Avant-apocalypse fashion is a style of dress that imagines clothing after a collapse without turning it into costume. It is built on deconstruction, asymmetry, distressed or raw finishes and heavy layering, mostly in a muted palette of earth, ash and black. The term spread on TikTok in late 2021 and early 2022, and fashion media took it up through 2022.
This guide covers where the term came from, the design codes that define it, how it differs from nearby styles, the designers it is usually linked to, and where it has gone since.
Where the term came from
The phrase was popularized by trend forecaster Mandy Lee, who posts on TikTok as @oldloserinbrooklyn. In January 2022, Refinery29 featured her as one of the forecasters calling the look for the year ahead and quoted her definition: "neutral maximalism, lots of deconstructed pieces and asymmetry, wearing clothes the 'wrong' way, and knits in neutral tones." Culted's explainer, by Stella Hughes, also credits Lee. It describes the trend as an outgrowth of "subversive basics", in which plain staples such as tank tops and suit trousers were slashed, cut out and layered.
The coverage kept building through 2022 and into 2023:
| Date | Source | What it added |
|---|---|---|
| January 2022 | Refinery29 | Lee's definition. It named Rick Owens, Maison Margiela and Ottolinger as references, and Mad Max, Star Wars and Dune as film influences. |
| 2022 | Culted | It called the look "Rick Owens and Martin Margiela's lovechild aesthetic" and named layering as its key element. |
| April 2022 | NSS Magazine | It reported 662.6K views on the hashtag and linked the style to post-apocalyptic films and pandemic-era thinking about protection. |
| October 2022 | Paper | It called Julia Fox "the poster girl for the avant apocalypse trend". It described the trend as "defined by deconstruction, asymmetry and sculptured structural elements." |
| January 2023 | Refinery29 | It reported that Pinterest searches for "dystopian outfits" rose 215% in a year, and that "dystopian fashion" had passed 330 million TikTok views. |
The design codes
Avant-apocalypse is easier to recognize by its construction than by any single item. These six codes come up again and again in the press coverage and in the garments themselves:
- Deconstruction. Seams, linings and panels are exposed or rebuilt, so the garment shows how it was made. Look for spliced panels, raw edges and reworked classics such as a bomber or a five-pocket jean.
- Asymmetry. Hems, closures and pockets sit off-center, and one side of a garment often differs from the other.
- Raw and distressed finishes. Enzyme and mud washes, abrasion, fraying, paint and wax coatings make wear part of the design. NSS put it plainly: "Signs of wear are no longer a defect to be hidden, but a decorative element."
- Layering. Short over long, vest over hoodie, wraps and scarves over everything. Culted calls layering "the crucial element" of the trend.
- Earth-and-ash palette. Grey, black, bone, sand, olive, brown and rust. This is the "neutral" half of Lee's "neutral maximalism".
- Utility. Cargo pockets, straps, buckles, drawcords and detachable parts. They work, but they also add to the silhouette.
How it differs from nearby styles
Post-apocalyptic costume
Costume is meant to make you look like a character. Wasteland and Mad Max-style dress has a dedicated scene: Wasteland Weekend, a four-day festival on the edge of the Mojave Desert held since 2010, requires every attendee to wear themed clothing. Costume relies on props such as goggles, fake armor and face paint. Avant-apocalypse borrows the mood and leaves the props out, so the clothes still work on a city street on a weekday.
Techwear
Techwear starts from function: technical fabrics, waterproof membranes, sealed zips and clean surfaces. Avant-apocalypse shares its utility details but values visible wear and handwork over technical performance. A techwear shell is meant to look new for years. An avant-apocalypse jacket often looks old on day one.
Goth and darkwear
Goth and darkwear start from black, drape and mood. Avant-apocalypse overlaps with them, and many of the same designers are cited for both. It is less tied to black, though, and leans toward dust, sand and rust. For a side-by-side table, see Dunecore vs Desertcore vs Darkwear vs Techwear.
The designer canon
The 2022 coverage named two groups of designers. The emerging names were Oriens, Ai Mei Li, DIDU, Auné, Ottolinger and Nensi Dojaka. The established references were Rick Owens, Martin Margiela, Yohji Yamamoto and Mugler (NSS, Culted). Four labels outside that press list come up repeatedly whenever post-apocalyptic dress is discussed:
Rick Owens
The American designer launched his label in 1994 and moved to Paris in 2003. His DRKSHDW diffusion line took over from an earlier one in 2005 (Wikipedia). Wikipedia says his Fall/Winter 2006 collection, DUSTULATOR, was "inspired by military and post-apocalyptic aesthetics with exaggerated and oversized treatments."
