The origin of the '80s aesthetic

The design phenomenon that defined the decade
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Read more about the Memphis Group:
designmuseum.org/memphis
74.93.158.225/~zanone/MemphisDesign/MemphisDesign_index.html#.U0od5MBDoWw.bitly
cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/105...
www.tunicastudio.com/magazine/...
For more work from the designers:
Peter Shire petershirestudio.com/
Nathalie Du Pasquier www.nathaliedupasquier.com/hom...
Michele De Lucchi archive.amdl.it/en/index-searc...
Aldo Cibic www.cibicworkshop.com/article...
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Memphis Design movement dominated the '80s with their crazy patterns and vibrant colors. Many designers and architects from all around the world contributed to the movement in order to escape from the strict rules of modernism. Although their designs didn't end up in people's homes, they inspired many designers working in different mediums. After their first show in Milan in 1981, everything from fashion to music videos became influenced by their visual vocabulary.
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[@yepitsthatguy5278]

So 80's aesthetic is lowkey just bus seat design

[@MrApotator]

Lowkey I hate when people say lowkey.

[@phoebelines5428]

MrApotator moist

[@aidan_swank]

MrApotator lowkey

[@AnonymousUser77254]

I wonder where bus seat design comes from 😛

[@nakenmil]

the 80s.

[@Whitetiger187]

Does anyone else feel that the 80s was sort of a renaissance of 1950s culture? It had a similar flair with all the pastels, neon and Americana, that seemed to rebel against many of the earth tones from the 60s and 70s.

[@joelhassig6099]

Yup. That's how it started. With the '50s revival of the late '70s. Grease, Sha-na-na, The Stray Cats, Happy Days, etc.

[@mariemaidyn3698]

Cole P ...Varsity sweaters, skinny ties, gelled pompadours-yep, I was there

[@danstiver9135]

The B-52s!

[@inexpertxennial6067]

There was a small revival in the 80s of the 50s.

[@crashmit9832]

Usually trends come back every roughly 30 years, that’s why you can see the 90s coming back again right now after we had lots of 80s and 70s influences in the past years.

[@tickedoffnow]

The 80s was all about excess, that's why it was so glamorous

[@stwgoodbyecya]

INXS as a matter of fact.

[@jaffaorange3809]

That's an over-simplification and only part true. I don't think of 1980s design as glamorous at all, with its basic and bright colours, simple designs, and overall minimalistic approach. Some of it could be tossed as glamorous, e.g. glass tables, brass and golden ornaments and velvet fabrics. But those constitute a specific trend that nowadays looks tacky anyway.

[@vieuphoria1008]

Jaffa Orange Grew up in the 80s it was definitely time of excess

[@charlesclaudiooakley6449]

I grew up in the 80s too. The dominant aesthetic were David Fincher videos and Bret Easton Ellis novels. The Memphis aesthetic looks like the worst thing you cam find in a thrift store.

[@UXSpecialist]

No, it was about excitement.

[@cultrovox4225]

I love how '80s aesthetic can look both noisy yet clean when incorporated into design features. It really shouldn't be visually appealing but it is. Fascinating research, glad I clicked!

[@pedrofecher]

Ahh the 80's... That time you never felt the wind blow in your hair due to so much hairspray

[@hiddennugget9413]

He whoms't've'd not beith named aqua net.

[@joelscb]

Dont forget not feeling anything cause of the coke.

[@YujiUedaFan]

I never feel the wind blow through my hair because it's so thick. :(

[@zy4naa]

Ueda Yuuji Fan T H I C C

[@Codiliabra]

He whoms't've'd not beith named My hair is a short afro, can't relate m8

[@callyn]

The editing of Vox videos is next level

[@strengthbuild]

I have a sneaking suspicion they don't use a program like Sony Vegas, they made their own in-house software but I could be reaching.

[@godsaber21]

bfchang everything here can be done on premiere and after effects.

[@SirCrest]

Studios like Pixar or BadRobot make their own software. Vox does not. They're using After Effects.

[@Alex-ng6no]

... their own in-house editing software?? what on earth makes you think that this isn't just After Effects??

[@Simplebotics]

"Chorus"

[@ElectronicGems]

Always wondered where the '80s "look" originated. Cool stuff.

