The Glamour And The Grit | Unpacking Heroin Chic
Is heroin chic back? Despite the growth of the body positivity movement, hyper-skinny physiques are regaining popularity. The resurgence of the controversial trend has sparked debates about its impact on body image and mental health. Here is everything you need to know.
ORIGINS OF THE TREND
Heroin chic emerged in the early 1990s. The trend is characterised by pale skin, dark under-eye circles, and emaciated, androgynous features. These traits mirror those of someone with drug use. The trend emerged at the same time as changes in the heroin market. Decreased prices, increased purity and a shift to snorting (reducing AIDS concerns), reduced stigma and led to a glorification of drug use.
During the 1990s pop culture became home to the heroin chic aesthetic. Films such as The Basketball Diaries, Trainspotting, and Pulp Fiction depicted heroin use and grunge musicians brought attention to its usage by openly referencing their struggles with the drug. These cultural elements reinforced the trend within mainstream media, shaping public consciousness about the drug and its associated lifestyle.
WHO WAS HEROIN CHIC?
Iconic figures of the heroin chic movement include supermodels Kate Moss and Gia Carangi. Kate Moss’ thin, grunge appearance, paired with her rebellious reputation, solidified her as an icon of heroin chic. Campaigns with Clavin Klein highlighting her young, thin, and pale features emphasised this. Gia Carangi, often considered one of the world’s first supermodels, is also associated with the origins of heroin chic. Carangi’s career and struggle with drug abuse highlighted the darker side of the fashion industry, and she died of AIDS-related complications at only 26.
Italian photographer Davide Sorrenti is remembered for his role in the rise and fall of the heroin chic movement. Sorrenti was part of a famous family of fashion photographers, and his personal style embodied the heroin chic movement. The photographer shot to fame at a young age but struggled with a heroin addiction and died at the age of 21. After his death, his mother started a campaign against the movement, fighting against the glamorisation of drug addiction and underage models. At his funeral, editor Ingrid Sischy coined the term.
“This is heroin, this isn’t chic. This has got to stop, this heroin chic.” – Ingrid Sischy.
After the death of Davide Sorrenti, which was misreported as a heroin overdose, the trend of heroin chic came to a crashing halt.
WHY IS IT PROBLEMATIC?
Heroin chic is a problematic trend for many reasons. The trend glamorises drug addiction and unhealthy lifestyles, presenting them as desirable and fashionable. Given the fashion industry’s influence on society, this can lead to the normalisation of dangerous behaviours. This negative influence can leave impressions on young people that can result in severe unwellness and death. The trend’s focus on extreme thinness also promotes an unhealthy body image. Portraying such bodies as desirable can contribute to body dysmorphia, eating disorders, and other mental health issues.
Heroin chic also trivialises the seriousness of drug abuse. The real-life suffering of drug addicts is overlooked when it becomes a popular trend. The fashion industry’s endorsement of this aesthetic reflects and reinforces harmful societal standards, making it a deeply problematic trend.
Many people have spoken out about the dangers of the trend. In 1997, then-President Bill Clinton criticised the glorification of heroin and denounced its presentation as a form of art. Other public figures, such as the designer Calvin Klein, have since denounced the trend.
IS HEROIN CHIC BACK?
But is heroin chic making a comeback? Despite the growth of the body positivity movement, hyper-skinny physiques are regaining popularity. In 2022, the New York Post released an article titled “Bye-bye booty: Heroin chic is back”. The article explains the decline of curvy physics and the resurgence of skinny models. It has since received a lot of criticism from activists and celebrities stating that bodies are not trends.
Despite this backlash, the trend has been seeing some resurgence, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok. #Heroinchic is trending and the sad girl aesthetic is booming. Users have noticed a growing number of posts and content that glorifies extremely thin bodies, reminiscent of the heroin chic era. This has sparked debates about the negative impacts on body image and mental health among the platform’s young audiences.
The renewed interest in the Heroin Chic aesthetic highlights ongoing challenges in the fashion and beauty industries regarding body standards and the portrayal of healthy body images.
+ Highlight Image: ©Christopher Campbell via Unsplash