Boris Bidjan Saberi
A Barcelona menswear label from a designer Sleek describes as half German and half Persian. Sleek also notes his experiments with self-made leather and unusual finishes such as wax. Disco sums the label up as "known for hand-treated leathers and dark layered tailoring." In May 2025 the company announced that it would stop operating at the end of July 2025, citing manufacturing difficulties (Fashionsnap).
Demobaza
A Bulgarian label whose official showroom is in Sofia (Demobaza). Design You Trust described its work as "futuristic deconstruction clothes" (2018 feature). Glossy reported that Demobaza contributed looks worn in Dune: Part Two and released a tie-in collection to the public.
Julius
A Japanese label founded by Tatsuro Horikawa. Sabukaru describes it as a "black based, gothic, avant-garde style" and names its military-inspired bondage pants, leather gun-holster jacket and distressed knits as signatures.
For a full comparison with prices, see Post-Apocalyptic Fashion Brands to Know in 2026.
How it has changed by 2026
From the start, the desert was part of the look: Refinery29's 2022 piece listed Mad Max, Star Wars and Dune as influences. When Dune: Part Two opened in U.S. theaters on March 1, 2024 (Wikipedia), Glossy reported that fashion brands were taking up its aesthetic both "officially and unofficially". Jing Daily wrote that the film was "expected to catapult 'desert core' to new heights in China" (Jing Daily). The sand-colored branch of the style is now usually called dunecore or desertcore. With Dune: Part Three scheduled for U.S. release on December 18, 2026 (Wikipedia), that branch is likely to get another round of attention.
At GRIME STATE we use avant-apocalypse as the umbrella term. It is post-apocalyptic style pushed forward instead of backward. Its range runs from sun-bleached dunecore through colder dystopian fashion to darkwear for the city at night. What ties it together is the idea that wear, disruption and reconstruction are sources of design, not signs of failure.
Shop the look
The avant-apocalypse collection brings these codes together from independent labels. Six pieces that show them clearly:
- XIPHEVIL Mech Deconstructed Washed Denim Jacket (Brown): a double-layered build with mechanical paneling, twin front zips and sleeve pockets. This is deconstruction at full strength.
- UNDERWATER Distressed Wanderer Patchwork Padded Jacket: hand-stitched patchwork and hand-painted text on a padded workwear base.
- XIPHEVIL Deconstructed Utility Faux Suede Daoist Robe (Sand): an asymmetrical hem and knot buttons in a sand tone that also suits dunecore and desertcore outfits.
- STEAM Multi-Pocket Detachable Utility Vest: an asymmetrical vest with three-dimensional pockets and a removable panel.
- UNDERWATER The Prisoner Distressed Layered Hoodie: a short-sleeve outer layer built over a long-sleeve hoodie, so it is layered in a single piece.
- MOGONGSHE Distressed Detachable Drape Curved Panel Jeans: wide legs with curved panel lines, an acid wash and a draped waistband that you can remove.
For broader browsing, see post-apocalyptic clothing and dystopian fashion.
FAQ
Who coined the term avant-apocalypse?
Trend forecaster Mandy Lee, who posts on TikTok as @oldloserinbrooklyn, brought the term to a wide audience in late 2021 and early 2022. NSS Magazine and Culted both credit her with it, and Refinery29 quoted her description of the look.
Is avant-apocalypse the same as post-apocalyptic fashion?
They overlap but are not the same. Post-apocalyptic fashion is the broad category, and much of what sells under that name is costume. Avant-apocalypse is the design-led part of it: real garments that use deconstruction, asymmetry, worn finishes and layering, made to be worn in everyday life.
What colors are used in avant-apocalypse outfits?
Mostly neutrals: ash and charcoal grey, black, bone, sand, khaki, olive, brown and rust. Lee called the look "neutral maximalism", meaning many layers and textures held together by a narrow, muted color range.
Can you wear avant-apocalypse fashion every day?
Yes, if you build each outfit around one strong piece and keep the rest simple. Our guide How to Wear Post-Apocalyptic Fashion Every Day gives five outfit formulas.
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