A style so mysterious and vulnerable, Heroin Chic has always raised the eyebrow. Dark eyes, scruffy hair and bones out, this style is seen as an unhealthy and dangerous idea that will only continue to put models lives at risk. Knowing this, why is it still wanted? Everybody loves living on the edge at heart; just like we always want what we can’t have is probably because the fun of chasing it and wanting it is more enjoyable. Heroin Chic is addictive. Based upon the look of scruffy junkies and popularized in 1993 by and advertising campaign by Calvin Klein featuring Kate Moss, this style has left me in a predicament.
Due to fashions needs to be different and contemporary, Heroin Chic was an instant success. However, was it right to glamorize drug abuse through fashion? After all, aren’t we supposed to stare at ourselves in the mirror and wish we looked like these models? I don’t want to become a heroin addict but I still think that some of the fashion looks cool – does this mean I’m supporting the use of heroin abuse?
I think not. Heroin Chic communicates the idea that the models are living on the cutting edge of life and creativity, that they are the rebels of society and that they follow their own rulebook and it’s this fantasy that generates the idea that anything is possible and therefore makes Heroin Chic plausible and wanted, and to me, this is far more attractive than the use of drug abuse.
When it came to styling my own shoot based upon the idea of size Zero and Heroin Chic, I decided to use a simple backdrop. Rather than placing the model in the deepest darkest depths of the backstreet alleys and underground bars, I thought I would leave the idea of Heroin Chic to the viewer and leave it open to interpretation and opinion. Either way, I had a lot of fun working with the model and creating the images. Thanks for reading! Enjoy the photo - more to follow!
