The Underrated Britpop Style Legacy of Blur's Damon Albarn
It was nearly 20 years ago when Blur won the Battle of Britpop.
In August of 1995, the band decided to pour gasoline on their fiery rivalry with Oasis by moving the release date of their upcoming single Country House to the same day as the Gallagher brothers’ Roll With It.
The rest is history. Blur climbed to the top of the charts with their tongue-in-cheek anthem, selling 274,000 copies of the CD (remember those?) to Oasis’ 216,000. The south had triumphed over the north – for the time being, at least.
To celebrate, Top of the Pops asked the band to perform and had fellow Britpop icon Jarvis Cocker of Pulp introduce them onstage. Their bass guitarist, Alex James, was wearing an Oasis T-shirt.
While Blur didn't usually go in for sartorial stunts, looking back, the band left just as much of an impact on fashion as it did on music. Particularly Damon Albarn.
As a frontman, he had a responsibility to lead by example. He was one of the faces of Britpop, a movement defined by a optimistic for the nation's future. Thatcherism was a thing of the past and the economy was growing. Youth culture seemed as explosive as it was in the sixties. He knew that his wardrobe mattered.
“I feel like he was always ahead of a brand trending or having a renaissance, he always seemed to be plugged into the zeitgeist,” says Mark Knox, who documents nineties and noughties pop culture on the Instagram account @brit_cult.
“His full embrace of the mod look around the early nineties stood out against the popular grungy look of the time. By the time the mainstream caught onto the laddish fashions he was wearing around The Great Escape era, he'd moved on to his streetwear and skate look... He always managed to look effortless, and not like he was dressing up or cosplaying.”
While very different in approach, it was partly the accessibility of the Britpop poster boys' style – Albarn, the Gallagher brothers, Cocker and Suede’s Anderson – that was enticing. Brands like Fred Perry, Adidas, Stone Island, Levis and Doc Martens were commonly worn, and the glamour of catwalks had little impact on their choices.
It's still very influential today, having now spurred the Gallagher-esque ‘blokecore’ trend. That’s one of the reasons why Albarn’s self-professed “mod-ual” (a mix of mod and casual attire, to translate) looks were top tier.
While Liam often had a trusted uniform – Kangol bucket hat: tick. Football shirt: tick. Parka: tick, tick, tick. – Damon’s looks were less predictable. Mod classics, like Harrington jackets and polo shirts would be swapped out for sports tees and preppy V-necks. His mum made him a beaded necklace that he wore onstage. Streetwear brands like Stussy and Phat Farm were part of his rotation, too.
“Damon’s embrace of streetwear was so iconic and interesting to me because it showed he had his ear to the ground with what was happening in fashion,” Knox continues.
“He managed to dress in a lot of American brands whilst still having a British feel. Skate culture is so prominent now, but a lot of what he was wearing back then had to be sought out. We actually saw this again with Damon’s mullet in 2021. He was wearing this just before it had a mainstream renaissance, and by the time it was a popular look again, Damon cut his off. That is very typical of Damon: always ahead, always cool, understated and standing out from the crowd.”
To mark the release of the documentary Blur: To The End, we’ve rifled the archives to find some of Albarn’s best ‘fits from thirty years ago to present day. In our eyes, we know who would win the Battle of Britpop Style, too.
Phoenix Festival, 1995
I bet you didn't think you needed a checked Harrington jacket until you saw this pic...
Backstage at RDS Showgrounds, 1996
An Adidas track jacket! Imagine that coming back into fashion!
KROQ Weenie Roast Concert, 1997
Wearing a Californa top while performing in California isn't that revolutionary, but that beaded necklace has us in a chokehold.
Music Industry Soccer Six Tournament, 1996
Ah, the two music rivals 'settling' their differences on the pitch. But we're in favour of Albarn's loose-fitting top and shorts combo.
1996
A smart-casual blue shirt. Contrasting-stitch denim. Rugged lace-ups. Easily replicable and effortless. A yes from us.
Glastonbury Festival, 1992
One of the few occasions we get to see Albarn in a suit, but it is Glastonbury after all.
Music Industry Charity Soccer Six, 1996
This Kappa jacket in navy and orange is the type of thing IPA-enthusiastic Dalston-dwellers are lusting after.
Shepherds Bush Empire, 1994
The beads are back, but styled with a preppier V-neck that's on the precipice of becoming en vogue again.
New York City, 2000
Streetwear afficionados will have spotted the Stüssy cap – looks good with the double denim, too.
The Q Awards, 2003
How many people can truly pull off a cord suit? Despite what his t-shirt says, it deserved its paparazzi moment.
Lucca Summer Festival, 2023
A Fila polo shirt isn't the first thing you'd think to pair with a linen suit, but Albarn makes it work
British Summer Time, 2015
A bomber, polo top and jeans: a classic Britpop outfit, in our eyes.
Glastonbury, 2009
Fred Perry and Damon Albarn go hand in hand.
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