Bauhaus is Beyond Retro
In the late 1980's there was a culture clash of retro music and style coming from all the different generations of people who were influenced by the music from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's combined with defining art movements with high culture. These influences created iconic imagery that were directly from Bauhaus, Russian Constructivism to teenage 1950s styling of actors such as James Dean and Marlon Brando.
In the previous years of the same decade; there was just as influential imagery from Italian renaissance, Pre-Raphaelite, romanticism and Neoclassicism from the Victorian obsession with Roman and Greece art, created aesthetic sensibilities in art school educated young people. Who used these references in early 1980's club culture known as the New Romanticism, some of these young people later transferred their obsession in art, fashion and music into a vehicle for their future careers. This was a period of fierce competitive, dramatic styling and with a collection of accompanying music that was avant garde electronic. The only difference in this late 1980s fashion and music cultural movement/sub-culture was that its was a lot more minimal, industrial, abstract and honest in its approach to attracting fellow soul of the same tribe.
In the previous years of the same decade; there was just as influential imagery from Italian renaissance, Pre-Raphaelite, romanticism and Neoclassicism from the Victorian obsession with Roman and Greece art, created aesthetic sensibilities in art school educated young people. Who used these references in early 1980's club culture known as the New Romanticism, some of these young people later transferred their obsession in art, fashion and music into a vehicle for their future careers. This was a period of fierce competitive, dramatic styling and with a collection of accompanying music that was avant garde electronic. The only difference in this late 1980s fashion and music cultural movement/sub-culture was that its was a lot more minimal, industrial, abstract and honest in its approach to attracting fellow soul of the same tribe.
The creative licensing from these strong stylistic propagated many different futuristic styles of fashion and music; primarily harder angular stylising for men and women who felt attuned with the aesthetic. Its difference to New Romanticism and other sub-culture styles was that it was a more uniting style of influences with cultural cues from a diverse U.K. urban life and from New York Hip Hop, also from 1950's Italian and military wear, the style of that period could be defined as just a 'London Thing'. Which perfectly followed the principles of Bauhaus with it uses of stark and harmonious refined style known as 'the International'. This style attracted influencers from different generations of peoples who were children who were born from the late 1960s and 1970s, who's obsession with art, fashion and music brought forth a movement of creative collectives who developed fashion styling movement known as Buffalo. As with all creative and movements had its own music known music known as Acid Jazz or soul funk or other Hip Hop based music of origin. It was a mixture music styles that were a perfect fit for a mixed cultural London who grow up together.
Design became a greater force of imagery with both men and women wearing clothing that were clean cut with strong silhouettes that were very masculine and also androgynous. Of this period music acts blurred their image and sound, they dressed with edgy realism and unwittingly they became spokes-person for the movement. Preaching from the same stylish referring, with all there fans looking similar with American retro influences with a twist of Hip Hop fashion street styling.
Musicians such as Neneh Cherry who was a part of the Buffalo Collective and BROS from Massive Management and The Three Associates. Dispensed imagery and fashion through their music videos and record sleeves. Demonstrating strong hard angular unapologetic design principles and song lyrics full of attitude, all encapsulated straight from the influences of Bauhaus, Russian Contructivism, anti-art styled Dada movements and the late 1980s everyday life and retro club culture.
The art movements that created this additional platform, were industrious and knew there needed to be an economic direction to package their elements of fashion and music to the wider general public. As I have mentioned through this blog piece, these collectives use of art direction was primarily; Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism influenced and it was perfect combination for the Thatcherism and capitalism of the time. The successful creative conceptual aim of a perfectly branded and packaged music artists with beautiful acceptable imagery was the primary goal with the final conclusion of a product that would gather development reputation that would be competitive international. A brands that would accumulate corruptible amounts of money for all creative industries involved.
With all these aspects of capitalism, defined minimalism, industrial urban fashion and design aesthetics of Buffalo culture, as gained from the late 1980's mix of influences, the original experimental art movement, that blurred and nurtured it was the Bauhaus art movement. It was established from 1919-1933 by Walter Gropius, the movement aims was to create total works of art in all context of life. This art methodology became one of the most influential art styles in art and design in the 20th century, because of its modernist architecture and typography. It was directly influenced by Russian Constructivism, who's used of industrial and angular graphical stylising with geometric abstract graphical drawing; and its use of hard and refining concepts of industry and earthly materials with basis minimal design, created a greater impact through to it predecessor Bauhaus.
From the art school students who became the famous designers and music managers of musical format sleeves. To the talented, club and fashion influencers who transformed themselves into famous musicians and performers of the late 1980s. They were all devotees to the influence of Bauhaus 's incorporated hard edge of the 1980's philosophy of bold clean design, with an attitude of self confidence to match.
It was a period political Conservative party directional beliefs that influenced everything including a need for rebellion from such a strict government. With this social climate was very much as bold as the design inspired fashion and music of the time. Buffalo was a loud rebellion that accepted the need to exploit the development of modern culture from the creative concepts of fashion tribe culture. The bold graphics and fashion of the 1980's was an expression; like a determined statement that needed to cut through the political rhetoric of the time.