[@anonymousmobster2444]

Never thought I'd find you commenting on other videos. I love your channel btw

[@dadoe]

Not to undermine the influence of the Memphis group, but that aesthestic can be seen on album covers and surf/skate ads of the late 70's.

[@bikermann42]

For instance, the Split Enz album True Colours. It was also the first vinyl album to have laser etchings on it and they matched the album cover. Came out in 1980, before the Memphis group formed. I was stunned and amazed when I first opened it, and played the heck out of the album.

[@KogaBrigaXTC]

and Zappa's albums "Studio Tan" and "Orchestral Favorites"

[@soupit32]

The American guy in the video even said "the 1981 MTV Logo came out of the designs coming out of Italy" not "coming out of Memphis". I think these people very likely mass popularised the aesthetic though.

[@CursedByManga]

A Clock Work Orange for example

[@bagofdragonite149]

True. All art and movements are results or response to the past. The Memphis group is inspired by past artists that are inspired by yet further past artists and so on. It never ends...

[@k1ngjulien_]

The real question is: what's the style of the 10s and 20s of this century? I kinda feel like because of the internet such things come and go so fast that you can't even define a style.

[@gaigzean]

I wonder how future generations will see 2010's culture, it changes almost every year

[@jevanlutz1635]

funny video

[@jevanlutz1635]

cat and dog

[@bonebard6178]

well the 20s isnt a thing yet and the 10s are still going on so you cant really say yet until another big trend happens to compare to this

[@Xplozhun85]

Early 2000s is still identifiable by numerous things: the rise of video game culture (PS2 era and XBOX Live), post 9/11 paranoia and Middle Eastern wars in films and TV (The Dark Knight; Homeland); the commodification of gangsta rap and the eventual change to autotune and indie rap (50 Cent to Kanye; The Game to Drake); the explosion of post 90s grunge and alternative metal bands (speaks for itself); the wave of early comic book films (Spider-Man, X-Men etc). The last great era of cartoons and the popularity of anime (Cartoon Network in its prime along w/Toonami); fashion and design being hypersexualized along with a new level of media coverage of celebritiies and public persona (Tom Ford; Gucci & Versace; Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Tiger Woods), skater culture and its pervasiveness on youth culture along with more integration between races and ethnicities. Could go on forever.

[@llamacomet7740]

The 80's is my favorite decade even though I wasn't alive. The 80's style is just so bright and intriguing!

[@whyalwaysme2522]

No is not!

[@Btouhy1]

The Music was the audio version of it as well..

[@inabalikbayanbox]

We said the same about the 70's ten years ago. Check out this early 200s gap ad, theres definitely a 70s aesthetic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHm3qqdppNKIoJI

[@granthartford]

Having experienced the 70's the 80's were a relief from the bland wide collars, wide lapels, leisure suit, modernist (brutalist) bland earth tone colors and architecture. radiospaz.com

[@lego5745]

Same here, I love the bright colors!

[@dontrockwobble]

As un-noteworthy as it gets, but the photo of Billy Ray Cyrus at 0:18 is from 1992 or later. It just cracked me up that you had thousands of bad 80s haircuts to choose from, but instead took one from the following decade. Proceed.

[@msandoval8027]

Mike Johnston , good catch I thought the same thing, but I am glad someone commented on it!!

[@SheriLynNut]

Mike Johnston right? I saw that and I was like, nope. 😂

[@JaredConnell]

well she said "the 80s set the trend for... hair styles" so she was just implying that the styles came from the 80s not that they were only in the 80s

[@eggman37]

"popularised bright colours" 60s:.... AM I A JOKE TO YOU

[@princesschanel469]

Yeah well it was more trendy in the 80s so

[@kaleidoscopeeyes1184]

No kidding, with all the day-glo colours! I much prefer the 60s aesthetic to the 80s

[@aa-xy4hg]

no, briGHTER

[@JohnRay1969]

bright as in hot pink and aqua not fuchsia and turquoise.

[@emanasim_]

Vox answers questions I didn't know I needed the answers for

[@JordansBeauty22]

Eman Asim exactly

[@aviona123]

idk why i kinda wanted them to talk about why 80's aesthetic is popular NOW lol

[@Sophia-jr6zl]

Eman Asim I was just going to comment that :)

[@camazotzz]

that's infotainment!

[@assholebyginger]

camazotzz What made you choose your username?

