Every year, when World Goth Day arrives on May 22, a striking picture does the rounds across social media. Captured by legendary photographer Martin Parr, the image depicts a person done up in gothic clothes and ghostly make-up picking solemnly at a tray of fish and chips by Whitby sea front. Against the gloomy, fifty-shades-of-grey backdrop of the North Sea, their dramatic look feels out of place and otherworldly. Lined up next to daytrippers in more typical cagoule and cosy hat combos, there’s a thrill to seeing someone somewhere so unexpected – and so committed to expressing their true identity all day, every day, even in the most commonplace circumstances. 

It’s this clash of avant-garde expression and unadulterated mundanity which inspired photographer Isabella Fowden to capture a number of young goths inside their homes. “I particularly like capturing people in their own surroundings where they can most be themselves,” says Fowden. “I think people really let their hair down – or in this case, take their platform shoes off – when they’re away from the public eye. I was really excited to get a glimpse into individuals’ London flats, and see how their personal space contrasted with the way they expressed themselves publicly.” 

On the day of the shoots, Fowden went for a lo-fi approach, forgoing studio lights and other equipment to capture something a lot more intimate and natural. The final images see Moth, Amy, Yasmin, Tabs, and Venom congregate around sun-bleached plastic tables in the garden, stand tall in their bedrooms as afternoon light beams flood through their homes, and pose next to their proud grandparents. “One of the main takeaways from the shoot is that you never really can know how someone’s home will look by the way they express themselves publicly,” surmises Fowden. “As I arrived at people’s homes, I tried to visualise the interiors, but usually guessed it wrong. Individuals with extremely intricate make-up and maximalist outfits, interestingly had the most minimalist homes.” 

As the series is exclusively debuted on Dazed, click through the gallery above for a closer look at the photos and get to know Fowden’s goth subjects below, as they talk about finding their tribe, the perrennial appeal of the subcutlure, and finding the space to truly express themselves.

YASMIN

What was your introduction to goth?

Yasmin: I grew up in Camden surrounded by punks and goths! Back in the 2000s, before all the gentrification, that’s all Camden was. You knew all the local rejects and they knew you right back.  

What made you so interested in the scene? 

Yasmin: The theatre of it all! The big hair, heavy jewellery, body mods and long black coats. They were like vampires and cartoon characters.

How did you first dip a toe into the aesthetic? 

Yasmin: As with a lot of goths it started off quite punk and emo. I loved the 80s goth aesthetic and eventually started dying my hair and doing gothic drag, and the rest followed from there. 

“There’s no right way to be goth but keeping Elvira and Pinhead in mind won’t hurt” – Yasmin

What was the first 'goth' item you bought? 

Yasmin: New Rocks? Is that boring to say? The white face paint and spooky contacts were really the turning point though.

What does it mean to you to be a goth? 

Yasmin: “Goth” has developed from so many subcultures like punk and fetishwear. It’s dark, mysterious, sometimes scary but always what you make of it. There’s no right way to be goth but keeping Elvira and Pinhead in mind won’t hurt.

How does it allow you to express yourself? 

Yasmin: I have the opportunity to wear art, everyday. I can customise my character any way I like and the freedom, mystery and symbolism of being goth is really unmatched.

TABS

What was your introduction to goth? 

Tabs: As cliché as it is, it was probably listening to Siouxsie or Sisters of Mercy. My parents handed down a great taste in music and once I started listening to traditionally goth-coded music I was really captivated by it. I know you sort of have to say that, as a way of securing the fact you're not just doing it purely for the aesthetic, and most of my favourite bands aren't goth per se. When I was a teenager it was during that sort of scene, emo resurgence, which I was never really that into. While a similar embrace of the "dark", it seemed quite fake and artificial and a bit silly, compared to something more real and beautiful found in goth music, which I latched onto.

What made you so interested in it? 

Tabs: It's definitely a scene where the lines between gender expression are more blurred than they otherwise would be. It seemed like a perfect outlet to express myself the way I wanted to, to experiment and to allow myself to come out of my shell, as a queer teen. I've always been quite sensitive, and also drawn to the more macabre sides of life, and it was nice to sort of channel that through my appearance. 

