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From expressive streetwear to emo anime: The best in alternative style this month

Whether you’re looking to show off your inner nerd or just get cosy with some Y2K-inspired tracksuits, this month’s drops are perfect for everywhere from Myspace to the mosh-pits.

From expressive streetwear to emo anime: The best in alternative style this month

Welcome back to Kerrang!’s style column, with me, Kitty Cowell! Each month I’ll be bringing you the latest releases, collabs and trends in alternative fashion. It’s March which is when I was born, and as a duty to all fashionable Pisces emos I’ve dug out the latest style to up your pit fits and IG pics – don’t forget, the Myspace angels are back!

If you don’t know me, I’m a nu-metal, emo and hardcore kid, and I style music videos and photoshoots for a bunch of your favourite artists – like K! Cover Story stars NOAHFINNCE, Enter Shikari and Scene Queen. And now I’m here to bring you the same style tips I give to them!

Let’s get into the best new style drops…

Millennial, emo streetwear by Jurban

Flicking through a rack of clothes recently I suddenly stumbled upon a T-shirt that said ‘Hating People Since Forever’. It was at that point I realised I had to know more about Jurban.

Drawing inspiration from cosmopolitan cities such as Istanbul, London and New York, Jurban uses bold colours, the idea of empowerment through self-expression, and relatable emo phrases to create their streetwear collections.

Their Millennial Metaverse drop features pieces such as a baby tee with a flip-phone graphic next to the phrase ‘Hello Bitchy’, and basketball shorts which simply say ‘Millennial’ in a bold sports font. Meanwhile, their latest collection, Sk8er Diaries, features the ‘Hating People Since Forever’ T-shirt, plus some awesome skate imagery tees and city scape all over printed trousers. Definitely one to check out.

You can get there before everyone starts wearing it and say you found it first – just like every alt. band you obviously found first…

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Levi’s x Gundam

For all you anime emos, Levi’s has a brand-new Gundam collection! The Levi’s x Gundam SEED collection mixes a futuristic design with Levi’s historic quality and craftmanship blended perfectly with fun anime graphics from the Gundam universe.

There are countless characters and storylines in the Japanese sci-fi franchise, but the humanoid Gundam machines piloted by talented humans are at the centre of all the action. Arguably the stars of the show. This collection captures the badass of the mobile suits and the recurring fight between different ideologies – meaning you don’t just have to talk about your love of Gundam; you can wear it, so people know…

Standout pieces include the Levi’s x Gundam SEED ’93 501® jeans and the matching Relaxed Trucker. Made from indigo denim with a light stonewash finish, the jean and jacket both feature patterned prints of the Strike Gundam, a blue jacron back patch, and a co-branded patch. These details make this collaboration exciting and display the level of intricate attention that has gone into the process of design. You look stylish and cool AF, but when you get closer people can tell you are also a little nerd. Perfect.

Meanwhile, the Levi’s x Gundam SEED Technical Anorak, which is boxy and slightly cropped, comes with silver piping, oversized utility chest pockets (great for snacks and gig earplugs) straps to tie back, and a large GAT-X105 Strike Gundam graphic on the back. Plus, matching Cargo Pants, which also features piping as well as co-branded Gundam patches on the cargo and back pockets. A perfect gig outfit in my opinion.

So, whether you want to go for a causal two-piece tracksuit or Canadian tuxedo, they have you covered. The collection also features a variety of tees, a hoody and accessories including a really sick slingback bag. It’s time to let your outfit showcase your love of anime to help attract all the other emo anime kids.

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Dr. Martens x Supreme are back and it looks hot (literally)

The latest instalment of every punk kid’s favourite shoe brand Dr. Martens and their on-going relationship with skate heroes Supreme is here, and it’s dope!

The collab sees two new versions of the classic 1461 3-eye shoe rebuilt in colour-shifting hi-shine rub off leathers. The red looks like a thermogram image of your feet!

The new collection utilises Arcadia and Rub Off leathers with a naturally worn appearance, which reveal hidden colours that become more prominent with repeated wear (and mosh-pit use). Perfect for us skate-punk kids. Now you have a pair of shoes that just look better the more you beat them up in the pit. No face kicks in those, though – they could definitely draw blood.

The 1461 shoe is available in black and silver Arcadia leather or multi-colour Rub Off leather, which transforms from red to green to blue; like a thermal image!

The campaign images feature skateboarders Ben Kadow and Kyle Teh and were captured by photographer Jiro Konami – and they’re out today in America, the UK and Europe.

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Named Collective

Want bunny ear balaclavas and spider web embellished tracksuits? Named Collective are 666 per cent who you are looking for.

This London-based independent streetwear label are disrupting the fashion scene with rebellious design and imagery. With goth-inspired designs featuring spider webs, barbed wire and emo bunny hats, embellished with rhinestones and blond graphics, they fill the gap between Y2K cutesy aesthetics and the gothic alt. streetwear scene.

In terms of latest drops, they have just released three new tracksuits. The six-piece drop, OFF DUTY, features three of the brand’s classic tracksuits with zip-through hoodies and cuffed sweatpants.

The sets are available in hot pink, charcoal grey and blue and are an evolution of the label’s in-demand camo print, with added rhinestone and satin appliqué patches all over. Think Bape meets the hardcore scene meets Paris Hilton. The grey/black is especially emo.

They seem to have had a lot of fun shooting these tracksuits with models Jing and Juno in a pink hummer… because why not? I can hear Kreayshawn – Gucci Gucci playing in the background.

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Mary Wyatt vegan leather belts

London-based and female-founded brand Mary Wyatt are at it again with their contemporary tattoo culture and metal-inspired clothing.

If you don’t know the brand yet they provide high-quality fashion with a dark, metal edge – as seen here on Janine from VUKOVI, shot backstage before their sold-out show at Camden’s Electric Ballroom recently. Janine is wearing their Betrothed High Neck Top with Unchained Wide Leg O-Ring Trousers and the new Axis Appleskin Belt.

The new belts have been developed from AppleSkin Vegan Leather, an innovative bio-based leather alternative which is both soft and hardwearing (sounds like a description of us emo kids). The material is crafted from apple pomace that is discarded from the beverage industry, including cider and juice. The inner core of the belt is made from wood pulp and recycled plastic bottles, resulting in a lower environmental impact. How cool?!

Make sure to check out the brand – they have everything from awesome tees, tracksuits, accessories, evening wear and even office wear with an edge.

Don’t tell me I don’t put you on!

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