[@pedrofecher]

Ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｈｉｃｃ

[@YoungTheFish]

this, I go with this.

[@nowhereman6019]

He whoms't've'd not beith named E X T R A A S T H E T I C C.

[@longwoolcoat2266]

Nowhere Man E X T R A T H I C C

[@soccermovie6490]

its spelled correctly dumbass!!!

[@plushmeth]

ASS THAT THICCCC

[@charmainesego1720]

For the beginning of video, I was like, "Wow, Memphis actually did something!" Nope. They were based in Milan.

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

Charmaine Sego There's also Booker T and the MGs. (Memphis Group) Memphis Soul ain't no joke. Stax Records put out some gold, being Memphis' counterpart to Detroit's Motown, New Orleans funk, and the Muscle Shoals studios. (Not to mention the Wrecking Crew over in L.A. and the British sessions musicians)

[@benjamin3813]

Charmaine Sego Memphis created Crunk Rap music, which was copied & tweaked by Atlanta rappers, which led to Trap Rap music, which led to the Rap music u hear today in almost every corner of the globe. My city is deeply cultured, not just musically & "gave" alot to the world. Very ignorant comment on ur part.

[@maceomaceo11]

Sun Studios, some guy named Elvis went to his home town studio to record there. Memphis contributed far more to the world of culture and art than some art firm that didn't sell a damn thing.

[@itoldyouiwouldeatyou]

lol

[@skymoov]

Charmaine Sego Trap music came from memphis in the 90's with the name of memphis rap, not at atlanta. So yeah, they did somethin'

[@chrystallee5528]

I graduated high school in1981. I was an art student at Otis Parsons and I remember the Memphis group. They were ground breaking in the design world. The 80's were a magical time.

[@Kluneberg]

I'd love to see you make an analysis for every time period.

[@donsknots6510]

seriously, there should be a movie about this.

[@808crypt]

Make sure to checkout the CARI (short for 'Consumers Aesthetics Research Institute') they're sorting styles and aesthetics by decades and years, very helpful.

[@alexhall4582]

As a lover of 80s pop culture this was so fascinating and eye opening to learn about! Thanks Vox (-:

[@northshore1000]

Alex Hall Me, too. Was in college starting in 1981. I adore the big hair, shoulder pads, Memphis-style & fun. And when people who lived in that time look bac at pics and say, “I can’t believe I wore that!! I look ridiculous!” Etc. Yet, now, they’re sporting crimson, ombré hair or a nose ring or squinty eyewear, I guarantee they’ll hav the same reaction 15 years later. (Think “tramp stamps”.) Anyway, great comment!!!

[@blueshadow331]

so the 80's design was invented by italians, I'm feeling so patriotic right now

[@apizzahutinthegarage7068]

It wasn't, don't kid yourself

[@user-fj6ds2cg5z]

And by an Austrian!!😇🇦🇹👊🏻

[@pan-semitistcommunist4181]

This is FREDOPROP! Cease your indoctrination!

[@bernardo4157]

It's not the eighties if it doesn't have purple, bright blue neon colors

[@banananutduckbread1279]

I understand this is a v a p o r w a v e joke, but not necessarily, even though that was/is one of the aesthetics of the 80s. I find 80s aesthetics to come in a wide variety. In addition to the Memphis aesthetic and vaporwave/retrowave/seapunk, it's also often apart of kidcore and fairy kei aesthetics. (sorry for rambling, I'm aesthetic and 80s trash)

[@AHLIYON]

80s was more neon Reds bright burnt orange teals neon turquoise blues and washed out pink

[@DirtyDoughnur]

ＶＡＰＯＲＷＡＶＥ

[@bdkfbwk]

i think vaporwave refers to the 90s more so, I would love to see a Vox - Vaporwave special

[@DXCSGaming]

ilovepancakeswithjam i actually like vaporwave for the music tho

[@bdkfbwk]

definitely, i was just stating that it leans on 90s culture more so

[@Gianfranco_69]

early 90s+outrun= vaporwave

[@eganplaysMC]

Laxe Luther Vaporwave is based on the late 80's to mid 90's

[@thespiceman9367]

Wonder how people will start to depict the 2010's in the future 🤔

[@gilespeterson6832]

Spewpa the Destroyer They could just steal Odd Future's​ visual aesthetic.