Apart from the minimal well designed fashion pieces through the fashion, art and music collectives of the late 1980's, one of the main elements that was used to identify a music or fashion brand was typography used to design their logo. The influence of Bauhaus typography was used to define the image of bands' such as BROS who used type of bold lettering as their house style for their logo, single covers and on all their public promotional material. It was a message of rebellion and reinvention created by The Three Associates (Tom Watkins, Mick Newton with Marc Evans & Rob Holden) along with their talented stylists' who were greatly influenced by the retro styles of the previous decades and of course Bauhaus strong geometrical and graphical clean lined template.
Neneh Cherry was another music artist part of the Buffalo Collective, who's creative design team also experimented with the same stark bold Bauhaus typography design principles that were clean and angular yet more urban, because of her style of music and Hip Hop styling.
The fashion stylists' and design teams behind these music artist were incredible and greatly influential in their own right. The Buffalo Collective stylists who dressed Neneh Cherry who were the late Ray Petri and Judy Blame with Jean Baptiste Mondino who created her photographic images. The Three Associates and the late Al Berlin dressed and styled BROS incorporation with Neil Matthews who created the early photography for the band.
Now after 30 years; these fashion and music statements introduced by these definitive art collectives, through their bold fashions and sounds, which their music artists and their stylists created. Are now influential retro fashion references, that have been inspiring the fashion industry ever since and have been reintroduced to the wider consumer and urban cultural tribes from 2006 and now again in 2017. Both Neneh Cherry and BROS as well as many other influential acts such as Duran Duran and Cultural Club, have relaunched their careers as solo artists, DJs, actors. Then reforming as their previous established acts either performing within the world music market or planning future World or UK tours.
Musicians such as Neneh Cherry who was a part of the Buffalo Collective and BROS from Massive Management and The Three Associates. Dispensed imagery and fashion through their music videos and record sleeves. Demonstrating strong hard angular unapologetic design principles and song lyrics full of attitude, all encapsulated straight from the influences of Bauhaus, Russian Contructivism, anti-art styled Dada movements and the late 1980s everyday life and retro club culture.
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| Photography by Jean Baptiste Mondino |
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| Designed by The Three Associates and Photography by Neil Matthews |
The art movements that created this additional platform, were industrious and knew there needed to be an economic direction to package their elements of fashion and music to the wider general public. As I have mentioned through this blog piece, these collectives use of art direction was primarily; Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism influenced and it was perfect combination for the Thatcherism and capitalism of the time. The successful creative conceptual aim of a perfectly branded and packaged music artists with beautiful acceptable imagery was the primary goal with the final conclusion of a product that would gather development reputation that would be competitive international. A brands that would accumulate corruptible amounts of money for all creative industries involved.
With all these aspects of capitalism, defined minimalism, industrial urban fashion and design aesthetics of Buffalo culture, as gained from the late 1980's mix of influences, the original experimental art movement, that blurred and nurtured it was the Bauhaus art movement. It was established from 1919-1933 by Walter Gropius, the movement aims was to create total works of art in all context of life. This art methodology became one of the most influential art styles in art and design in the 20th century, because of its modernist architecture and typography. It was directly influenced by Russian Constructivism, who's used of industrial and angular graphical stylising with geometric abstract graphical drawing; and its use of hard and refining concepts of industry and earthly materials with basis minimal design, created a greater impact through to it predecessor Bauhaus.
From the art school students who became the famous designers and music managers of musical format sleeves. To the talented, club and fashion influencers who transformed themselves into famous musicians and performers of the late 1980s. They were all devotees to the influence of Bauhaus 's incorporated hard edge of the 1980's philosophy of bold clean design, with an attitude of self confidence to match.
It was a period political Conservative party directional beliefs that influenced everything including a need for rebellion from such a strict government. With this social climate was very much as bold as the design inspired fashion and music of the time. Buffalo was a loud rebellion that accepted the need to exploit the development of modern culture from the creative concepts of fashion tribe culture. The bold graphics and fashion of the 1980's was an expression; like a determined statement that needed to cut through the political rhetoric of the time.
 |
| Poster by Bauhaus School Walter Gropius, Paul Renner and Ludwig Mien Van Der Roe |
Apart from the minimal well designed fashion pieces through the fashion, art and music collectives of the late 1980's, one of the main elements that was used to identify a music or fashion brand was typography used to design their logo. The influence of Bauhaus typography was used to define the image of bands' such as BROS who used type of bold lettering as their house style for their logo, single covers and on all their public promotional material. It was a message of rebellion and reinvention created by The Three Associates (Tom Watkins, Mick Newton with Marc Evans & Rob Holden) along with their talented stylists' who were greatly influenced by the retro styles of the previous decades and of course Bauhaus strong geometrical and graphical clean lined template.
Neneh Cherry was another music artist part of the Buffalo Collective, who's creative design team also experimented with the same stark bold Bauhaus typography design principles that were clean and angular yet more urban, because of her style of music and Hip Hop styling.