How did you first dip a toe into the aesthetic? Was it make-up? A haircut? 

Tabs:  For me it was make-up. I really like embracing the artistry of it, and my look gradually evolved through these daft, chunky, jet-black artificial eyebrows. Since I have no hair to style, the makeup tends to do the heavy lifting. They're part of my daily aesthetic now, to the scorn of most people I walk past. Even if I'm dressed casually, the eyebrows remain as a sort of shorthand expression of gothdom.

“[Goth is] knowing you're a bit weird, a bit different, and instead of hiding from it, it's putting all that weirdness and difference and darkness in the shop window, rather than the stockroom, if that makes sense” – Tabs

What was the first 'goth' item you bought?

Tabs: I reckon, like most goths would answer this question, I would say either a spiked collar or a fishnet top. They're the classic foundations of a goth wardrobe. 

What does it mean to you to be a goth? 

Tabs: It's an embrace of the darkness, in an almost cartoonish and over-the-top way, which isn't to disparage it at all – it's knowing you're a bit weird, a bit different, and instead of hiding from it, it's putting all that weirdness and difference and darkness in the shop window, rather than the stockroom, if that makes sense. 

It's hard to fully pin down as it's such an amorphous concept, especially as elder goths would probably scoff at us younger goths claiming we "don't get it" , or "are just doing it for the aesthetic", but I really like being part of a cultural legacy. While you could say goth is more mainstream than ever, in day-to-day life it's being a beacon of the alternative. It's an embrace of the dark, the macabre, the beauty of being not-quite-right. 

What is the best thing about expressing yourself in this way?

Tabs: I think it's finding "my people". For every twenty people who walk past and scoff, or snigger, or nudge their mate, there'll be one knowing smile or nod of encouragement, even from people who I would naively think would be opposed to it. For example, I'm a big fan of Frank Skinner's now-axed podcast, and he's always been a champion of the goths, which has always been really encouraging. 

It's knowing that there's people out there that get it and appreciate it, even if most of them don't, and even beyond that, just the feeling of being a beacon of alternativeness in a culture that seems to be becoming more homogenised and distrustful of the "different." Once I moved to London and started going to goth nights, it was, as cliché as this sounds, like a door to another planet, full of my beautiful, weird people. Up the goths! 

VENOM

How did you get into goth style?

Venom: From listening to alternative music my dad would play. I’d be watching these videos from the 80's where the hair was bold and the make-up was so experimental. It  made me fall in love with alternative looks in general.

How did your look develop?

Venom: Over time it took a while to understand proportions in clothing being quite tall, and finding what style specifically resonates with me and that landed me in a mix between Goth and alternative, now at 24, 90 per cent of my wardrobe is black attire 

Why is it important to you to express yourself in this way?

Venom: It's really important to express myself in this way because I'm used to getting looks regardless in public – why not just be myself and be comfortable and maybe inspire others just to wear what they want. Goth or not it's great to feel good in your own skin.

“I don't think make-up or clothes can really define you as goth. I see goth as a freedom of expression movement, just like most alternative mediums, and I love seeing how different people express themselves” – Venom

What other creative outlets do you have?

Venom: I'm a tattoo artist (@drippingv3nom) which also helps me express my style a little bit more creatively, I love animals and skulls so being able to tattoo them especially brings me joy in that I can keep being myself in my studio and furthering the goth style I enjoy through art. Goth is more than clothing – it's all just about freedom of expression.

Lastly I don't think make-up or clothes can really define you as goth. I see goth as a freedom of expression movement, just like most alternative mediums, and I love seeing how different people express themselves. We need more alternative spaces like Monster Queen which allows a space for this and brings people from all backgrounds together to enjoy music and fun make-up looks.

MOTH

What was your introduction to goth? 

Moth: My introduction to goth was the first goth I saw. She was a leader at a residential school holiday when I was around nine years old. I thought she was the coolest person I’d ever seen, and I immediately fell down the alternative rabbit hole, even before I was able to dress differently.