[@James-xx7yt]

Probably as sleek shiny design in dark reds and blacks and silver, thin T.V.s, computers and smart phones everywhere, wood paneled coffee shops, uninteruppted glass sheets, white plastic, skinny jeans, beanies, scarfs, white T-shirts (think hatchback and mobile adverts), . But also because of the internet the "image" of the decade won't be as condensed and focused meaning the decade will for the most part will be how individuals experienced it.

[@diamondcoolgirl6461]

fidget spinners, dabbing and people obsessed with social media.

[@olivercuenca4109]

Geeky references, revitalised old clothing styles, and a great deal of political influence towards the second half of it.

[@James-xx7yt]

You're giving off the saltiest vibes Treetops. Drink a cup of tea and have a sit down :)

[@neighslayer768]

People keep asking for the origin of 90's aesthetic. Answer: Kurt Cobain in Flannel. Done.

[@forbesmag1271]

The origin of 90s aesthetic was the cynicism of Generation X, who were coming into adulthood and making media. They rejected the baroqueness of late Baby Boomer 1980s (which carried on a little into the first couple years of the 90s but was gratefully stopped dead cold by the advent of grunge aesthetic).

[@vulpesvelox03]

That's just the Washington state style 😎 I have at least 10 pairs of flannels

[@suzannemattaboni4553]

I think Keith Haring had a lot of influence on that very kinetic design. Also, the bright colors and squiggles weren't the only aesthetic of the '80s. I think Patrick Nagel's graphics had a HUGE influence over new wave culture that dominated a lot of the '80s. That started with his cover image for Duran Duran's Rio album. Frankly, MTV picked up on a lot of this and perpetuated it. I don't think it was all Italian influence.

[@alorakempthorne1056]

If I could be born in any decade it would be the 70's so when I'm a teen it will be the 80's. And when I'm a young adult it's the 90's. BOOM!

[@alexs.3383]

give birth to kids who suffer in the 00's

[@JCSnow-tx2er]

Alora kempthorne that's my mom and dad

[@_samuel_6951]

Alora kempthorne I was born in 71. You couldn't do 1/10th of the things we did in the 80's and 90's. I share stories with my son, and feel for your generation. Teenhood and life as a young adult was so much better back then. We kind of ruined it for you. I'd apologize, but it would be a lie, no regrets! 😀

[@elainelouve]

Basically my life.xD But I would have loved the internet, just to find kids who were as weird as me. Without internet etc. it was just the school, neighbors, and if you had penpals.

[@James-xx7yt]

My parents were born in 62 and 63, I'm 17. :P

[@escapefromtibet2530]

Ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ

[@epic9893]

A E S T H E T I C

[@dreamskeepmesane2729]

RushingDolphin E X T R A T H I C C

[@luizavazquez7029]

RushingDolphin I want to like this comment, but it has 700 likes and I don't want to mess up the aesthetic

[@Novusod]

As someone who lived through the 1980s I can tell you this video is oversimplification of what real 80s Aesthetic is. The Memphis group is only a small contributor to the complete style of the decade. Movies like TRON (1982) introduced the public to basic CGI polygons and artificial horizons. Example still scene from TRON fronteffects.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/tron-disneyscreencaps-com-7858.jpg A lot of bars and nightclubs starting looking like this and even clothing stores put up these kind of lights. The Hotel chain "Comfort Inn" plastered their artificial sunset vector logo all over the highways of America.

[@z2ybh4g6gojdt92]

RushingDolphin 1000th like

[@gabrielesala6336]

I just realized how cool was the fact that my class had a videochat with Michele De Lucchi last month. Really sweet old man, really inspiring too

[@wavyshooter363]

ＭＡＣＩＮＴＯＳＨ　ＰＬＵＳ　－　リサフランク４２０　／　現代のコンピュー

[@koyomin9802]

Wat

[@chloeurbanowski4567]

GOOD SONG

[@whiteslate]

i t ‘ s a l l i n y o u r h e a d

[@nectarine]

Omg stfu vaporwave is dead get over it

[@ok-lo2du]

[ s o m e s a y i k n o w ]

[@maramarjorie]

I've studied the Memphis Group in one of my design classes, along with Dadaism and the other art/design groups. ☺

[@TatuSiltanen]

But there's more to the 80's aesthetic than just Memphis. For example: Patrick Nagel, Neville Brody, Keith Haring...