The fashion stylists' and design teams behind these music artist were incredible and greatly influential in their own right. The Buffalo Collective stylists who dressed Neneh Cherry who were the late Ray Petri and Judy Blame with Jean Baptiste Mondino who created her photographic images. The Three Associates and the late Al Berlin dressed and styled BROS incorporation with Neil Matthews who created the early photography for the band.
 |
| Photography by Jean Baptiste Mondino |
Neneh Cherry is still performing as a musician as well as singer/rapper and also now as a DJ and is still being styled by Judy Blame. The two remaining members of BROS; Luke Goss who is now successful actor and Matt Goss a successful Las Vegas headliner in their own right, with a 2017 UK tour in production.
With social media's powerful world-wide out-reach communicating past and existing cultural overtones. The visual narrative of uploaded and renewed content by collated and distributed by Instagram. This digital platform has helpfully documented, the influence of the iconic Bauhaus art movement on graphic design and fashion in this decade. This visual presentation of the present creatives who have been influences by this art movement have created further acknowledgement for the stylists and designers who introduced Buffalo's and futuristic stark retro style to the wider people.
These present creatives; discussing and using the movement in referencing in their own work and creative concepts.
Fashion designers such as Jeremy Scott for Moschino, have continued the early1980's bold typographic style. Which brand's like Moschino and other designers such as Katharine Hamnett who with her slogan t-shirts; created fashion directly from the Punk art scene was a perfect connected influence to it future hybrid which was the Buffalo fashion and music movement. These fashion, music and design movements were born from the same origins of urban frustration, anti-art and a very political stance of a decade influence by Bauhaus.
Recently (this year) Tommy Hilfiger's new GiGi collection have been directly influenced by Buffalo and Bauhaus urban fashion, with elements of bohemian chic; re-developing the style movement into a diluted form for the American fashion market. The fashion brand is capitalising on the new celebrity culture and its influence on the fashion buying public. Gi Gi is a collaboration with the fashion model Gigi Hadid.
The Bauhaus graphical influence lives strong within the reformed 1980's band BROS's new logo. I went to their press conference two weeks ago. The nostalgic Bauhaus style graphics is continuing to introduce them as a band, sustaining the combination of their music and typography as a retro sound crash into the public consciousness once again.
Words by Olga Chee-a-tow
Photos by Olga Chee-a-tow, Neil Matthews and Jean Baptiste Mondino
BROS 1980's Picture Disc and photographic graphical Images by The Three Associates
Poster by Bauhaus School Walter Gropius, Paul Renner and Ludwig Mien Van Der Roe
Katharine Hamnett Choose Life Collection Image Copyright owned by Katharine Hamnett.
With social media's powerful world-wide out-reach communicating past and existing cultural overtones. The visual narrative of uploaded and renewed content by collated and distributed by Instagram. This digital platform has helpfully documented, the influence of the iconic Bauhaus art movement on graphic design and fashion in this decade. This visual presentation of the present creatives who have been influences by this art movement have created further acknowledgement for the stylists and designers who introduced Buffalo's and futuristic stark retro style to the wider people.
These present creatives; discussing and using the movement in referencing in their own work and creative concepts.
Fashion designers such as Jeremy Scott for Moschino, have continued the early1980's bold typographic style. Which brand's like Moschino and other designers such as Katharine Hamnett who with her slogan t-shirts; created fashion directly from the Punk art scene was a perfect connected influence to it future hybrid which was the Buffalo fashion and music movement. These fashion, music and design movements were born from the same origins of urban frustration, anti-art and a very political stance of a decade influence by Bauhaus.
 |
| Image owned Jeremy Scott for Moschino. Copyright owned by Moschino. Courtesy from Instagram |
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| Image owned by Katharine Hamnett 1983 'Choose Life' T-Shirt Collection. Copyright: Katharine Hamnett |
Recently (this year) Tommy Hilfiger's new GiGi collection have been directly influenced by Buffalo and Bauhaus urban fashion, with elements of bohemian chic; re-developing the style movement into a diluted form for the American fashion market. The fashion brand is capitalising on the new celebrity culture and its influence on the fashion buying public. Gi Gi is a collaboration with the fashion model Gigi Hadid.
 |
| Image owned by Tommy Hilfiger GiGi Collection. Copyright: Tommy Hilfiger. Courtesy from Instagram |
The Bauhaus graphical influence lives strong within the reformed 1980's band BROS's new logo. I went to their press conference two weeks ago. The nostalgic Bauhaus style graphics is continuing to introduce them as a band, sustaining the combination of their music and typography as a retro sound crash into the public consciousness once again.
 |
| BROS press conference with the New BROS logo using the same Bauhaus and Constructivism influence |
Words by Olga Chee-a-tow
Photos by Olga Chee-a-tow, Neil Matthews and Jean Baptiste Mondino
BROS 1980's Picture Disc and photographic graphical Images by The Three Associates
Poster by Bauhaus School Walter Gropius, Paul Renner and Ludwig Mien Van Der Roe
Katharine Hamnett Choose Life Collection Image Copyright owned by Katharine Hamnett.
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