Follow the sounds of Nine Inch Nails and Type O Negative playing in the background, turn left at the polished gimp suit and head towards the basement to an army of The Pale, decked out in monochromatic technical workout gear, rising, falling and sweating in unison during a group exercise session in the basement in the dark.
The Top 40 hits, Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato and Maroon 5 have been banished from the playlist. Bright lights and Lululemon fitness apparel cannot be found here. It is a world where industrial metal meets Pilates and everyone is in a state of sad sportiness.
Welcome to the subculture of the Health Goth.
A Brief History of the Health Goth
The Health Goth subculture spawned from an internet meme in 2013, and morphed into an active Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/healthgoth?fref=ts). It was the brain-child of a Portland based underground duo called Magic Fades (Mike Grabarek and Jeremy Scott) and focused on posting photos of monochromatic, specialized sportswear- think modern mix of gothic and futuristic sports-luxe. Within one year, the Facebook likes exploded (currently at 30,560 Likes) and the new social trend of the Health Goth was being covered by major periodicals:
- Marie Claire, October 15, 2014 (http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/547561/health-goth-the-latest-trend-you-ve-never-heard-of.html)
- The Guardian, October 22, 2014 (https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2014/oct/22/goth-streetwear-monochrome-and-sportswear-what-is-health-goth)
- New York Magazine, October 22, 2014 (http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/10/faq-do-you-know-what-health-goth-means.html)
- The New York Times, December 10, 2014 (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/11/fashion/health-goth-when-darkness-and-gym-rats-meet.html?_r=0)
The Health Goth was later appropriated and championed by a Chicago DJ and Electronic Dance Music producer Johnny Love whose stage name is Deathface. After adopting a healthier lifestyle, he lost 20 pounds and began to post his own fitness photos and videos on Tumblr and Instagram under the hash tag healthgoth. This spawned others to latch onto the trend. Deathface subsequently started his own Facebook page using the phrase “healthgoth” and launched his own website www.heathgoth.com.
Needless to say, there are some unresolved issues between Magic Fades and Mr. Deathface over who was the original creator of the name and the subculture.
The current Health Goth community on Tumblr is very extensive (https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/health-goth), and would suggest the subculture has some staying power.
What exactly are Health Goths?
The rhetoric from AM Discs says,
“Health Goth relies on an anti-nostalgic dystopian present, refracting the Other by means of an exaggerated profile and tribal-aesthetics … Health Goth creates a proto-narrative of returning to paradise lost by embracing mortality as a One-World consciousness and devotion as means to deliver us from late Capitalism … Health Goth speaks to an intrinsic psychic connection with the elements, be they fire, water or fauna and the ability to incorporate ambient nature into the corporeal realm.”
Right.
I prefer a more minimalist explanation. Something on the order of the Health Goth movement being a,
“ …big, black contradictory mash up of fitness and gothic-punk; a strange combination of street wear, clothing fetish videos, industrial sounds, high technology and mainstream sports.”
While the subculture does not support a current spokesperson, although Johnny Love A.K.A. Deathface would strongly disagree with that assertion, mainstream media would suggest Kylie Jenner and Jessie J would be the unofficial spokespersons of the current subculture.
***Egad. ***
How’s that for a celebrity spokesperson of the sad and sporty?
Capitalism and the Health Goth Marketplace
The subculture which began from an internet meme has grown into product line segments for major, international brands such as Adidas and Nike. Within the span of three years, it is a subculture with longevity.
Consider major London designer, Mary Katrantzou has created an entire line of Health Goth fitness gear for Adidas, with a dark, kaleidoscope color palette fit for the sad, sporty Deathface we all know and love.
Alexander Wang created a line complete with accessories like fierce leather trainers, boxing gloves and future chic duffle bags all suitable for the dark, brooding, emo martial artist or Pilates fanatic. The marketplace for this subculture does not stop there:
- Rebels Market http://www.rebelsmarket.com/shop/health-goth-fashion-106
- Etsy https://www.etsy.com/market/health_goth
- Zombies Run Application https://zombiesrungame.com/
- Adidas (Rita Ora Skeleton Legings) http://www.asos.com/Adidas/adidas-Originals-X-Rita-Ora-Leggings-In-Skeleton/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4771464&r=2
- Iron Fist (Swimwear) http://www.ironfist.co.uk/collections/bikinis
- Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/djblakew/health-goth-future-fashion-post-apocalyptic-gear/
When asked if the subculture is here to stay, Jaana Jatyri, founder of the forecasting agency Trendstop feels it is a long term trend which is here to stay. “'Health Goth started out as an internet meme, but we’re now starting to see these stylistic influences filter through to trendsetters on the streets, especially in London,' she says.
Cue the death metal and get sad sporty when you hit the gym.
References
Grabarek, Mike. “Health Goth.” Facebook. 2013. https://www.facebook.com/healthgoth?fref=ts.
Davis, Allison. “Introducing Health Goth, a New Lifestyle Trend.” The Cut. October 22, 2014. http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/10/faq-do-you-know-what-health-goth-means.html
Clarke, Elizabeth. “Move over Lululemon: How 'Health Goth' Became a Major Fashion Movement.” The Sidney Morning Herald. November 19, 2014. http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/move-over-lululemon-how-health-goth-became-a-major-fashion-movement-20141118-11p8li.html
Harper, Adam. “What Health Goth Actually Means.” The Fader. August/September 2016. http://www.thefader.com/2015/02/16/adam-harper-on-health-goth
Pasbani, Robert. Trend Watch: #HealthGoth – Now a Thing.” Metal Injection. December 11, 2014. http://www.metalinjection.net/trend-watch/health-goth-now-a-thing
Oran, Nicole. “Health Goth: When Two Subcultures Collide.” MedCity News. December 11, 2014. http://medcitynews.com/2014/12/health-goth-two-subcultures-collide/?rf=1
Devash, Meirav. “Health Goth: When Darkness and Gym Rats Meet.” The New York Times. December 10, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/11/fashion/health-goth-when-darkness-and-gym-rats-meet.html?_r=1
Degallier, Thea. “Health Goth: The Latest Trend You’ve Never Heard of.” Marie Claire. October 15, 2014. http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/547561/health-goth-the-latest-trend-you-ve-never-heard-of.html
Image References
Love, Johnny. Health Goths Unite! LA Weekly. November 6, 2015.
Buck, Stephanie. The Victorian Sporting Class Were the First Health Goths. Timeline. July 18, 2016.
Sabella, Jen. Healthgoth Creator Johnny Love Talks Chicago, Haters and Getting Fit. DNA Info. December 12, 2014.