'Such a cool time to be alive': Why Gen Z is so nostalgic about 'indie sleaze'

Today's youth are harking back to the messy hipster aesthetic of the late 2000s and early 2010s – and at the heart of that was French designer and queen of cool, Isabel Marant.
A long time ago (2011) in a galaxy far away (Paris), Kate Moss posed in an advertising campaign wearing Isabel Marant's latest creation: a suede lace-up high-top sneaker with a wedge heel and a logo on the side. The shoes were called "The Bekett" – named after a friend of Marant's – and after Moss's stamp of approval, they were everywhere: Beyoncé wore them in her Love on Top music video; Eva Mendes laced them up to run from paparazzi in Hollywood.
Fourteen years later, Marant's sneaker wedge is back. The new campaign for the trainers – made in collaboration with Converse – stars Gen Z favourite Lila Moss, the daughter of Kate and creative director Jefferson Hack. In the ads, she walks down a cobblestone city street with loose, long hair and shredded denim, just like her mother did more than a decade ago. "People kept asking over and over for us to bring the shoes back," Marant tells the BBC from her Paris studio. "And why not? When something is well-achieved and good, it remains good forever. Kate, she is also forever."
Lila is representing the next generation, and her version of coolness is a new take on indie sleaze, a term for the messy hipster style of the late 2000s and early 2010s, originally identified in an Instagram account of the same name that "document[s] the decadence of mid-late aughts and the indie sleaze party scene that died in 2012", according to its bio. The account features grainy images of clubbers and party goers in hole-filled T-shirts, ripped tights or skinny jeans, with messy hair and make-up, having a lot of fun. Embodied originally by UK TV series Skins, and celebrities like UK model Alexa Chung and US singer Sky Ferreira, it was a grimmer, grimier version of the sunny bohemian look embodied by Sienna Miller and Stella McCartney. Since 2022, indie sleaze has been finding a new generation of fans.
The original indie-sleaze movement swapped lace-eyelet tops for faded T-shirts, and traded bootcut jeans, and heels for motorcycle boots and super-skinny jeans from Australian label Ksubi or Swedish brand Cheap Monday that had ankles so narrow, wearers often had to cut them with kitchen scissors before pulling them on for the night. Emerging party photographers like Mark Hunter (also known as "The Cobrasnake") documented the scene on still-novel digital cameras, and independent magazines like Supersuper, Vice and Paper covered the movement, which borrowed heavily from Gen X's arch embrace of irony and cultural gatekeeping.
An online debate that frequently surfaced on the social media platform MySpace asked whether the late Amy Winehouse really used ash from a burned cork as eyeliner, or whether she just spread a rumour to mess with wannabe pop stars. A popular joke from the time: "How many hipsters does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Oh, it's like a really obscure number. You've probably never heard of it."
More like this:• How Scandinavian dressing can make us happier• The Coachella looks that can make or break careers• One pair of jeans is all we need – here's why
It's worth noting that, at the time, indie sleaze wasn't the moniker used to describe the super-tight leather trousers, studded biker jackets and perspex designer clutches created by designers like Marant, Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, and Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme and Saint Laurent. As NYU professor and cultural critic Ruby Justice Thelot tells the BBC: "Indie sleaze did not exist." The look was instead called "hipster style" or "Tumblr style," after the popular blogging platform, or simply "club-kid style", since clubs were where the neon babydoll dresses and underground band T-shirts were most often photographed.
It wasn't until a TikTok video by the trend forecaster Mandy Lee popularised the term indie sleaze in 2022 that the phrase really took root – especially among teens and young adults who'd been cooped up in covid lockdowns during their early adolescence, leaving them craving the visceral contact high of a jam-packed dance floor.
'Glamorous but cool'
"It seems like such a cool time to be alive," says Chloe Plasse, a 21-year-old design student at the New School in Manhattan. Plasse frequently wears Isabel Marant in hopes of capturing some of the designer's "glamorous but cool" essence, even if it's being worn to a university lecture instead of a music festival. In April, Sarah Shapiro, a retail correspondent for the fashion industry newsletter Puck, reported an increase in Isabel Marant's logo merchandise among wealthier Gen Z shoppers in Paris and London; this month, costume designer Jacqueline Demeterio featured the brand on the wealthy suburban satire Your Friends and Neighbors, putting a prominent Isabel Marant logo shirt on its affluent teen heroine Tori Cooper.
"Isabel Marant's 2010 collection is my dream wardrobe," says New York City college student Nikki Ball Kumar, 19, who adds she even has saved searches on resale platforms like eBay and Vestiaire Collective to find the designer's greatest hits, which include skinny jeans embroidered with gold beads and pyramid studs, shrunken tweed jackets in bright red and turquoise with unfinished raw hems piped in black leather and, of course, the original Bekett wedge sneaker heels.
The adoration of millennial and Gen X shoppers who were young and party-minded in the indie sleaze years, along with the wistful curiosity of those too young to have ever heard Winehouse sing in person at a sticky-floored pub, has created a sales frenzy for Marant. "I think people are very interested in my designs right now because they hit on two kinds of nostalgia," Marant says. "You know, on the one hand, you're nostalgic for a time you lived in. For Millennials, it's 2005, 2010, 2015. So that is one kind of nostalgia. But really, the stronger form of that feeling is being nostalgic for a time you didn't live in."
Marant says today's youth see the 2010s as the last gasp of freedom before the era of constant digital surveillance and poreless AI filters. "Today everything is so polished, so fake. That is not rock 'n' roll. It doesn't really appeal to me or my idea of what's sexy – certainly not what is cool. It gives me hope to see that young people are also getting fed up, and saying, 'These fillers and this fake French style, like Emily in Paris, is not very cool'." For younger shoppers who want to walk a mile in the shoes of an indie-sleaze princess instead of a perfectly manicured Netflix one, Marant's wedge heels are a natural fit.
Searches for the shoe are up on resale sites like Vestiaire Collective and The RealReal, though they are available infrequently. Marant admits she didn't realise what a hit the Bekett sneakers would be, and didn't produce a lot of them to begin with. "I used to save up forever for one Comme des Garçons jacket or one Margiela top. So I hoped people would do that for my designs, too. We didn't make a ton of these sneakers. That isn't my way. I do love the [Converse] ones though – still cool but a bit light, a bit soft. But of course," she smiles, "you should still wear them with a skinny jean. Or skinny black leather pants, you know? In Paris, all the women who grew up partying with Kate Moss, we have all stopped smoking. But we will never stop that. It is forever the cool French way."
--

