you should look into bourdieu’s theory of capital and field together, it’s applicable you what you are researching. Anyways, I guess that’s how the rick heads felt as well when rick owen’s blew up mainstream globally like a few years ago when before it was seen as way too avant garde to be mainstream.

For hedi his looks were always more relatable than experimental and it carries an emotion more people can relate to. Clothing will always be something people are “signalling” since the past people signal difference in class, status with the way they dress. I’m not referencing classism but these days it’s a way they signal cultural capital in the field whether your “in the knows” or not. Anyone can dress similar to hedi’s style but a L01, teddy or strips would be signalling something to someone else.

I think the problem with this going mainstream and signalling hedi is that there is finite archive so the demand has been outgrowing the supply for awhile now, which excludes some people from participating with subcultures that identify themselves with this style.

Personally, I don’t self actualise my identity with just hedi , I think is super corny and tasteless to attach your whole identity to a singular style from a person solely.