Tracing his creative roots to the iconic Blitz Kids—whose membership includes the likes of Leigh Bowery, Stephen Jones and Boy George—Judy Blame has had a lasting influence in the fashion world. Elevating the DIY ethos of the punk movement that was popularised by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s Seditionaries store in the '70s, Blame continues to be a reminder of how upcycling coupled with semiotics and symbolism can create new narratives, perspectives, as well as outcomes.
Throughout his life working with a myriad of brands such as Comme Des Garçons, Louis Vuitton, Christopher Nemeth and Marc Jacobs, Blame had always approached fashion with the modus operandi of an artist. More than a stylist, fashion designer and art director, he was an inventor and archaeologist, often excavating the beauty of the mundane and reflecting it in his anthology of brutally mesmerising work.
Four years after his demise, Blame's sensibilities and ideation still reverberate throughout the fashion world and they are even referenced by brands whose ethos don't typically revolve around punk.
Gucci autumn/winter 2018
Right: The Face magazine styled and art directed by Judy Blame, August 1993.
There is no question or debate when it comes to Blame’s influence on The Face and i-D in the '80s and '90s. His subculture-driven perspective is still embedded and ingrained in these magazines today. The fashion editorial 'head hunters'—titled cheekily with Blame’s sense of humour—features a seemingly decapitated head in the male subject’s arm, giving punk a surrealist spin rooted in a unique and subversive transhumanist angle. This was referenced by Gucci and translated into its house codes as part of its autumn/winter 2018 show, providing a whimsical and unique spin to what it means to be human once again. Jared Leto even pulled off a similar look during 2019's Met Gala while donning full Gucci, carrying a decapitated version of his head and literally turning heads.
By Walid
Right: Judy Blame for Moschino.
If Judy Blame was a storyteller, Walid Damirji is a historian. Blame's use of buttons as an all-over embellishment has trickled down to Walid's work, probably inspiring this piece. Even so, the significance and methodology of these looks are different. Blame rummages and excavates in his present, allowing found objects to be reflective of the world around him. Conversely, Walid unearths the past through painfully sourced historical fabrics and trinkets, allowing craft and heritage to take centre stage. Walid's emperor hat is a clear indicator of how younger designers incorporate Blame's work and meld them seamlessly with their own codes.
Junya Watanabe autumn/winter 2021
Right: Judy Blame for i-D.
Looking at the history of collaborative efforts between parent company Comme des Garçons and Judy Blame, it is safe to assume that one of the muses of Junya Watanabe’s autumn/winter 2021 collection was Blame. The safety pin was a leitmotif and a key part of Blame’s work since the iconoclast’s insurgence. Watanabe’s repeated use of it is an ode to Blame’s creations, showing punk in its most luxe form with the use of an iconic punk imagery.
Balmain pre-fall 2022
Right: Judy Blame.
Houndstooth is the embodiment of punk galore. The iconic print was worn by punks in the United Kingdom since the '70s and is almost synonymous with the counterculture movement. In Balmain's pre-fall 2022 collection, houndstooth was utilised as a recurring print. On top of that, there is a stark and obvious reference to Judy Blame's work—the embellishing of trinkets onto houndstooth. In Balmain's case, these design elements work in its favour through military brass buttons and chains, making it consistent with the maison's ethos.
Dior Men autumn/winter 2020
Right: Judy Blame.
Dior Men's autumn/winter 2020 was a love letter and direct tribute to Judy Blame from long-time collaborator Kim Jones. Jones grew up reading The Face that Blame and his collaborators were frequently working on. As a result, he held Blame in the highest regard since his adolescent years. And as fate would have it, they met years after and established a long-running collaborative relationship, which extended to Jones's tenure at Louis Vuitton.
Through the Dior Men autumn/winter 2020 collection, Jones wanted to celebrate Blame's life through his leitmotifs and iconography. Pieces like this newsboy hat, which was Blame's headwear of choice, were emblazoned with his iconic arrow haircut. Other pieces sought to reimagine the materials that he frequented gravitated towards such as safety pins, studs and buttons.
The show marked the passing of one of the greatest creatives in the industry, but he will forever live vicariously through his influence and impact on all things fashion.