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mail​

41 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

Who will be at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding? Inside the star-studded guest list

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are set to tie the knot next week in Venice, Italy, and their wedding guest list is shaping up to be one for the ages. The couple has certainly surrounded themselves with some of the world's most famous faces, including Hollywood stars, top moguls, and elite politicians. The wedding is expected to be one of the biggest events of the year, with an estimated cost of $15 million to $20 million. Jeff, Lauren and their immediate families will reportedly stay on the tech entrepreneur's $500 million superyacht Koru. Meanwhile, their star-studded guests - who will be treated to lavish gifts including hand-blown glassware by local glassmaker Laguna B - will be split between five-star hotels Hotel Cipriani and Aman Venice nearby. The guest list is thought to have less than 200 people - so which of their celebrity pals have scored an invite to what is expected to be the wedding of the century? Ahead of their nuptials, FEMAIL has compiled a list of all the celebrities, philanthropists, business leaders, and politicians who have made their way into Jeff and Lauren's inner circle. Here's a good idea of who will likely be in attendance when the billionaire, 61, says 'I do' to the glamorous former news anchor, 55, next week. Celebrities Lauren has formed an elite girl squad over the years, which consists of top businesswomen, actors, singers, and models. Kim Kardashian, 44, has been a steadfast presence in Lauren's inner circle for years, offering consistent support through DMs and lavish joint outings. Lauren and Kim's friendship formed in a rather unconventional way - as the two bonded after they became embroiled in a bidding war over a Balenciaga gown. Years ago, during New York Fashion Week, the two stunners realized they were both going after the same clothing item during an auction at the Kering Foundations' Caring for Women dinner. Both of them were offered gowns in the end, and they jetted off to France together to get fitted - and it was there that their bond really kicked off. Lauren and the Kardashian matriarch, Kris Jenner, 69, have also cultivated a family-like friendship. The pair grew close when Kris joined Kim and Lauren at one of Beyoncé's concerts on the Renaissance tour in 2023. Katy Perry, 40, was one of the six women picked by Lauren's fiancé Jeff to jet off into space with her during the Blue Origin space mission. The singer and her fiancé Orlando Bloom, 48, are close friends with the couple and have been spotted on several holidays together. However, according to TMZ, Orlando is reportedly planning to travel to the Venice wedding without his pop star partner. Sources told the publication that Katy is unable to rearrange her tour dates and will be in Australia when Lauren gets married. Charissa Thompson, 43, a Fox Sports presenter, is also a long-time friend and former coworker of Lauren's. She was also the last person to interview the bride-to-be before she went up to space for those 11 precious minutes. Long-time supportive friend, actress Eva Longoria, 50, will likely also be in attendance. In 2024, Eva and Lauren took part in a joint interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where they spoke about the depth of their friendship. 'You and I constantly have these conversations that inspire each other. Instead of sending each other memes, we send [reports] about the Latin community not being represented in TV and movies and the media,' Eva said to Lauren. 'I know, we send each other white papers. I'll send you a study, and you'll text back, "I already read it,"' Lauren replied. 