Here are some of the interesting things going on in the
fashion world.
Julian Assange Starts
Modeling Career?
Ben Westwood’s upcoming fashion show will feature a
controversial new model. Julian Assange, the creator of WikiLeaks, will walk
the runway for the designer in September. The fugitive has been living in the
Ecuadorean embassy in London for about two years. The fashion show will be held
in the embassy, so Assange will not be risking his freedom. Westwood discusses
the choice in using Assange saying, “…[I]t’s important that he doesn’t slip into
obscurity.” Westwood further says that what has happened to Julian is “unfair”,
and the designer has created something for him to wear in the show that was
inspired by The Good, The Bad, and The
Ugly. I’m sorry, but I think this is quite bizarre, and I don’t like it
when artists make such grand and specific and in-your-face political gestures.
Making reference to a cause or policy is expected and often times needed, but
this is so specific and controversial, I think Westwood is only doing it for
the attention. It’s unsightly. What do you think? Is it a good idea to champion
Julian Assange? Is Westwood being authentic and genuine in his political
statement?
T-shirt with Kate
Moss Quote Pulled
A t-shirt with a quote by the famous supermodel Kate Moss is
no longer for sale at Hudson’s Bay Company due to the controversial nature of
the quote. During an interview in 2009, Kate Moss was quoted saying, “Nothing
tastes as good as skinny feels.” The quote immediately sparked outrage, but
designer Christopher Lee Suave decided to put the quote on a shirt as part of a
nutritional facts label. The t-shirt, like the quote itself, has sparked
outrage with consumers, and as a result, it has been pulled from the shelves.
Suave defends his creation saying:
“Fashion is created to be either
celebrated, adored, or hated and deplored, quite like the industry itself. The
particular T-shirt in question showcases an infamous quote by supermodel Kate
Moss as a nutrition label - most, if not all, of my designs showcase some type
of statement pointing out the absurdity of fashion, and this one item is no
exception… I fully understand and comprehend the severity of an eating disorder
and I do not condone celebrating such pain. My sincerest apologies to anyone
that I have offended with my designs. I believe wholeheartedly in my work,
however, and I can't [apologize] for that."
So it seems that Suave was being satirical with his design,
but it was completely misconstrued. He was actually pointing out the absurdity
of the quote and showing how the fashion industry can seem to glorify being
overly skinny and even, in a certain light, eating disorders themselves. In my
opinion, this is a way to make a political or social statement. It’s just
unfortunate that his was misconstrued. Do you think the message was too subtle?
Should the shirt have been pulled from the shelves?
LDR Attacked for
Romanticizing Death
Okay, this isn’t really fashion related, but I thought it
was interesting. In a recent interview, Lana Del Rey was quoted saying, “I wish
I was dead already.” Frances Bean Cobain, daughter of Kurt Cobain, was outraged
by this statement. She laments not being able to know her own father due to his
untimely death. She further says that the deaths of young artists are
especially sad because they never fully realize their potential. Cobain said on
Twitter, “The death of young musicians isn't something to [romanticize]… Embrace
life, because u only get one life.” Lana has responded saying that the quote
came from “leading questions” posed by the interviewer. In further response,
the interviewer posted the recording of the interview along with his piece.
We’ll have to see how this all plays out. However, I feel I must point out that
romanticizing death is nothing new. It has been in different media of art for
centuries. In fact, the novel Madame
Bovary has a somewhat satirical look at this concept. The title character
seems to believe life is supposed to be like a romance novel, and that in order
to be fulfilled, hers must come to a tragic end. I won’t ruin it for you, but
the novel has a darkly amusing ending. My point is that the romanticizing of
death is not something Lana started, and it certainly will not and should not
end any time soon. Do you think LDR’s comment was out of line and over the top?
Is she trying to get attention, or does she really feel that way?
Princess Di Caused
Image Obsession for European Princesses
This article was a bit too long for me to comment on and
give it the attention it needed. But it’s a good read and quite interesting, so
I suggest you read it. If you would like me to give my thoughts on the topic,
let me know, and I will in Monday’s blog.
Don’t forget to leave a topic request for Monday’s blog.
LDR can do no wrong, dahling.
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