Sonic Youth, Skaters, and the Silver Screen: Why Chloe Sevigny is my Ultimate It-Girl

What makes an ‘It-Girl’? With no actual definition and only some varying examples depending on who you ask and when, there isn't exactly a checklist of qualities needed to fulfil the role. The term gained popularity in 1927 as a response to the silent film ‘It’, and has since been the descriptor for many iconic figures. Very often, style acts as a significant factor in being given the title. However, in the era of social media, you don't have to star in films or be pictured in magazines to display your fashion choices to the world. As a result, ‘It-Girl’ appears to be used on a much more subjective level, referring to someone who inspires you personally, rather than being universally admired. So, in line with that concept, my ‘It-Girl’ comes in the form of Chloe Sevigny. 

Deemed ‘the coolest girl in the world’ in a 1994 The New Yorker profile before even reaching the age of 20, Chloe Sevigny was destined for greatness from the beginning. Her appearance in Charli XCX’s 360 music video all these years later solidified her place in the hall of fame as one of the greatest influences on fashion and culture today. But what gives her the ‘It’ factor?

I think my first introduction to Sevigny was when I was around 16, watching the music video for Sugar Kane by Sonic Youth. Filmed in 1992, it features the band playing alongside Marc Jacobs’ controversial ‘grunge collection’ show. It also formed the basis of Chloe’s on-screen debut, marking the beginning of her acting career to come. The video opens on Sevigny wandering down a street in New York, instantly recognisable in spite of the low video quality. She wears a trench coat, crop top, and extremely low waisted trousers, completed with a buzzcut that could be pulled off by few. Other key style moments include a graphic maxi dress, mini shorts paired with heeled boots, and a baggy dungarees, before she's shown crashing the runway naked- a protest against large companies plagiarising underground fashion and subcultures. Her unconventional look gave the sense that she grabbed the first things she found in her wardrobe and ran with it, but this intrigued me in a way no one else had before. At the age of peak impressionability and in search of finding something to shape my whole identity on, I was determined to uncover her secret to the unmatched coolness she possessed. 

It was stated in her New Yorker profile that she shopped mainly in thrift stores and rarely wore more than 10 dollars worth of clothes. But this only made her style more unique. She had the ability to turn pieces nobody wanted into outfits that would get her stopped in the street, girls dying to get their hands on what she had. As soon as clothing hit the mainstream, it was old news for Chloe. Her strong sense of personal style not only got her noticed by stylists and photographers, it also leaked into her acting roles. In 1995, Chloe was cast in Larry Clark’s Kids, a controversial film due to the use of non-professionals, in such harrowing roles. Given her roots of spending time around skaters in Washington Square Park, the baggy jeans and contrast trim t-shirts she wore clearly reflected herself just as much as her character Jennie. I have to admire her establishment of a strong style identity so early on when many of us are only just beginning to scratch the surface of learning who we are, and reflecting that in the way we dress.

A year later, dipping a toe into the world of high fashion, Chloe became a muse for Miu Miu. Given her previous endeavours, she was the perfect candidate to separate Muicca Prada’s creation, which was relatively new at the time, from other fashion brands. She opened the Spring 1996 ready to wear show in a blue zip up polo top and trousers, as well as showcasing several other looks consisting of sheer skirts, knee length shorts and bra tops- staples which still feature on Miu Miu runways today. Following this, Chloe was chosen to be the face of that years’ campaign. The photos themselves are simplistic, on a plain blue background, with natural poses to show off the clothes. But her complex and unique persona adds a certain depth to them, with the one adorning my wall having a significant influence when picking out my own outfits. 

Her red carpet looks unsurprisingly follow suit in her distinctive approach to fashion, and choosing my favourite is an almost impossible task. But after some very serious contemplation, it would probably be these. The first from the 1996 premiere of Trees Lounge, where she wore a one-shoulder black beaded dress with tiger print tights. An unexpected combination, but the contrast between the somewhat traditional formal attire and the wild printed tights makes what would be a slightly plain look into something iconic. The second is a long blue t-shirt over a sheer white dress, and black boots, from Chloe’s appearance at the 1999 premiere of Existenz. While this is definitely a love or hate moment, I find myself drawn to the effortless charm of the very unexpected combination. Lastly, her look from the Imitation of Christ Fall 2000 show, in which she was creative director for at the time. Chloe gave a masterclass in layering by pairing a black long sleeve top with jeans under a silk high-neck midi dress, and finished with a leopard print bomber jacket. She clearly isn't afraid to experiment, and her talent of making items into perfectly sensical pairings means that any risk pays off. 

Some may argue that ‘It-Girl’ is thrown around so much it may have lost any credibility whatsoever. But to me, the overuse isn't necessarily a bad thing. It presents the opportunity for better recognition of the personal impact someone has had on an individual's style. Unlike many of today’s fashion influencers, Chloe doesn't follow trends, or even consciously go about starting them, but that's why I and many others are so inspired by her. Anything she puts on suddenly becomes so her, despite there being no real pattern or ‘aesthetic’. She challenges the typical style rules and norms that plague society, and even when she deviates from her usual niche image to star in more mainstream roles, she continues to present an authentic reflection of herself. This is what makes her a true ‘It-Girl’ in my eyes.