In Japan, the Goth style refers to a subculture influenced by Gothic fashion and aesthetics. With bands like black goth purse Sabbath, Megadeth or Metallica, common themes run through their aesthetics – heir album art and band T-shirts are emblazoned with pagan text, images of hellfire or death personified, influenced by a mixture of German symbolism and ancient druid iconography. Nail art has become significant for people who wish to wear their spiritual beliefs. Who is Gabor Nagy, and what is Gaboratory? In the Jock-Nerd/Prep-Goth Test, LARP should not be understood pejoratively or as exclusively pertaining to role-playing, but as someone who combines the geeky knowledge of nerds with the non-conformity of Goths to engage in gaming, fantasy-worlds and the like. Goths who are male, female, or elsewhere on the gender continuum are encouraged to dress up, play with makeup and presentation, to be flamboyant even in their darkness. Goth outfits are not only worn for special occasions or events, but also as a daily lifestyle choice for many Goths.

Whether it’s through fashion designers, a network of modern Wiccans, goths or metalheads, the permeation of esoteric symbolism and the macabre in clothing is a way of understanding the world, and each other, outside of traditional modes of thinking. Dario Pereira, Everpress creator and founder of the brand Father of Xerxes, thinks of work as artefacts of digital archaeology, “not only of esotericism or occultism, but also the Ancient World, science-fiction, the Cosmos, early computer graphics and music.” As a child, he remembers how people would draw crosses on their doors and walls to repel witches, “This kind of mysticism that I experienced during my childhood is revisited every time I dig through and research imagery related to ancient history.” A mythologising of the past and “extra-sensorial perception placebo effect,” is a feeling that Pereira tries to filter into his clothing through esoteric and occult symbolism. An evolution of ‘70’s spirituality, but paradoxically born of, and suited to, a digital world, we’re witnessing a revived focus on the esoteric lifestyle, holistic ‘self-care’ and wellness.

You can simply browse through gothic websites until you find the clothing that you like the look of, buy it and get it delivered straight to your door. There is a range from regular and plus-sized so that everyone can find what they need. If you’re looking for the perfect black dress to add to your (exclusively black) wardrobe, then take a look at our range of gothic dresses including decadent velvet styles and floor-sweeping gothic maxis that are ideal for special occasions. Then of course, there’s fashion. Of the recent revival of occultist symbiotics in fashion and modern culture, Pereira states, “Nowadays I think it stems from a need to rediscover our own spiritualities and mysticisms. These adoptions of occultist imagery break through society’s norms, fuelling a sense of rebellion in their wearers. In Geezer Butler’s words, when he formed Black Sabbath he wanted to create “scary music.” In using imagery that shocked and inspired fear in people, these musicians held up a mirror to the atrocities that society itself had wreaked. Choose a black or deep purple dress with a tulle skirt, add black fairy wings, and complement the look with black flower crowns or barrettes. Fran has the classic look of a witch and the soft, smiling countenance of a good, effective teacher.

His inspirations ranged from the Salem Witch Trials to Victorian mental asylums, to scary clowns – with each collection inspiring shock and bewilderment on the runway. Helena Blavatsky’s The Secret Doctrine was a study that blended elements of the occult, religious philosophies and the science of its day. It’s also described as a profusion of black velvets, lace, fishnets and leather tinged with scarlet or purple, accessorized with tightly laced corsets, gloves, precarious stilettos and silver jewelry depicting religious or occult themes. When asked about the recent rise of intrigue in occultism, Harpe muses, “even science is now starting to acknowledge things that the occult has stipulated for hundreds of years. Brujería, a practice blending spiritism and religion in Latinx communities, was once taboo because of its associations with the dark arts; it’s now being reclaimed as a feminist practice. Political institutions have long been viewed sceptically, but now our gaze lingers more dubiously on the tech and media monoliths that dominate our every waking moment. Likewise, Gothic architecture survived in an urban setting during the later 17th century, as shown in Oxford and Cambridge, where some additions and repairs to Gothic buildings were considered to be more in keeping with the style of the original structures than contemporary Baroque.