Y2K’s dark streetwear gets an update for the digital generation with styles Balenciaga, Diesel, Ottolinger and more.

Like mall goth, cyber gloom is more about a certain dark aesthetic than engaging with traditional goth culture, but it’s not necessarily shallow or one-dimensional. It’s a window into the future of fashion that embraces emerging technology while maintaining the timeless confrontational energy of teen goths who spent weekends hanging out at malls in the early ’00s.&nbsp;
In recent seasons, designers have reimagined the look for the metaverse generation. Stacked denim, voluminous sweatshirts and retro-futuristic metallic knits have emerged as mainstays of Glenn Martens’ Diesel. Ottolinger has been setting a new aesthetic language for Web3 with deconstructed leather, bulbous puffers and alien-inspired shades, while <a href="https://www.goat.com/brand/vtmnts">VTMNTS</a> recast cyber goths in shiny silver leather, black hoodies and heavy-duty leather coats.&nbsp;

It’s at <a href="https://www.goat.com/brand/balenciaga">Balenciaga</a>, however, that the aesthetic has really put down its roots. Demna has courted cyber gloom since the start of the 2020s with high-tech reflective face shields and futuristic wraparound sunglasses. For FW21, he cast models as fictional video game characters in ripped denim, oversized hoodies and virtual gothic black makeup, while for SS23, sci-fi shades were given the AR treatment and made available to try on as an Instagram filter.
Indeed, the cyber gloom aesthetic has one foot in the “real” world and one in the metaverse, reflecting the hybrid lifestyles of many young people today. “Gen Z’s relationship with emerging technologies can be reflected in these trends through their ability to connect the physical and digital worlds,” says Kristie Naha-Biswas, Head of Strategy and Planning at digital trend agency <a href="https://www.assemblyglobal.com/">Assembly Global.</a> “This generation has never had to actively build their relationship with technology, unlike other generations. This means that they can easily navigate and openly accept the blurring of the barrier between the two spaces.”

In-store shopping was a large part of original mall goth culture, as the name suggests. Malls were hangout spots not just because you could stock up on your favorite rock band tees or Tripp pants, but because they provided a social meeting place when you were too young to get into bars but too old to be under constant supervision from parents or teachers. Today, these interactions and purchases take place online. The metaverse is making digital shopping a more social experience again, albeit in a virtual space. Social media filters and platforms such as <a href="https://www.goat.com/app">GOAT</a> allow us to try on AR styles, and share them with friends and followers before deciding on a purchase.
Such experiences are pushing the boundaries of fashion and beauty further and further. Goth subcultures have always embraced striking hair dye, makeup and body mods, but the rise of AR allows people to experiment with self-expression through daring aesthetics without the commitment. “For Gen Z, technology is simply an extension of their reality,” says Naha-Biswas. “Subculture is led primarily by online culture rather than music or real-life meetings.”&nbsp;

Yet while subculture is often about creativity and self-expression, the goth revival also reflects Gen Z’s somewhat cynical outlook on the world. “Gen Z is incredibly pessimistic about the future, with 71% of them being fearful for what it has to hold,” says Naha-Biswas. “The resurgence of gothic culture is the perfect trend for this generation. Not only does it reflect a cultural nostalgia for trends of the ’90s and ’00s, but it’s also a culture centered on rejecting norms and expectations.”
The cyber gloom aesthetic reflects these cultural anxieties. It’s forward-looking and tech-integrated, but the darker tone encapsulates a more pessimistic mood than previous retro-futuristic trends, such as those in the 1960s and early 2000s. It’s as much an extension of dystopian dressing as it is an emerging youth subculture influenced by those of the past. The future-infused sunglasses that form the bedrock of cyber gloom look edgy and innovative online, but there’s also a uniform nature to the aesthetic that conjures bleaker images of science-fiction technocracies.

Presented against the backdrop of the emerging metaverse, cyber gloom taps into the neverending <a href="https://www.goat.com/editorial/indie-sleaze-trend">Y2K</a> revival while playing with high-tech functions and aesthetics to put a futuristic spin on dark streetwear. Whether the style is paying homage to ’00s mall goth culture, the sci-fi apocalypse trend or looking to the future of the metaverse through AR glasses, the aesthetic resonates with post-pandemic angst and disaffected youth who create their fashion communities online as much as off, seeking meaning and escapism in a world that often feels overwhelmed with gloom.

1017 ALYX 9SM Evening Puffer Coat 'Black'

Balenciaga Gym Wear Logo Hoodie 'Black'

Supreme x The North Face Belted Cargo Pants 'Black'

Off-White Mask Sunglasses 'Black'

Balenciaga Runner Sneaker 'Grey Blue Green'

Cactus Jack by Travis Scott For Fragment Skeleton Graffiti Full Zip Hoodie 'Black'

Song for the Mute Long Work Pants 'Black Leather'

Yohji Yamamoto x 9THIRTY YY Address Cap 'Black'

Martine Ali Vikingo Convertible Pant Chain 'Silver'

Prada Wmns Monolith Boot Brushed Rois 'Black'

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Cyber Gloom: Mall Goth’s Metaverse Makeover

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