'You and I both have this huge commitment to empowering underrepresented communities, especially Latinas.' Lauren has been close with Jessica Alba, 43, since long before her romance with Jeff turned her into a massive star. In addition, Lauren has maintained a heartfelt friendship with October Gonzalez - the wife of her ex-partner Tony González, with whom she shares a son, Nikko, 24. Not only has Lauren been on holiday with her former partner and October, 44, numerous times, but she also regularly attends events with the TV personality and they even spent Thanksgiving together last year. So there is a huge chance both will be attending the star-studded wedding; Tony and Lauren separated shortly after Nikko's birth in February 2001. The singer Jewel, 51, might also be making an appearance as well as rock star Mick Jagger, 81, Reality stars Kathy Hilton, 66, and Bachelor vet Lucinda Aragon, 36, as well as actress Xochitl Gomez may also be in attendance. Oprah Winfrey, 71, and fellow Blue Origin astronaut Gayle King, 70, are also reportedly going to be there, per TMZ. Laura Wasserman, who used to be married to Casey Wasserman, the president of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, is also a close friend of the bride. Lauren and Jeff had an engagement party in August 2023 with many famous faces in attendance - and that might be an indication of who got an invite to their wedding. Celebrities at the bash included actors Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, Tobey Maguire, 49, and Andrew Garfield, 41, and also Queen of Jordan Rania Al Abdullah, 54. Top moguls In addition to actors and singers, a bunch of moguls and CEOs are also expected to be at Jeff and Lauren's wedding. Elsa Marie Collins, 45, seems to be one of Lauren's closest friends, as they often travel together - her luxury bachelorette being no exception. She is the co‑founder of the nonprofit This is About Humanity, an organization dedicated to 'raising awareness and funds for separated and reunified families at the US/Mexico border.' Elsa, who is married to former NBA star Jarron Collins, previously revealed to Vogue that Lauren donated $1 million to her organization. 'Lauren wakes up thinking about how to help people,' she gushed. Lauren is also good friends with Veronica Grazer, who is the global strategic advisor for Vintro, a company that 'facilitates business connections around the world by democratizing access to business leaders that matter.' In addition, she seems to be close with attorney Lydia Kives, 37, who is the wife of former talent agent Michael Kives. Last year, Lydia hit headlines when a video of herself dancing with Lauren's fiancé Jeff went viral. Natasha Poonawalla is one of Lauren's high society friends, and she is part of the wealthy Poonawalla family, which runs the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, The Serum Institute. Co-CEO of Baby2Baby Kelly Sawyer, jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer, 48, and entrepreneur Tina Chen Craig were also invited to Lauren's book launch event so they very well could be included in the wedding festivities. Billionaire Bill Gates, 69, and CEO of TKO Group Holdings Ari Emanuel, 64, were present for the couple's elaborate engagement party and may also be at the wedding. TMZ's sources also claimed businessman Barry Diller, 84, will be in attendance. Fashion stars Australian model Miranda Kerr, 42, was also spotted with Lauren at her book launch party so she may be at the event. Stylist Victoria Trilling, makeup artist Amanda Diaz, and stylist Jamie Mizrahi could also be in attendance. Lauren's sister and photo coach Elena S Blair, 42, will most definitely be in Venice for the occasion. The sisters have a tight bond despite their 13-year age gap. Models Brooks Nader, 28, and Camila Morrone, 28, also secured an invitation, per TMZ. The outlet also reported that fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, 78, will be in attendance. Politicians TMZ also reported that Ivanka Trump, 43, and Jared Kushner, 44, made the list, as well as Karlie Kloss, 32, and her husband Joshua Kushner, 40. There is no word on whether President Donald Trump, 79, and his wife, Melania Trump, 55, have been invited. However, it's possible because both Bezos and Lauren got front-row seats during Trump's inauguration. Donald Trump Jr., 47, and his new girlfriend Bettina Anderson - who Lauren is friends with - are also set to attend, per Page Six.

