Grunge, minimalism, supermodels and hip-hop: the decade fashion keeps coming back to.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 2 November 2026
What defined 1990s fashion?
- Grunge: flannel, ripped jeans and slip dresses from Seattle, taken to the runway by Marc Jacobs at Perry Ellis in 1993
- Minimalism: clean, neutral clothes from Calvin Klein, Helmut Lang, Jil Sander and Prada
- The supermodels: Naomi, Linda, Cindy, Christy, Claudia and Kate
- Hip-hop style: oversized denim, sportswear and logos
- Sexy glamour: Tom Ford’s Gucci and Gianni Versace
Read on Ayerhs: The Glory of Grunge: Perry Ellis Spring 1993 · The Grunge Aesthetic · How Hip-Hop Fashion Influenced the 1990s · Top 100 90s Fashion Moments
What was “heroin chic”?
A mid-1990s look in fashion photography of very thin, pale models with dark-ringed eyes, associated with Kate Moss’s Calvin Klein campaigns. It was heavily criticised for glamourising drug use and unhealthy bodies.
How did British designers take over Paris in the 1990s?
In the mid-1990s, LVMH appointed John Galliano at Givenchy and then Dior, and Alexander McQueen at Givenchy, bringing London’s theatrical energy to Paris couture. Stella McCartney followed at Chloé in 1997.
Read on Ayerhs: Alexander McQueen · John Galliano – The complete guide · Prada · Gucci