Different youth cultures are very much identified by what they wear and how they dress, as a precursor to what music they like and where they like to hang out; these varied sub-cultures obviously tend to favour very different clothes designers, and some designers are synonymously associated with a particular group.

So what you wear really does say a lot about who you are; and who makes your clothing can also be indicative of the deeper parts of your personality and values.

Here is a list of some popular cultures from the past and present, and the designers with which they are associated.

1. Punk – If any designer is associated with Punk, it has to be Vivienne Westwood. In the late seventies her and Malcolm McLaren, ran a shop on Kings Road in London, which is where, it is said, Punk began. The shop was named SEX (controversially for the time); and from there they designed, made and sold clothing that would become essentially the wardrobe of Punk, copied the world over. McLaren after meeting Sid Vicious and John Lydon in the shop created and managed probably the most famous punk band of all time The Sex Pistols.

2. Mod – The late 50’s through to the mid 60’s saw the rise and rise of the Mod sub-culture; after which, like most youth sub-cultures, the Mod’s dissimilated into early skinheads (not the racially disturbed kind). Synonymous with Mod fashions were the smart Italian inspired suits that were worn underneath the eponymous Parka coat, whilst riding the moped. Women wore the miniskirt, again, sharply and chicly. Designers, which to this day are associated with the Mod are Fred Perry and Ben Sherman, and for females, to a lesser extent Biba.

3. New Romantics – The New Romantic sub culture was an 80’s movement in which its followers dressed androgynously, boys wore make up and girls had cropped hair if they so desired. As long as it was flamboyant anything went for a new romantic. Deriving from Punk and Disco, 80’s New Romanticism was a creative and artistically-driven sub group. New Romantics will forever be linked with the designer John Galliano, his graduation show from Central Saint Martin’s in 1984 consisted of eight unisex outfit’s named Les Incyyyroyables, and were a perfect example of the New Romantic style.

There are so many more youth sub-cultures through the ages associated with different designers, styles and clothing, different music tastes and different past times. Today there are still many sub-cultures associated with their particular brand of style, such as Emo’s and Goths, and the B-Boys of Hip Hop Culture.

However more than ever before there seems to be one predominant sub culture in today’s youth. Obsessed with fame and fortune and influenced more by the media than any youth culture before them. These, so called Generation Y’ers are label crazy for any designer clothing; they favour cheap throwaway pop music and badly produced cover versions. Considering the impact on society, art, music and fashion that youth sub-cultures have had in the past, this seems a shame, and looks like a bland and boring future for the nation’s children.