Gabber developed a distinct youth subculture look: tracksuits, shaved heads, and Nike Air Max trainers

As gabber music became mainstream in the Netherlands during the mid-1990s, it produced a highly recognisable youth subculture aesthetic. Ravers were stereotyped as wearing tracksuits (prized examples being the Italian brand Australian by L’Alpina, nicknamed ‘Aussies’, and the more colourful Cavello), bomber jackets, and Nike Air Max trainers. Most men shaved their heads bald; women braided their hair and shaved the sides. The scene had its own dance, hakken, characterised by fast leg movements. Drug use (ecstasy and speed) was common. The look and its associated culture spread beyond the Netherlands as the music travelled, and in 1997 Billboard called gabber the country’s ‘first homegrown youth culture’.

Examples

‘Aussies’ (Australian by L’Alpina tracksuits) paired with Nike Air Max and a shaved head was the archetypal mid-1990s gabber look; hakken is the associated fast-stomping dance.

Assessment

List three visual markers associated with gabber subculture. What is hakken?