How Kurt Cobain’s iconic 90s grunge fashion influence lives on 30 years after the Nirvana frontman’s death
- Oversized cardigans, bug-eye shades, ripped jeans, flannel shirts – Kurt Cobain’s style mirrored the rejection of societal norms in Nirvana’s music
- But things like Vetements’ recent US$1,150 version of the cardigan he wore at Nirvana’s famous MTV Unplugged performance in 1993 would likely horrify him
Those oversized cardigans, bug-eye shades, ripped jeans, flannel shirts – 30 years on from his death, Kurt Cobain’s style lives on as much as his music.
It may have disturbed the anti-corporate icon to see how his thrift-store outfits have been repurposed into ultra-expensive garments.
But from the moment Nirvana’s breakout single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” took over MTV – with Cobain wearing two second-hand T-shirts, one over the other, his unkempt hair hanging down his face – a style was born that has never really died.
“He grew up in poverty and doubled up his clothes to mask how thin he was, which he was always self-conscious about, despite being a good-looking guy,” said Charlotte Blum, author of a book on grunge culture.
The band recruited extras for the “Teen Spirit” video with a flier that read: “No clothing with name brands or logos please!”