saddened and disappointed by the ignorance and stupidity of the majority of the people in this world..as the above comments state..true skinheads were not racist, true skinheads listened to traditional reggae and rock steady along with anti racist oi! do your homework people..these stylists are bringing back the ben sherman fred perry look adopted by traditional non racist working class people! not the bonehead swazi sporting ignorant looking style the nazi’s took.. true skins have class.. spirit of 69! forever will live the true skins
on May 12th, 2009 at 11:09 am
If you believe anything that the media spews forth, you are a gullible fool. The Skinhead movement was born when Working Class English kids began to mix socially with West Indian (i.e. Jamaican) immigrants. This is hardly what one would expect from racists. That the neo-nazis and other fascist, extreme right-wing types hijacked the style is simply a very unfortunate fact of history. Traditional Skins embrace multi-ethnic working class nationalism, while rejecting racism and the extremes of both right and left politics. Anyone who claims otherwise, be they neo-nazis OR the Anti-Defamation League, are merely perpetuating media sterotypes and spreading falsehoods about a movement that they fail to understand truthfully.
on October 27th, 2009 at 10:10 am
here i go again…. JJ.. aside from the “skinhead for dummies” book you read,, your missing the major thing that divided skinheads to begin with… personal choice and the effects of homelife,, situation,, and politics… everyone site the dock worker , northern soul, ska based stuff.. all a major part in the scene,, however!.. life in england for the working class during the war in the faulklands(sp ,, im sorry) and general discord with the govt. IN the united kingdom played more of a part than your “skinhead history” books lead you to believe… bottom line is this,,,,, kids were pissed off,, they were indeed working class,, an most were fed up with politics and war… same as now,, same as it has been,, same as it is… war breeds racism, poverty breeds racism,, injustice breeds racism… and hard times breed skinheads.. personal choice breeds subculture,, and subculture breeds skinheads.