Spiritual Cosplay

Despite their secular leanings, Gen Z are less trusting of modern institutions than previous generations. With recurring crises to confront, many in this demographic are exploring different faiths and modes of living that could offer reassurance and meaning. This is flying in the face of extraordinary scientific developments and driven by a repudiation of capitalism. According to Vice, 60% of Gen Z say they are searching for spirituality outside of organised religion, while 87% say that taking care of their soul is important to them.

Gen Z’s affinity for fluidity across all aspects of their lives applies most strongly to self-expression. As a terminally online generation, the boundless creative possibilities brought by the introduction of social media mean that identity is influenced by gamified and customisable mentalities.

Shifting identities have become the norm for Gen Z, who are increasingly expressing themselves mainly through avatars and digital personas. In a survey of its Gen Z consumer base conducted by Roblox, nearly all (94%) say their avatars have had at least some customisation, with over half (53%) saying they have done this frequently.

Running counter to the Doom Dressing trend, many Gen Z are embracing other-worldly aesthetics as they seek to escape to more fantastical and buoyant versions of reality. Modern mysticism is nothing new, but now emerging spiritual interpretations are taking a darker turn. Online platforms have become the new church halls, creating liminal spaces that reside between the digital and the spiritual. Through digital culture, and now through fashion, Günseli Yalcinkaya describes this shift as nu-spirituality, an ironic take on mysticism based on technology and the embracing of the absurd.

Blumarine

Italian fashion house Blumarine has returned amid the Y2K resurgence. For the brand’s spring/summer 2023 campaign, it collaborated with fashion photographer Petra Collins, who is known for her dreamy and ethereal visual direction. Taking inspiration from Collins’ anthology Fairy Tales, an erotic collection of stories depicting fantasy archetypes set against a suburban backdrop, the campaign draws on the escapist attributes that fairy tales offered Collins during her childhood. Visually, the brand stays true to its hyper-feminine roots while playing with the sensual and Gothic styles of the noughties – subverting the era through an ironic lens by leaning into dark mermaid motifs.

Dilara Findikoglu

The Turkish contemporary womenswear designer is renowned for her innovative approach to combining ideas about feminism, religion and politics. By taking cues from the punk, metal and Gothic communities, her pieces have a distinct subcultural aesthetic. The designer’s fascination with the occult is demonstrated by the brand’s recent autumn/winter 2023 collection, which delves into the darker expression of femininity influenced by mysticism. One standout piece comprises a fitted dress adorned with Victorian knives to form a type of modern-day armour for the wearer.

Beepy Bella

New York-based fashion and accessories Beepy Bella was founded in 2019 by Isabella Lalonde. The brand gave Lalonde a space to detach from isolation in 2020 and create her own fantasy world. She combines the innocent side of whimsical creatures with punk- and noughties-inspired elements, creating an eclectic line that’s as cute as it is creepy. In a nod to Gen Z’s mystical meme culture, the brand’s popular trucker hats take a humorous approach with slogans such as ‘I heart fantasy’ and ‘Do you believe in fairies?’ – embracing the absurd and escapist qualities of modern-day mysticism through its adoption of fantasy.

Mega Mikaela

Founded in 2021 by Mikaela Mårtensson, Mega Mikaela specialises in artisanal knitwear and crochet. The label’s spring/summer 2023 collection, Lovely Misery, investigates folk tales popular during the Middle Ages. While researching the period, she found tales filled with misery fuelled by plague, witch hunts and a small ice age. i-D magazine attributes the rise of mediaeval styles to our current fixation on the grimness of our own times. This is coupled with what Mårtensson describes as an escape into fairy tales and a romanticised view of what is perceived as a simpler time.

Gen Z’s affinity for mysticism is influencing the way they express themselves through fashion. Shaped by being a digital native generation, Gen Z seek comfort in spiritual cosplay as a means of escapism – often participating in a consistent switching of identities in order to create different iterations of themselves. Beepy Bella is a prime example of a brand that immerses wearers in whimsical nostalgia, enabling them to tap into childhood wonder and innocence.

Similarly to how fashion is used as a gateway to a range of identities, this pick-and-choose mindset extends to Gen Z’s spiritual views. As digital natives, they can choose from a range of beliefs that suit them best. Like Dilara Findikoglu, many opt for belief systems that subvert modern Western paradigms, personalising older, more mystical belief systems according to their own values.

By adopting digital culture’s existentialism, mysticism has evolved away from the psychedelic and astrology-based visual identities. This comes as mysticism gains more traction in the wake of the pandemic and the eldest of Gen Z approach their 30s. Recent fashion week revelations align with a darker tone, demonstrating more subdued interpretations grounded in maturity and realism. Mega Mikaela’s grungy approach to the mediaeval period leans into this, drawing from the indie sleaze subculture that dominated the late 2000s to early 2010s.