Dark Academia has become a popular fashion trend in recent years. With 2 million Instagram posts and 130,000 Facebook mentions, Dark Academia has obviously a significant influence. 

What is Dark Academia, and is it just a fashion style? Let's explore the interesting aspects of Dark Academia with Pierre Cardin Paris Vietnam. 

1 - Dark Academic - A Western Philosophical Concept 

“Little people know that Dark Academia is actually a philosophical concept!”

In philosophy, Dark Academia is a "method" to research history, culture, and knowledge with a leaning toward criticism, introspection, and pessimistic outlook. This method often uses classic works from the past as evidence for the investigation.

(Figure 1 - Dark Academia is a Western philosophical concept)

Dark Academia is commonly used in philosophical perspectives such as Idealism or Critical Theory. For example, both idealists Jean-Paul Sartre and Friedrich Nietzsche used storytelling and poetic techniques to express their philosophical themes. Critical theorists like Michel Foucault and Theodor Adorno employed critical and pessimistic language to power issues.

In summary, Dark Academia is a deep and "academic" concept in Western philosophy with dedication to learning, understanding desires to the world, and a willingness to explore complex issues.

2 - Dark Academic: More Than Just Fashion, It Is A Philosophical Concept

Dark Academia emerged on the internet around 2015. Initially, it was just a community of fans of the book "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt. The book revolves around a group of students who isolate themselves to focus on studying and researching, unfortunately get drawn into dark conspiracies.
 

From a community that appreciated mysterious intellectualism, Dark Academia evolved into a subculture and an ideology that spans various domains.

Dark Academia celebrates academia and in-depth research. It particularly honors and admires the classics of literature and values from the past. Consequently, Dark Academia often has classical, somber, and mysterious features of European cultures in the Gothic and Baroque eras.

(Figure 2 - Dark Academia carries the classical European feature)

Dark Academia photos typically feature dark tones like black, brown, dark green, earthy pink, Etc. Common photograph themes include libraries, books, or ancient Greek sculptures. In music, Dark Academia is represented by classical compositions with solemn and eerie melodies.

(Figure 3 - Dark Academia posts on Instagram)

Dark Academia exudes extreme sophistication, nobility, erudition, mystery, and allure which strongly influences young people's interest in building personal image. They take photos, quote classic literature, decorate their rooms, Etc. adopt this style. Of course, fashion is also part of the trend!

3 - Distinctive Features of Dark Academia Fashion And Its Styling

Dark Academia fashion is inspired from the uniforms of elite European private schools. Unlike the energetic Preppy style of American students, Dark Academia distinguishes itself with a subdued and romantic aesthetic.

(Figure 4: Dark Academia style in Harry Potter film series)

A classic example of this style can be seen in the famous Harry Potter film series. The main costumes for students consist of  silk ties, dark wool sweaters, white shirts, robes and etc.

*Key features of Dark Academia fashion include:

• Autumn-Winter Color Palette 

Dark Academia color palette towards warm dark tones, often found in Autumn-Winter collections, such as brown, earthy red, and dark blue.

(Figure 5 - Procreate Color Palette of Dark Academia)

The procreate color palette often suits Asian skin tones and creates a harmony, sophistication, and moderned sense.

• Layered Outfits

Typical Dark Academia outfits include button-up shirts, sweaters, blazers, long skirts, or tailored pants. However, mixing too many clothes may not be suitable for hot Asian climates. 

(Figure 6 - Dark Academia Styles)

Therefore, we can substitute with clothing made from lightweight materials and classic styles. For example, for women, options include long sleeve shirts, pinafore dresses, Boots, headbands, Etc. For men, they can put on a white shirt, a blazer worn over it, and accessorize with a wristwatch.

• Striped Patterns

Stripes are a timeless pattern that fits well with Dark Academia and become popular in the 2023 fashion trend. We can choose striped clothing and accessories to complete the Dark Academia style. 

• Classical Footwear

Classic European-style fashion needs Dress Shoes. For men, they can choose Oxford, Derby, or Loafers/Moccasins to perform luxury demeanor. 

(Figure 7: Dress Shoes is the best choice of Dark Academia)

Women can choose boots or classic Loafers paired with knee-high socks. These are some interesting aspects of the Dark Academia “subculture”. We hope Customers can gain some valuable selections for embracing a classical, attractive fashion style.

Pierre Cardin Paris Vietnam

(2023)

Content Creator: Nguyễn Hà Bảo Thy

Translator: Lê Lâm Bảo Ngọc