[@RayasNegroOvejas]

Tatu Siltanen of course, most decade… "aesthetics" are created by more than just one person/group

[@ChaunceyGardener]

Videos like this by popular outlets such as Vox are like a smoke bomb thrown on the perception of the past. It will raise and amplify the role of this 'Memphis group' which was just one of the multiple factors on why the 80's look the 80s. And TBH, it looks more like the early 90's than proper 80's because most of these far out design ideas don't hit the population until several year later.

[@Qjimbo]

Reminds me of how revisionists have made video gaming in the 90s ONLY Nintendo, dismissing the importance of other consoles and systems.

[@dr.winstonsmith]

Nagel came to my mind too

[@deastman2]

The influence of MTV was far more than just the logo. The imported music of the UK scene was huge, with punk, post-punk, new romantic, new wave imagery playing a big role in 80's style. Everything from Boy George to Duran Duran, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper were hugely influential. Nagel's album cover for Duran Duran was one of the most iconic ones of the decade. "Urban", hiphop, graffiti, and skate culture were equally influential. Not to mention the computer and videogame culture of the decade.

[@mrpalaces]

Man that chair it's dope. But who's to blame for the hairspray tho?

[@JoaoPedro-ki7ct]

the real question

[@KogaBrigaXTC]

and the mullet

[@TomoyoYumemi]

Right, somehow I forgot about glam rock

[@wickedlee664]

veevyo nope, neo baroque style from Europe.

[@wickedlee664]

Ko Br mullet came from the “safe crop” of new wave. A way to have the short hate that was taking over but not get 2 extreme.

[@andyc9902]

I came in a time machine from the 80s and am stuck in the 2017s.... I wanna go back.

[@hebneh]

I was 28 years old in 1981 so I do remember the Memphis designers and their trendsetting influence. As this video rightfully acknowledges, the coincidence with the rise of the music video was very important, since these grew to be mini-movies with specially-made sets and surreal costumes and kooky activities that the Memphis look was right for.

[@yazdanahmed7790]

Oh, that's informative. By the way, hebneh, what are the changes that you notice today compared to the 80's

[@hebneh]

@@yazdanahmed7790 Between the '80s and today - too many changes to be able to list in just a short KZbin comment.

[@BlackMammoth25]

That's really interesting. You know the styles of an era, but you never really think about HOW those styles come about. I'm really glad I saw this video.

[@zacharymorin5696]

The70's and the 80's were the best decades, especially in the music

[@keysoda4014]

No 2010s were good

[@shonen-kun5555]

TTV_Key Soda it was meh if you ask me

[@shonen-kun5555]

80’s had good movies too

[@IamINERT]

80s and 90s Best music , movies and style

[@pixxilutia6108]

@Alexandre Limberger it's just not your generation man

[@JulesThePsion]

Well, Thanks Italy for giving us the 80s.

[@PikaPetey]

a•e•s•t•h•e•t•i•c•s

[@shresthasharma8791]

stop

[@chasedbyvvolves9256]

jesus, which comment section aren't you in?

[@inventor4279]

how many levels of irony are you on?

[@TheWaffleLord6787]

like maybe four or five right now my dude

[@circleinforthecube5170]

hey person who animates horses

[@1954telecaster]

The origin of 80's aesthetic can be summed up in one word: COCAINE

[@sinnison23]

Yeah pretty much cocaine.

[@1954telecaster]

it's a helluva drug

[@SerenityAutumn]

I laughed so hard at this I snorted out all my cocaine.

[@jrg7951]

It was called the Memphis style and it seemed to have a connection to Art Deco of the 1930s and the 1950s.

[@AtomAnt1]

Memphis looks nothing like art deco, neither structurally nor tonally.

[@peacexlove]

Thank you so much for doing a video about the Memphis Group! I've been so attracted to their designs for years.

[@t1n13bl4]

retweet if you are watching this in 1984

[@lefunk22]

LOL!

[@whyalwaysme2522]

Rotfl

[@user-gs6jb4jk4j]

How on earth do you expect me to tweet a KZbin comment

[@nevayuh5636]

BlakHalucinations BH I hope you’re joking

[@user-gs6jb4jk4j]

nev luvsroses ... obviously

[@xoMissTaylorDivine]

A video about the aesthetic 90's would be lit 😊

[@coreyshushterpapaplshuh6211]

TayToria lit dabby extra quan?

