Alternative Cultures - the gloomy, dark and heartfelt stories

Yves Greis has teased and styled his long black hair into a mohawk. He mentions with a grin, that he was not able to take his car to the interview as the low ceiling of the vehicle would have squished his teased hair creation. His whole outfit shows off his identity – black nail polish, a black Siouxsie and the Banshees tank top, black boots and black pants. On the other side, Laura Pez has a thick eyeliner behind her batwing-shaped sunglasses and a spiky choker around her neck. While her whole outfit is black, her hair displays some more colours – one half in bright pink, the other neon green. A heavily applied blush gives her warm, rosy cheeks. While Yves identifies as goth, Laura is emo – two different communities, which are often put into the same box. But both are far more than a gloomy stereotype.

First and foremost: a music genre

It is important to note, that goth and emo are indeed music genres – and their communities are built upon the passion for their music, and not the other way around. Often mistaken for a mere aesthetic, both music genres have created a space for communities to unite and to express themselves. Even though there certainly is a recurrent lifestyle within the communities, the music is the linking element of it. This is why band merch is often a main element of outfits within both communities.