From the music side
People around post-punk began borrowing the signs of Victorian mourning dress.
Origin/United KingdomCountry
Where it began
Britain around 1980. People gathered around post-punk music borrowed the signs of Victorian mourning dress. It was black as ornament, not as grief.
How it spread
In Japan it joined with lolita around 2000 and grew into a separate form, gothic and lolita, with its own shops in Harajuku and an export back outward.
How to recognise it
A large area of black is not the marker. Look at the layering of lace, the crosses and roses, the fine hardware, and the length of the hem. Visual kei sits close by, but its signs are louder because they come from stage costume.
What it costs
A dress runs ¥6,000–20,000. Many pieces stand alone, so buying one good dress first is the quickest way in.
Timeline
Era
early 1980s – now
Price range
¥3,000–30,000
Dominant
Rising
Key brands
ATELIER PIERROT · h.NAOTO · Ozz On · Alice and the Pirates · BLACK PEACE NOW · Moi-même-Moitié
Headings are written in the language of the style's place of origin.