"Only When Fully Faded and Worn Out Is It Stylish"... Spring·Summer Trend Focuses on 'Grunge Look'

Natural, Worn-In Design is Key
MUSINSA Sees 45% Increase in Grunge Look Searches Over Two Weeks

The fashion industry is focusing on the ‘grunge look’ trend, characterized by worn-out and holey details, for the Spring/Summer 2024 season.

According to the fashion industry on the 24th, the term grunge look originates from ‘grunge,’ meaning dust, dirt, or something messy, and emerged alongside the popular 1990s music genre ‘grunge rock.’ The worn and old clothes frequently worn by grunge rock band musicians have established themselves as a fashion style called the grunge look. Representative items include ripped jeans, holey sweaters, and patched shirts.

Not For Nothin, grunge look showcased at Ualong Hwaba.

Earlier, Musinsa selected ‘Grunge Revival’ as one of the key fashion trend keywords for this year’s Spring/Summer season in September last year. They predicted that the grunge mood, such as dirty painting or destroyed details, would be re-highlighted.

In fact, an analysis of Musinsa’s search data showed that the search volume for ‘grunge look’ increased by about 45% over two weeks from the 8th to the 21st compared to the previous period. Looking at items, grunge knits, hoodies, and denim were mainly sought after, and the search volume for a similar style, ‘damage denim,’ also increased by more than 40%.

Brands that previously showcased minimal and modern styles, such as DopeJason, Koor, and Ualong, have also joined the grunge look trend. Ualong intentionally released two types of funky and vintage knits with loose threads and holes, featuring naturally worn sleeves and necklines that allow for a subtle grunge look.

The street fashion brand Not4nerd introduced hooded sweatshirts with partially ripped designs on the shoulders and pockets. Released in three colors, the product features an oversized silhouette and faded washing to maximize the vintage feel.

Female customers are also paying attention to the grunge look trend. Bittersells, which has formed a fandom mainly among women in their 20s, released the ‘Heart Pocket Damage Denim,’ notable for its bold washing and ripped details. This product has become popular, recording over 3,500 cumulative ‘likes.’

A Musinsa representative said, “The grunge look, which embraces faded colors and dirt as comfortable and natural style, is being reappraised mainly by young customers.”