The ’80s was the decade of crazy patterns, vibrant colors, and feathered hairstyles. The time had such a distinctive style that the mere mention of “the look of the ’80s” conjures up specific visuals. The look was so influential that it continues to inspire design today.
The essential elements of the ’80s look were created by the Memphis design movement, led by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass. The collective included designers and architects from all around the world — Italy, Japan, Britain, Austria, France, Spain, and America. They set out to break out of modernism, a style that required designers to follow many rules. George Sowden, a co-founder of the Memphis Group, said in an interview that “a lot of people felt trapped within these rules.”
The Memphis Group’s first show took place in Milan, at the Salone del Mobile Milano, in 1981. It featured the “Bel Air” chair, which had a plastic ball as a part of the leg, and the colorful “Carlton” bookcase that cascaded outward. The show crowded the streets so much that on his way to the venue, Sottsass thought a bomb had gone off in downtown Milan. The New York Times wrote that the show “appalled some and amused others but put everyone attending the fair in a state of high excitement.” According to Glenn Adamson, a senior scholar at the Yale Center of British Art, the design trend caught on very quickly:
It was this huge phenomenon, and then you saw it caught on very, very quickly as the look of the ’80s. How that happened is fashion, you know. I always think it’s important that it happened virtually simultaneously with MTV, which also launched in 1981. And if you think about the logo of MTV with all those colors and patterns and the scratchy graphics, that clearly is close to the graphic designs coming out of Italy that were in context of which Memphis emerged.
To learn more about the Memphis Group and how it inspired the look of the ’80s, check out the video above. For more Vox videos, subscribe to our channel on YouTube.
The essential elements of the '80s look were created by the Memphis design movement, led by Italian architect Ettore Sottsass. The collective included designers and architects from all around the world — Italy, Japan, Britain, Austria, France, Spain, and America.
Everything was big, bold and absolutely colourful. It marked a decade when a powerful femininity began to spread; in fact, during the day, women wore suits and jackets with big shoulder pads to show that they were as powerful as the men. By night, the style revolved around sequins, hot pants, miniskirts and tights.
The 1980s witnessed a shift away from minimalism towards a style defined by abundance and boldness. One of the most notable design movements of the time was the Memphis style, founded by Italian designer Ettore Sottsass. This style featured geometric shapes, unconventional materials, and bright colors.
One thing's for sure: '80s fashion is back! Except the 21st century's take on the period's style is sleeker, sexier, and more versatile than ever. Ahead, we rounded up some of our favorite '80s trends, inspired by iconic stars of the decade, to revive in 2024.
Fashion in the 1980s was bold and glitzy. Teenagers no longer dictated fashion trends - the baby boom generation was getting older and richer and demanded more glamorous, upmarket fashion. Fashion in the 1980s rejected the non-materialist `hippie' values that had inspired fashion in the 1970s.
Back in the 1980s, a team of Italian architects and designers led by Ettore Sottsass, known as Memphis Milano, developed the retro design aesthetic known as Memphis Design.
This style featured geometric shapes, unconventional materials, and bright colors. Asymmetrical arrangements, outlined shapes, and exciting patterns were key elements of this design aesthetic.
1980s art was marked by a wide range of artistic styles, including neo-expressionism, abstract paintings, and installation and performance artists. In the 1980s, there was a departure from the minimalistic and intellectual art of the previous decade.
They were tall, slender, and strong. A more muscular look for women was continuing to emerge due to advances in fitness and, in part, the feminist spirit. Muscle tone signified strength, capability, and independence.
The 1980s saw the creation of MTV, the World Wide Web and CDs first their first iconic album covers. The technology, business and creators of the '80s revolutionised popular culture – which is perhaps why it is so keen to draw on the legacy of this era, where the possibilities seemed limitless.
The 1980s saw the emergence of electronic dance music and new wave, also known as Modern Rock. As disco fell out of fashion in the decade's early years, genres such as post-disco, Italo disco, Euro disco, and dance-pop became more popular. Rock music continued to enjoy a wide audience.
The 80's era set the trend for bright colors, graphic patterns, and geometric shapes. Starting with the Memphis design movement, led by Italian architect, designer, and photographer Ettore Sottsass, the 80s postmodern design style was established and has remained in many of the works we see today.
The extravagant nature and "sex, drugs and rock & roll" vibe that came along with the '80s led it to be referred to as the "Decade of Decadence." Because the '80s have such a specific look and feel, it's easy to create movies and TV shows based in the time period.
The '80s saw the rise of preppy fashion, influenced by the Ivy League style and brands like Ralph Lauren. This style was characterized by elements such as polo shirts, khaki pants, cable-knit sweaters, and loafers.
The 80's era set the trend for bright colors, graphic patterns, and geometric shapes. Starting with the Memphis design movement, led by Italian architect, designer, and photographer Ettore Sottsass, the 80s postmodern design style was established and has remained in many of the works we see today.
While someone with 2023-esque micro bangs may scream young to us, we associate photos of 80s hairstyles and big shoulder pads with being older, even if the person in the image is the same age as us. This is partly because of how we consider trendy hairstyles and fashion of that time to be outdated.
The transition of generations from the 70s to the 80s had a great impact on fashion and makeup. Suddenly, the influence of artists like Madonna and Cher changed the way we dressed and how we wore makeup back to a more liberal look, almost more masculine in some ways.
The Hip hop musical genre had a strong influence on pop music in the late 1980s which continues to the present day. During the 1980s, the hip-hop genre started embracing the creation of rhythm by using the human body, via the vocal percussion technique of beatboxing.
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