Daily Mail​

41 minutes ago

• Daily Mail​

Inside Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos's blended family... including his VERY private children

After a two-year long engagement, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are due to tie the knot next week - and when they do, their families will officially become blended. The Amazon founder, who's net worth is $215 billio n, welcomed four children with his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, whom he married in 1993. The couple met while they working for the same investment management firm, D. E. Shaw & Co, and tied to knot a year before Bezos launched Amazon. They were together for 25 years before parting ways after his romance to Lauren was exposed, and they finalized their divorce in 2019. There is little known about Jeff and MacKenzie's four kids - three biological sons and a daughter they adopted from China - with all of them keeping a quiet profile despite their father's fame and fortune. Lauren, 55, on the other hand, welcomed a son, named Nikko Gonzalez, with footballer Tony Gonzalez in 2002 before splitting. She then walked down the aisle with Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell in 2005, and together, they had a son, named Evan Whitesell, in 2006 and a daughter, named Eleanor Whitesell, in 2008. They were together for more than a decade up until her affair with Jeff was brought to light in early 2019. With Lauren and Jeff's extravagant wedding plans in Venice, Italy, just days away, FEMAIL rounded up everything we know about their kids. Jeff and MacKenzie's eldest son Preston makes rare appearances with his father Jeff and MacKenzie's first child, a boy named Preston, was born in 2000. His name is a family moniker, with his father, grandfather and great grandfather having the middle name Preston. While Preston is rarely seen, he was snapped attending the Academy Awards with his dad in 2020. He was also spotted at the 2019 American Portrait Gala Preston reportedly attended Princeton University, as did both of his parents. He was also rumored to have completed a humanities and engineering degree from MIT, after Jeff was spotted at MIT's commencement ceremony in 2022. Jeff and MacKenzie share three other children together but they have shied away from the public eye The former also share two younger biological sons and an adopted daughter from China. However, the children's identifies are shrouded in mystery, with only Preston's name known to the public. The kids are rarely seen out or with their famous parental figures. One of the only times the Bezos bunch have been seen with their dad was almost 10 years ago at the Star Trek Beyond film premiere at Comic-Con International in San Diego in July 2016. Lauren has three children from previous relationships and her eldest son is a budding model Lauren's eldest son Nikko graduated from college in 2024 and is now a budding model. Her other kids Evan and Ella have opted to stay out of the spotlight so very little is known about them. In January 2023, Lauren spoke out about how she and her billionaire beau have blended their families, with her joking that she felt like they were the 'Brady Bunch' sometimes. 'On a typical Saturday, we hang out, we have dinner with the kids, which is always fun because you never know where the conversation is going to go with this many kids,' she told the Wall Street Journal. She also dished on co-parenting with her exes, specifically Tony, whom she branded as her 'best friend.' 'It wasn't always that way. There was friction [at the beginning]. But Tony and [his wife October "Tobie" Gonzalez] were at Thanksgiving with us [this year], and we're really good friends,' she explained. 'That took about five years, but we always communicated. I'm not saying that being best friends with your ex is the end-all be-all - but you do need to be able to communicate. 'I'm so proud of it. My son looks at me, and he's like, "I'm the luckiest boy in the world because I can have Thanksgiving with both my parents, and they don't have to be married."' She did not touch on her relationship with Patrick. What to expect from Lauren and Jeff's wedding The guest list is thought to have less than 200 people, with suspected guests including A-listers like Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and even members of the Trump family. The Amazon boss has booked the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, one of the largest and grandest buildings in the historical center of Venice, as part of the multi-day-long extravaganza of celebrations. According to an insider, Jeff's $500 million superyacht, Koru, will be moored off the coast of San Georgio Maggiore island, which is home to the famous Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16th century Benedictine church. They shared that the island is 'off-limits to visitors' from June 24 to June 29, with the mayor believing that the wedding will take place on the yacht - although The Misericodria, an iconic event space in Venice, has been booked out from June 26 to June 28. It's unclear if the space is related to their wedding, but the insider added that a private tender service is said to be taking guests from the island to the yacht. Separate sources recently told the Daily Mail that the festivities are expected to cost anywhere from $15 to $20 million.

