Brutalism

Ugly on purpose or just ugly? 

They say that every trend is circular and eventually returns with small or no differences at all.

The same applies to brutalism which can be reflected in the minimal style or techwear among others. I happen to be a big fan of both of those trends. I love

clean and polished outfits, monochrome or nude palettes, and leaving any unnecessary detail.

All these things can be found in Brutalism.

Brutalist architecture was at its prime between the ’50s and ’70s but even then most of the people just considered the buildings hideous and monstrous. This opinion didn’t change until the last couple of years, when

a sudden appreciation emerged for brutalism

and gained ground in web design, fashion, sculpture, and furniture design.

“Brutalism is the techno music of architecture, stark and menacing.”

Brad Dunning, GQ

But if someone who never heard of brutalism would look at the buildings, most likely would find them ugly. So the question is

how do we know if it’s art or it’s just ugly?

Well, I guess one has to know the rules to break them. Brutalism works with raw materials, geometrical forms, and original colors or no colors.

It’s not about design, it’s about the function.

That said, brutalism can be easily applied to fashion. Especially now when sustainability and functionality is more important than ever.