[@robotfish2012]

R U N N I N G I N T H E 9 0 S

[@MrManifolder]

They would need two videos for the 90's. The early 90's and late 90's have completely different aesthetics.

[@OhNo-jq6iz]

MrManifolder Thank you for this comment! I try to explain this all the time. The true eras of fashion dont really align perfectly with chronological decades, but instead tend to happen around the middle of each decade. For example, the early 80's still had a lot of the funk disco feathered hair & bell bottoms style of the 70's... Then around 1983 all the pants got tighter hair got curlier and/or spikier, and brighter colors turned to straight up neon which lasted till about 1994... The mid-90's started a serious style divide, mostly based on musical culture. On one side, the grungy rocker genre and opposite was the more urban trend of saggy pants & low rise bootcut jeans for the girls which all lasted well into 2005 or so when the damn leggings made a full fledged comeback. I think were about due for something to replace those godawful stretch pants now! Hahaaa

[@romanfox5368]

You know how stuff from the 80's looks stupid? How do you think saying "lit" and snapchat dog filters look and sound?

[@cybertaiga9534]

As a child of the 80s, this Memphis group is a discovery for me! Thank you Vox for the informative video and thank you Memphis group for the 80s aesthetics. Looking back that Italio Disco look and specifically Duran Duran's 'Rio' album takes me back to the 80s aesthetics.... and it is so cool to find out that this Italian group of designers would have a profound impact subconsciously and at times indirectly on styles, colours and fashion.

[@turboking9238]

Ah the 80s, I love all of it! The cars, the music, the technology, the sounds!

[@vanwyngarden5413]

this is the kinda content i wanna see! i've always wondered about this, especially because i loooooove the 80s aesthetic. and also early 90s aesthetics.

[@taxmanfelix5189]

One would assume, the 80s.

[@BunnySenpai]

This is so fascinating to me. Honestly, these types of design videos are why I subbed in the first place. Please do more!

[@Techno-Universal]

In my home city Melbourne they actually have a shelf called Carlton Room Divider in the National Gallery Of Victoria that was built in 1981 and designed by Ettore SCOTTSASS who was a designer at the Memphis group! :)

[@CoolDudeClem]

50's - 80's was the best years ever (even though I wasn't alive during most of that) so much better than now. The 50's had class, in the 60's peace and love was a thing, the 70's had the best music (and style), and the 80's was just awesome! The only thing that sucks is there was no internet back then.

[@ChescoYT]

NO. 80's style came from and was inspired by the late 1950's look design, along with a blend of artists pushing the boundaries including NY & California street-artists, painters & fashion designers and club goers. Your piece of the Italian furniture maker just borrowed ideas from other people for their company's final products. You know how in 2010 the 80's retro had a resurgence in music? That followed by 80's cover-art, than by 80's style marketing, than by some 80's style clothing. About every 25 years in human history fashion makes a retro comeback because it's seen as 'cool'. The 80's were just an answer to that 1950's movement of design.

[@stankasssdjsjsjsj6484]

the memphis milano collective was inspired by 50s kitsch, art deco, pop art, and bauhaus so yeah...... memphis was inspired by the 50s

[@afunkylittleguy]

Okay, but everything was inspired by something else. They probably didn't want to go that far back.

[@moy_moy85]

Agree'd. I feel late 70's skate culture was part of that pastiche as well.

[@praxton]

More like the Memphis group was influenced by the 50s. As stated, there is nothing that isn't inspired by a previous expression and time.

[@MMDAMV]

...They literally talk about Memphis being a response to other styles. Chill.

[@emmanuelmatos848]

Very illustrative all the information that you provide us , thank you very much!

[@catherinenorth6152]

The quality of these videos are phenomenal!

[@robertstanley9633]

80s is my favorite era of all time. Music, movies, fashion were all so bright, color and edgy.

[@DragonboltBlastter]

I always thought it was the show Miami Vice that created this style or atleast those 1980s Hair/Glam Metal bands (Dokken, Ratt, Guns N Roses, Cinderella etc.)

[@MrMredmon86]

Thank you for producing this. It was very informative

[@marissiarenee]

Hey! I'm from Memphis, I live in the Italy and I'm obsessed with the 80s aesthetic. The odds!

