The fashion design in the early 1990s was mainly avant-garde, which was the contrarian of conservative retro trend in the late 1980s. Its design embodies the consciousness of seeking value from traditional clothing and thinking that traditional design is rigid, dull and exciting. It is often necessary to take off the mask of traditional culture and make light jokes with humor.

Avant-garde style is characterized by deviant, changeable, unpredictable and eclectic. It transcends the usual aesthetic standards, is willful and unruly, and has a shocking effect in the form of absurdity.

Since 1990s, the avant-garde style of popular clothing has been deduced from 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Avant-garde street culture is represented by "Beat Generation" in 1950s, "Hippies" in 1960s, "Punks" in 1970s, "Yuppies" in 1980s and "X Family" in 1990s. Avant-garde clothing style has become the spiritual symbol of their rebellion, reflecting the rebellious and self-centered generation in the West. Because of their disappointment and boredom with reality, they have to look for social reality in the pioneer cultural circle.

In the early 1990s, when people were looking forward to the new century, they created an incredible future world on the popular stage with forward-looking vision and modern high-tech means, such as transparent plastic and shiny patent leather, showing their infinite imagination for the future. Futurism (originated in Italy in the 20th century, under the banner of anti-tradition and innovative art, smashing all established idols with a rebellious and fearless spirit, and advocating sports, speed, strength and mechanical technology) is characterized by anti-tradition, but it lacks the hot feeling of hippie clothes, and is called "quiet dream". The color is simple and unified, mostly silver and white, full of purity.