Opium typically refers to the opium poppy plant. Today, however, “Opium” is synonymous with the unique and dark fashion style of rapper Playboi Carti and other similar artists. This new trend has combined streetwear, punk, goth, and skating fashion to create a new modern look.
In 2019, Playboi Carti founded the Opium record label out of Atlanta, Georgia, representing artists like Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and the duo Homixide Gang. Yet the origination of the “Opium Style” must first be credited to Burberry Erry. Erry is a skater, creative consultant, stylist, and model for the Opium record label, who also brought skating fashion into the rap industry, using Carti as the vessel to introduce these new aesthetics to a broader audience.
Along with Carti and Erry, Lancey Foux and Ken Carson continue to be significant influences for the Opium fashion style with their avant-garde clothing.
Opium fashion is heavily influenced by goth and punk styles, creating a visually striking aesthetic that feels incredibly futuristic. The main components of an Opium outfit include oversized clothing, layering, religious illustrations, shades of black and grey, and chunky silver or chrome jewelry. A lot of Opium fashion includes symbols of vampirism, pentagons, smoking, old Gothic, and other dark themes.
Carti’s opium fashion gained popularity through social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram through younger generations. Opium fashion can now be featured in Y2K, techno rave, and even cyberpunk collections in clothing stores such as Fuga studios. Opium is also starting to show up in search engines and in their own sections on websites such as AliExpress and SHEIN.
As the Opium fashion movement continues to evolve, it is carving out a distinct space within the rap industry and global fashion industries, offering a fresh, dark and enchanting perspective that merges art, music, and subculture into a singular, striking statement.
