On Wednesdays We Wear Goth

Despite the many different pinnacles of fashion that exist throughout the world, who would’ve thought that the trailblazers of modern avant garde design could be found in Cantacuzino’s Nevermore Academy. In Netflix’s 2022 hit spin-off of the Addams Family, Wednesday, swept the fashion community as Jenna Ortega flaunted a wide variety of looks. While many of which pulled from unique shapes and styles, they all preserved her trademark aesthetic through incorporating dark tones and aggressive patterns. What was particularly interesting about the timing during which Wednesday aired was that it began to gain traction as the fashion community’s eye independently gravitated towards aesthetics and designs that were more dystopian and dark. Whether this was a coincidence or a calculated operation, the intersection that this Netflix hit lies at -between pop culture and fashion- is certainly worth examining. With that said, we’ll first be analyzing what looks propelled Jenna Ortegga as Wednesday Addams to become the face of new wave goth fashion. Then, we’ll shift our focus to the fashion community’s interest in avant garde design. And finally, we’ll spotlight a small brand that encapsulates the aesthetic captured in the series. 

Photos by Alina Bhardwaj (@alina.priya)

As we watch the show, we see Wednesday in an academy uniform that she’s forced to wear when she’s at Nevermore. Instead of completely leaning into the apparel, Wednesday adds a hint of luxury to her image as she wears the famous Black Prada Monolith Brushed Leather Loafers. Known for its teeth and thick lug sole, the Prada Monolith loafer has become a well known designer piece since its first entrance in Prada’s autumn/winter 2019 runway. Prada’s appearance in the show became so popular that Vogue India took the time to spotlight how the hit show paid homage to the famous luxury brand. As Shriya Zamindar describes the collaboration to be “deliberate”, we learn that the connection between the brand and Wednesday lies in the trademark qualities of the classic Prada girl. Shared idiosyncrasies like stoicism, intelligence, and independence make Wednesday the perfect model to showcase the virtues that Prada promotes. And while her Prada footwear certainly encompass these character traits, they work in cohesion with many other looks that allow us to recognize the witty, sharp character we all know and love. 

While not a scene or outfit directly from the set, here we can see Jenna Ortega in Wednesday’s classic Nevermore uniform. The look is brought together by Wednesday’s trademark, black aesthetic. Her striped blazer/skirt set pair together perfectly to turn an otherwise monochrome outfit into something sleek and dystopian. On foot, we can see those famous Prada Monolith Loafers making an appearance. They’re eccentric design clearly conveys the pride and unapologetically bold character of both Wednesday and the Prada girl. 

@jennaortega (Instagram) / Shriya Zamindar (Vogue)

While Wednesday is a well-known character, the amount of popularity that she’s garnered as a modern grunge icon is unparalleled. To speculate one of the main reasons for why this might be true, we can shift our focus to how the fashion community is spotlighting dark, “avant-garde” aesthetics. While the term avant-garde is being thrown into discussions to describe dark, dystopian, and unique looking designs, the term is actually a bit misleading. The French term was initially used to describe a type of military formation. Even in contemporary art, avant-garde does not denote any dominance of darker tones, but rather describes the act of defying tradition. Nonetheless, this movement towards grunge fashion has increasingly gained more prominence in the last few years. And while the proliferation of this style has no definite relationship to the popularity of Netflix’s hit show, it certainly came serendipitously as Wednesday’s aesthetic fits right into the rise of new-wave grunge. 

In episode 4 of the series, Wednesday finds herself at the Rave’N Dance. As seen in the image, she wears a unique dress that doesn’t showcase her personal style using color or patterns; but instead, uses texture and shape. Her dress is decorated with layered frills that start from the bottom of the dress and subside at the mid-section. The shoulders of this piece also have the same frills, but are contained between the midsection and neckline. The beauty of this design is that the lack of frills leaves room for a collar to be spotlit. The contrast between a formal neckline and an avant-garde texture prove that even with darker, monochrome outfits that creativity can still be shown. 

@wednesdaynetflix (instagram) / Shriya Zamindar (Vogue)

While Prada has made an even bigger name for themselves during the rise of modern grunge fashion, many other brands are catering to this new demand as well. In the streetwear scene, Thug Club has left an interesting mark on the Korean fashion community. While usually void of any color, Thug Club’s famous items often use unique textures and bleak colored fabrics to highlight the feeling and character of a piece. Their work is both avant garde in the literal sense that it is pushing the boundaries of shape and texture, and also in the colloquial sense that it is characterized by dark, dystopian features. While the consumer demographic of Prada and Thug club could not be anymore different, their work characterizes an interesting shift in the fashion community that propelled Netflix’s hit show, Wednesday, to the top of the billboards. 

Above, is one of Thug Club’s most popular pieces, the Cave Puffer Jacket. Similar to how Wednesday’s prioritize other factors that aren’t color, Thug Club pays a particular amount of attention to the texture, shape, and utility of the piece, in order to make it unique. 

Nicholas Li (HYPEBEAST)

Regardless of what’s driving Thug Club and Prada to lean into this aesthetic, and whether or not it’s responsible for how the fashion community sees Wednesday Addams, this transition is certainly worth paying attention to. As such, as Wednesday continues to break Netflix records, and the fashion community continues to shift their preferences to darker, more dystopian looks, I’m sure that we’ll continue to see this show as a unique intersection between TV and design.

Styling by Elaine Kim (@3lainek1m) and Anahita Kashyap (@anahitakashyap)

Modeling by Angel Araki (@angelaraki), Sheridan Ohlinger (@sheridanohlinger), and Amber Zeng (@amberzphoto)