[@TheSonofIapetus]

The takeaway here is, one, the simultaneous rise of the aesthetic with MTV which is essentially a video format and, two, the aesthetic of the pattern upon pattern with the 'scratchy-ness'. It is important to remember that video is a technology to capture and retrieve the images of the cathode ray tube, so video itself is a pattern on pattern, the word video being a combination of the Latin videre and the word audio, suggesting the simultaneous sensuality that is existing with the technology. After having a society that was based upon the visual technology of the alphabet and the printing press, video is not only extending multiple senses simultaneously but multiple Technologies simultaneously, which then becomes content inside the satellite environment of instantaneous retrieval, hence the 'pattern upon pattern'. The scratchiness refers to the entropy that exists within that multi sensuous format, that there is a space between the senses interfacing and the technologies interfacing and that entropy or 'noise' was simultaneously being expressed by the content of the music videos.

[@TheSonofIapetus]

Indeed, if you look at the First Chair, for example, you can clearly see the orbital implication and the suggestion of satellites in the design.

[@bridaw8557]

Wow! Thank you for this insight. The layering of patterns in medium, juicy, visual aesthetic all representative of the feel of the decade. Graphic design changed as well with new ways to create visuals .

[@TheRealFlenuan]

This should be made into a full, TV-length documentary

[@altoticket]

This was a very well-tought and beautifully informative video, thank you!

[@sage9836]

Finally to find a source. This 80s graphic design trend was fascinating me/driving me nuts wondering where is came from. I never imagined it went back to a single source!

[@riri9087]

I really Love 80's Era & Aesthetics and I dunno why😅 it feel so *"Nostalgic"* and I didn't exist during that era

[@neohyalite1043]

As many comments have already pointed out the fact that there are many similarities between the 50s and the 80s. I found it interesting that no one has mentioned the 1950's "Googie Architecture." The Memphis design takes many of the key abstract shapes, colors, and obnoxious (in a good way) features from the short lived "Googie" design. Story time :) Back then after WW2 had ended, the soldiers came home from war; many suffered PTSD as well as the horrid memories of death and destruction. The ones who survived found peace by being united with their significant other, moved to the subburbes and having children (living like the "perfect" atomic family), hence the baby boom. Anyway, it's in that "perfect" aspect that appealed to the audience as a means to escape. It has seeped into the architecture, design, clothing, music, technology...etc. It was everywhere you looked, surrounded by the symbolism that the future is now! As well as the promise that the world of tomorrow is just around the corner. In all, the people of the 50s wanted to make the best of their situation given the threat of possible nuclear war with Russia, they wanted to live in blissful ignorance because no one wanted to spend their last possible days dwelling in sadness and depression. (P.S there's probably some mistakes in grammar, formatting and clarification, forgive me for I am human, and It was kind of a tangent so hopefully you can put the peceis together. )

[@Melissandrel]

That was an amazing piece ! Thx Vox and Dion !

[@duringtherapy]

man i thought vice produced the best videos on youtube and then Vox appeared. You guys produce and pull off the most entertaining, informative and creative content I've seen in a long time in a market that is now oversaturated with repeated content. Thanks for always being fresh, kudos to your writers. Much love from Seoul, South Korea.

[@goosegotweed]

for the longest time when I thought of the 80s what would come up to me was grafitti and wild style like tagging and big boom boxes and lasers

[@honeymoonavenue9662]

the 80s was the best, even though i wasn’t there to see it! i love the music (80s hair metal) and the clothing style!!

[@joshtiel2980]

Outstanding and educational as always. Keep it up!

[@edwardgiangrosso9987]

very insightful.. went in thinking about MTV and glad to see it was part of the design but had no clue where it started

[@somaliagullette3230]

I miss my childhood. I wish I could go back to the 80's to mid-90's. Great time to be alive!😎

[@user-bl1pw2th4l]

Same 😭

[@serenadinardo5159]

Dark entered the chat

[@jen-wr6wd]

@@serenadinardo5159 I love Dark!!

[@serenadinardo5159]

@@jen-wr6wd the german series?

[@jen-wr6wd]

@@serenadinardo5159 yep. got really confused during season 2 tho lol

[@GothicCitrus]

the 80s aesthetic just makes me smile

[@ratherryan]

Really interesting stuff, and nicely presented.