What made you so interested in the scene? 

Moth: I’m from a small village, so seeing such a different aesthetic and hearing music that was so unique really helped me escape where I was. I desperately needed a way to express what I was feeling, and goth and its subcultures got me there.

How did you first dip your toe into the aesthetic? 

Moth: it started with absolutely terrible attempts at eyeliner when I was 11 or 12, and then even worse self-inflicted haircuts. I didn’t have anyone around me to help with the process, so I just dove in headfirst and tried desperately to mimic the beautiful people I listened to and followed. I got a red and black military style jacket for a birthday when I was 13, which was very reminiscent of My Chemical Romance (who I hadn’t even discovered at the time). I loved it and still have it, and I remember pairing it with my first pair of New Rock boots.

“This body that I hated so much as a child has become a vessel for creativity that I know I would have loved to see when I was younger. I’m pretty sure little me would think I look amazing, even if I don’t always see it.” – Moth

What does it mean to you to be part of the goth scene? 

Moth: Being goth has led me to a community I never had at home. I was blessed to have friends and to not suffer the way a lot of people who look like me did, but I struggled a lot with my identity and my mental health, and the people I was able to connect with when I found my way into the goth scene in London truly changed my life. It means uncensored, undeniable expression, in ways that only alternative people can reach. Goth was built by marginalised people, people of colour particularly, and it is an open home for anyone who needs one.

What is the best thing about expressing yourself in this way?

Moth: There are no limits to my self expression now.I have found ways to express my queerness and my gender that I never thought I would have access to. This body that I hated so much as a child has become a vessel for creativity that I know I would have loved to see when I was younger. I’m pretty sure little me would think I look amazing, even if I don’t always see it.

So the best thing about this expression is the relationship I’ve been able to build with myself. All the things I never liked, I have been able to decorate and explore. I am a fully customisable avatar and life is short, so why not play around with it? I’m only ever going to have this body, so this form of expression helped me to make it home.

AMY

What was your introduction to goth?

Amy: I've always loved the goth aesthetic since I was a kid, whether it be in cartoons, movies, etc. I always looked up to my siblings with their NIN and Green day CDs and cool clothes from EMP, and felt so lucky when they were eventually handed down to me.

What made you so interested in it? 

Amy: My love for everything gothic and kooky only grew as i indulged in the emo and scene culture as a teen, and I desperately wanted to be like the cool emo and goth kids I adored online.

How did you first dip a toe into the aesthetic? Was it make-up? A haircut?

Amy: I started experimenting with eyeliner and darker clothing as soon as I had access to them growing up and would beg my mum to take me to get my hair cut like the scene girls and guys I wanted to emulate. 

“This body that I hated so much as a child has become a vessel for creativity that I know I would have loved to see when I was younger. I’m pretty sure little me would think I look amazing, even if I don’t always see it.” – Moth

What does it mean to you to be a goth? 

Amy: I think it's really important to be open and welcoming in any 'alternative' community. I see a lot of people discussing what it means to be goth as if there are specific requirements or a criteria to fulfill, but I think anyone who loves the dark and macabre or anything related to the 'goth aesthetic' should feel welcome to call themselves a goth, out with gatekeeping!

How does it allow you to express yourself?

Amy: I truly embraced my gothness in the past few years when I found my chosen family who encouraged me to be and to explore my truest self. I feel that this transformation allowed me to understand myself on a deeper level and seeing my chosen family find joy in abandoning norms and other restrictions gives me the courage to express myself regardless of how it may be received.

What is the best thing about expressing yourself in this way?

Amy: There are so many sides to 'goth' that can be explored, eg. traditional goth, pastel goth, and countless other takes on the culture, personally it allowed me to explore my gender identity on a deeper level, and I felt seen by androgynous goth icons such as Poppy, The Crow or the PVC and leather-clad cenobites from the Hellraiser franchise. I think that goth cultures invite people to indulge in gender fluidity which truly excites and inspires me.

ADDITIONAL CREDITS Photography Isabella Fowden, Casting Molly Peachey-Pape, Makavelli Management