The development of social media changed the way that culture/subculture communicates. Trends that linked with celebrities and influencers flashing and alternating faster than ever. When the new trend goes on the stage and then quickly disappears, which provoke strong surges of nostalgia for the days of yore. Seeing my interests in punk rock music as a designer, I look at the rebelliousness and ‘out of the rules’ of both punk style and graphic design. How can punk prove such a strong visual language and national movement which we can hardly see today? 

Subcultures emerged in the past, including punk, is not just a trend or a way to look cool. It is the phenomenon that varies with eras. Before social media and numbers of design software, everything in punk scenes flourishing so rapidly. Looking at flyers, posters, 

artwork created by anonymous artist, and the unique ruleless punk style, punk’s DIY ideology embedded in those and the ethos have influence in creative industries until now. 

My project is to investigate punk’s visual language and signs in style to explore the change of it. The punk trend appears in fashion magazines, social media as a nostalgia topic, models and influencers wear garments with tartan pattern, safety pins and stubs to be punk. Luxury brands sale those ‘punk attire’ for more than £1000, which are not simulated with what punk’s ideology is. Punk’s advertisement is not a fresh thing, several punk fanzines include product promotions. However, after punk’s incorporation to the mainstream, so as punk style, I heart punk souvenir-liked T-shirt and £200 band T-shirts are common now. Market take the past to sell products now, but it is incomplete, those signs that punk used appropriated from everyday life is incomplete without its ideology. 

My project is to show those commercial products and bring the discussion
of the phenomenon.