[@kelkindu75]

thank you. this was truly interesting. keep going, your videos always make me discover things that may be hard to access for someone as lazy as I am.

[@MausAgain80]

The origin of the 80's...and the very first thing you show is a photo from 1992. Brilliant.

[@gab_v250]

A E S T H E T I C I T A L I A N D E S I G N. You should do a video about vaporwave genre (both art and music)

[@funnyusername8635]

I always loved this look, since it was at the height of popularity when I was a kid but I never knew how to seek it out. Knowing to look for the Memphis Group was the key. Thanks!

[@themiserykid]

Very cool. Thankful for their design work. Helped shaped the 80s, my favorite decade for pop culture stuff.

[@davidalearmonth]

Saved by the Bell!

[@DAngelCM]

All decades are worth to learn...my favorite decades are from the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s so far.

[@BeatrizDemartini]

this video is AWESOME, I love it!! I have never imagined the origin of 80's aesthetic, thanks Vox for this ;)

[@HappyMornings]

wow. i love the designs so much.

[@gfbtfbtfilyfxbtyewqqef]

The 80s just had a lot of crazy people

[@roispro]

Plz do one for the 70ties too

[@Shag471]

Visited a boutique in downtown Chicago in the winter of 1985 that specializes in Memphis art-style home products. I kept the catalogue and used clips of it to make covers for my 80’s mixed tapes. 😎

[@escott1981]

Very interesting and I enjoyed seeing those designs.

[@yashizuko]

Wow, questo mi mancava! interessante!!

[@himynameiswaylon]

Great video, but you used Billy Ray Cyrus as an example of 80s hair. He was a product of the 90s. His first single was "Achy Breaky Heart" and it came out in 1992. :/

[@RayasNegroOvejas]

himynameiswaylon I get your point, but you can still have 80's hair today, doesn't make it 10's hair. A decade doesn't stop when a new decade start, there's always overlapping, like 80's style in early 90's or 90's in early 00's.

[@mockturtlesuppe]

+PJ I genuinely agree with that argument. Ironically, though, the video points to 1987 as allegedly being the "moment" when 80s aesthetic ends. I don't think either argument is wrong, in this case, and there's room for both arguments to be true. However, if the "1987" argument is taken to its extreme, then himynameiswaylon has a point - Billy Ray Cyrus should not be used as an example of 80s hair. Haha.

[@lilith105]

god this really is my favorite channel on youtube

[@cianbroderick4145]

great video and very interesting and informative

[@53rdAndThird]

The look of the '80s came from punk rock and new wave and the independent records album covers and the clothes the musicians wore. The Italian designers were copying them.

[@chrisuresti3898]

I was waiting for this comment

[@whoandgo]

💯💯

[@bagofdragonite149]

I can believe that. When I make art and designs I look to album covers of independent musicians too.

[@Aurorecouvreur]

53rdAndThird add to this the color scheme of the 50’s

[@apexone5502]

53rdAndThird I definitely think of new wave when I think about the quintessential '80s aesthetic. New wave and punk definitely were the driving forces behind the '80s look.

[@LaRusso]

Greatest decade of all time.

[@charlotteclarke868]

Its fun to watch over my life this going from super, super cool to really dorky to just boring to now charmingly retro. Love the design cycle!

[@tubereporter7752]

Awesome video essay!

[@rackyly5655]

80s design is so futuristic imo

[@commandercaptain4664]

Consider that the way machines are designed now, with their art deco streamlining and more organic shapes, came from Shirow Masamune's works in the 80s (Dominion Tank Police, Black Magic, etc)

[@lily-bj1sr]

i want to design my room like the 80s and wear the type of clothes they did . I wish I was alive during that decade

[@kiwi3896]

Thank you, love your videos

[@user-bl1pw2th4l]

I was born in 1981. By far the best decade for music, film, dance, pop culture, design, experimental fashion, cartoons, pop stars 😭

[@isrineats]

It would be great if you do it for the other decades too!

[@SammyBirdTheGreat]

Man I love the aesthetics of the 80s

[@psychedelicdreamer986]

Great video, I had no idea about this, very interesting!

[@natalie8212]

The set of Double Dare was based off of The Memphis design movement. Also, 3:04 YES PLEASE!