Gen Z’s Indie Sleaze Revival: Why Nostalgia is In

The messy, carefree “glamorous but cool” style of the late 2000s and early 2010s—known as indie sleaze—is making a comeback, and Gen Z is leading the charge. At the center of that era was French designer Isabel Marant, whose iconic Bekett wedge sneakers were made famous by Kate Moss. Beyoncé wore them in her Love on Top video, and Eva Mendes laced them up to escape Hollywood paparazzi.

Now, 14 years later, Marant has relaunched the wedges in collaboration with Converse, this time starring Lila Moss, Kate’s daughter. Her look—shredded denim, loose hair, and a casual, effortless vibe—channels the original indie sleaze spirit while giving it a modern twist for a new generation.

Indie sleaze was all about messy, carefree club-style fashion: ripped T-shirts, super-skinny jeans, chaotic hair, and nights out documented by emerging party photographers. It was embodied by Skins, Alexa Chung, and Sky Ferreira—gritty and stylish, in contrast to the sunlit bohemian looks of Sienna Miller and Stella McCartney. In 2022, TikTok trend forecaster Mandy Lee popularized the term “indie sleaze,” giving lockdown-era teens and young adults a chance to reconnect with a world of crowded dance floors and unpolished freedom.

“It seems like such a cool time to be alive,” says 21-year-old design student Chloe Plasse. New York college student Nikki Ball Kumar adds, “Isabel Marant’s 2010 collection is my dream wardrobe.” Fans scour resale platforms like eBay and Vestiaire Collective to track down Marant’s old hits, from studded skinny jeans to shrunken tweed jackets and, of course, the original Bekett wedges.

Marant reflects, “Young people see the 2010s as the last gasp of freedom—before constant digital surveillance and AI-perfect filters. They crave real, unpolished style.” This nostalgia resonates not just with those who lived through it, but with those who never experienced the era firsthand.

Today, Marant’s Bekett wedges are more than just a shoe—they’re a cult status symbol, connecting Gen Z to the messy, glamorous, and rebellious spirit of indie sleaze.