SUBCULTURE MARKETING: HOW DO GRAILED & BOILER ROOM CELEBRATE RAVE CULTURE WITH RAVEWEAR, AN IMMERSIVE POP-UP EXPERIENCE?

Last December, in my article about subcultures , I talked about how multiple subcultures continue to evolve and shape culture, offering interesting opportunities for brands to connect with communities and innovate.

Rave culture has been a significant subculture since the late '80s and early '90s.

Rave culture has been influencing fashion since the late '80's early '90s, starting with brands like Walter Van Beirendonck, Kikwear, JNCO, Cyberdog to name a few and sound system merch like Spiral Tribe in the UK.

It has always been here but more fragmented and part of the underground culture.

In recent years, rave culture has become one of the main inspirations for the latest fashion trends

We've seen more and more designers drawing significant inspiration from rave culture, like Vetements, Balenciaga, Rick Owens, Martine Rose, and 1017 ALYX 9SM, to name a few.

These brands have designed rave-inspired garments and gear but haven't really, concretely, and physically been involved directly in this community through events and parties, except for Rick Owens himself, who does it naturally, without any marketing, but with the authenticity and accessibility we all admire from him.

Rick Owens has organized some of the best rave parties for his after shows, Japanese tour and for Michèle Lamy’s 80th birthday at the last Venice Biennale in an airport hangar, inviting his community as well as artists they both like (Fecal Matter, Jenna Marvin, AbdulHadi, Pandora’s Jukebox, etc.), performing, dancing, and hanging out with them.

RAVEWEAR , a rave-inspired immersive pop-up space by Grailed and Boiler Room, powered by Champion

Grailed, a high-end fashion marketplace known for streetwear and second-hand items, understood this and is partnering with the best music platform and broadcaster, Boiler Room, which is known for its live music sessions and underground culture promotion.

Together, they are creating a rave-inspired immersive pop-up space called RAVEWEAR next week at Paris Fashion Week: Men’s S/S ’25 in the center of Paris (23 rue du Sentier).

The pop-up is powered by Champion, who recently collaborated with Rick Owens on an edgy leisurewear drop (already sold out).

The curation focuses on raves as a container for many creative concepts and modes of self-expression

From utilitarianism (breathable fabrics, pockets, platform boots to see over crowds) to imaginative play (loud color, anatomical silhouettes) to early internet culture, the space features a shoppable archive paying tribute to the evolution of rave style from the ‘90s to now.

It includes a curation of 300 pieces both vintage and contemporary from JNCO, Macgear, Tripp NYC, Walter Van Beirendonck, Raf Simons, Balenciaga, and more, as well as a new limited-edition Grailed x Boiler Room x Champion merch capsule.

During the pop-up, they will be turning over the sound system to the community.

Local DJs are invited to swing by and play throughout the week.

On June 21, the space will host a Fête de la Musique celebration, featuring music by Nadeem, Curls, Martelo, Mel Woods, and Bambz, presented by Boiler Room.

The product curation looks great on paper. I’m less sure about the DJ selection, which doesn’t seem so rave to me (Despite my age, I'm still picky when it comes to music and raves ??), but Boiler Room knows its job and has worked with all the best underground DJs from rave and other genres. Hopefully, they don’t forget to invite the iconic duo Fecal Matter based in Paris, who have been the most important figures of the rave culture in fashion.

We will see more and more events like this in the future as brands connect with communities by actively participating in them through sponsoring events, collaborating with creators and artists, and supporting community initiatives.

The main key success factor of this kind of community event is to establish legitimacy. Brands, promoters, teams, and guests have to be genuinely part of the subculture. This authenticity builds trust and solidifies a credible position within the communities.

What do you think of this event? Would you cop?

Featured in this article: Grailed Boiler Room Champion Cyberdog Kikwear Industries, Inc. JNCO BALENCIAGA Rick Owens MacGear Tripp NYC Walter Van Beirendonck RAF SIMONS Martine Rose 1017 ALYX 9SM