The Sun

an hour ago

• The Sun

Andy Carroll quizzed by cops twice after bust-ups with girlfriend at packed restaurant and hotel during Greek holiday

FORMER England striker Andy Carroll was twice quizzed by police over bust-ups with his lover during a break on Greek party island Mykonos. The ex-Premier League wildman, 36, was questioned about the rows with make-up artist to the stars Lou Teasdale at a packed beachside restaurant and then at their hotel. 7 7 He was taken to the police station after the second incident. Carroll — once the most expensive British Prem star — began dating Lou last year after his split from Towie star wife Billi Mucklow. One worker at the Nikolus Tavern said of the first argument: 'We recognised him as the footballer Andy Carroll immediately. 'He seemed very drunk and furious with his partner. 'He was using very bad words. It was improper behaviour. The woman looked very upset.' Police arrived and took the former Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham ace to one side for a chat. He was later allowed to return to Lou, 42. The shocked restaurant worker said: 'Police spoke to him. He was allowed to return, and the couple left after paying for their meal. Andy was very calm when the police arrived — he stood up and spoke to them outside the restaurant.' But just hours later, police were called again by alarmed staff after reports of damage to the couple's room at a £500-a-night boutique hotel. Officers are said to have escorted him to a local station for questioning. He was not arrested and it is understood no further action was taken. A hotel worker confirmed the incident there, telling The Sun on Sunday: 'Yes, they were staying here. He broke the door.' That night, Lou quit the hotel and stayed at celeb haven Soho Roc House private members' club. The next day, Carroll was seen looking sombre sat at the edge of a pool at swanky SantAnna beach club, popular among Prem footballers including England aces Anthony Gordon and Curtis Jones. One onlooker said: 'Andy wasn't drinking and was just sitting there on his own.' A source in Mykonos said: 'After the restaurant episode, there was another incident at the hotel. This time the footballer went to the police station. We know the woman stayed somewhere else that night.' A British holidaymaker who spotted the pair while out for a stroll said: 'We passed the couple, who were clearly having a heated argument. The man who we later realised was Andy Carroll seemed very drunk and shouting at her, 'I'm done with us!'. 7 7 'Later in the taverna, they were seated next to our table. Andy seemed very angry. She remained silent. It did feel uncomfortable to the degree that my partner even considered intervening due to his behaviour. 'The police arrived and approached their table. Andy went to speak to officers, while the woman sat with her head in her hands. She appeared to be crying.' The onlooker, who asked not to be named, was also on the same easyJet flight home to Gatwick as the pair on June 13. She added: 'Andy still appeared to be angrily talking. At one point, she seemed to accuse him of going off with two other women while on holiday.' Snaps shared by Lou online show the couple on luxury jaunts in recent months. But she shared only one from Mykonos — a beach scene with neither of them in it. However, they appear to have patched up their differences, with the latest images shared including spending time together with Lou's dad on Father's Day last Sunday. Bearded Andy was reportedly planning to propose to Lou despite still being married to Billi, 36. The millionaire striker and wife confirmed their split last September. Weeks later, he and Lou revealed their romance. They moved to France after he joined fourth-tier club Bordeaux. But Carroll last week announced he was quitting the club to be closer to his children. As well as three with Billi, he has two from a previous relationship. A joint statement from Carroll and Lou last night said: 'Whilst having a private dinner in a restaurant on a quiet holiday in Mykonos, we had a heated discussion of the sort that most couples have had on occasion. It quickly became apparent to the police that there was no reason for them to be there. 'We went outside the restaurant with them together as they insisted they wanted to 'look after' us. 'As far as we are concerned, the situation has been blown out of all proportion by an interested member of the public. No one was arrested and no one was charged with anything. We are very happy, in love and looking forward to our future together and we are disappointed that a private disagreement has become a public matter.' The Mykonos hotel and police on the island declined to comment when contacted last night. BRAWLER'S BLONDES IN BEDROOM By ELEANOR GUNN ANDY Carroll's life away from football has featured nightclub run-ins and stag do shenanigans. In 2022, he was pictured in bed with two blondes on his Dubai stag trip — just a week before he married his ex Billi Mucklow. It emerged he had invited them back to his hotel room. But one of the women, Taylor Jane Wilkey, said she had no idea of his upcoming nuptials. And the then-27-year-old insisted nothing happened between them, telling The Sun: 'He was honestly in no state to do anything. 'I'm so sorry for all this mess — but I did nothing wrong.' Personal trainer Phoebe Robb, 26, was also pictured in bed next to the bare-chested striker. Last year, Carroll was accused of sneaking into the £8.5million former marital home while estranged wife Billi was out — with his movements picked up on security cameras linked to her phone. Also last year, we told how Andy was seen brawling in London's Mayfair. He shouted, 'You f***ing want some?', while Billi and staff from restaurant Sexy Fish tried to calm him down. Back in 2010, the striker was arrested and later fined for assaulting a man in a nightclub in Newcastle. The same year, he was accused of being involved in a row with Magpies teammate Steven Taylor that left the defender with a broken jaw. And later that year, he was charged with assault over an incident with an ex-girlfriend but the charges were dropped. He was also allegedly involved in a scuffle with a photographer in 2012, a year before he started dating Billi.