Chanel's Feminist Protest Was Best Thing About Fashion Week Girl power! Chanel had some memorable finales including the time pregnant model Ashleigh Goode closed the haute couture show show wearing a wedding gown. For the finale of their Spring/Summer 2015 at Paris Fashion Week, Karl Lagerfeld accompanied models in a feminism protest. The clothes didn’t feature any feminism messages or obvious themes, but there were a series of bright, bold florals that went well with the show’s bold and empowering finale. It’s great that Chanel closed the show with such a strong feminist message. Click here, for more fashion week coverage. (Photos: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images, Instagram/Cindi_Leive)
Why Brexit is good for the fashion industry | British GQ On the eve of the EU referendum in June during London Collections Men it wasn’t hard to gauge which direction the fashion pack was leaning. Unsurprisingly, thanks to factors such as the EU support of many of the initiatives of the British Fashion Council (BFF) and the fact that myriad young designers work with factories and suppliers from Lithuania to Lisbon, the community is an outward-looking and inclusive bunch. Indeed, during the campaign the BFC reported that of the near-500 designers it polled, 90 per cent planned to vote for Remain. Now the world has changed and in the face of a probable Brexit, whatever individual’s feelings may be the UK fashion industry has to start accentuating the positive. An obvious short-term silver lining is the weakness of sterling on the international markets has made London a bargain bonanza for shoppers paying in dollars, euros and yuans while reports are that e-tailing is booming. Astonishingly, the effects were almost instantaneous.
After Brexit, which way for fashion? The impact of Brexit on the fashion industry is daunting, brain-scrambling and multi-levelled. The industry directly contributed £28bn to the UK’s economy in 2015 and employs 880,000 in roles from manufacturing to retail. For many British designers and stores, there will be an immediate hit on costs and margins. Once Brexit has been achieved, it could jeopardise design talent and retailers within the global marketplace forever. Sample the FT’s top stories for a week You select the topic, we deliver the news. During the campaign the British Fashion Council (BFC) reported that of the near-500 designers it polled, 90 per cent planned to vote for Remain. In the short term, some in the industry are happy. Luca Solca, head of luxury goods at Exane BNP Paribas, calls this positive effect “margin tailwind”. Buyers and retailers are nervous about speaking openly — they want consumers to continue shopping as if nothing has happened. Currency volatility is a huge worry. Photographs: Getty Images
Can Feminists Like Fashion? - Forbes Céline 2012 Runway Feminism and fashion have always had a rocky relationship, a point hammered home in an article in Ms. magazine’s January issue, “If The Clothes Fit: A Feminist Take On Fashion.” The piece explores the tumultuous role that fashion has historically played in gender politics—both serving as a medium for the advancement of women, and as a weapon of restraint. It’s hard to deny the key role that fashion has played in the women’s movement. That being said, feminist notions that fashion can be destructive, certainly didn’t come from thin air. Fortunately, fashion in recent years does appear to be moving in a feminist direction. Still that damned if you do, damned if you don’t attitude persists in regards to women and fashion. On the other side of the spectrum, women who choose to ignore fashion trends are deemed slovenly and out of touch.
Fashion, Politics to Dedicate 2017 to Women - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2016-17 by Lebanese international fashion designer Elie Saab. London-While all Parisians have transformed into political analysts talking about Brexit and its repercussions on lifestyle and fashion, fashion designers and the U.K. said that the coming years will be dedicated to women. Britain has made its decision and appointed a woman, “Theresa May,” as a prime minister for the first time since Thatcher. Fashion, on the other hand, celebrated femininity through romantic outfits shining with optimism, drifting away from a reality burdened by economic regression and terrorist attacks around the world. The fashion shows of Dior, Atelier Versace, Armani, Ralph & Russo, Giambattista Valli, Elie Saab and others have transformed Paris into an oasis to escape; not only from the sad, complicated reality, but also from the trending “sports fashion”. Inspired by the fifties, designers have gone above and beyond to meet the demands of today’s classic women. Related
Is Fashion a Credible Platform for Protest? | Opinion, BoF Comment | BoF Vivienne Westwood Red Label Spring/Summer 2015, Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 2015, Stella McCartney | Photo Collage: BoF LONDON, United Kingdom — Last week in Paris, Chanel appropriated the visual signifiers of feminist protest for its seasonal runway show. In a finale led by Karl Lagerfeld, a bevy of supermodels took to a catwalk christened “Boulevard Chanel” holding signs with slogans such as “History is Her Story,” “Make Fashion Not War,” and “Tweed Is Better Than Tweet.” On the same day in Hong Kong, a genuine protest was underway. Protesting for the right to democratically elect a candidate of their own choosing, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers formed crowds that throbbed and swelled in the city’s streets. Playing out against this backdrop, the “faux-test” staged on Boulevard Chanel rang especially hollow, repackaging political riot as a light-hearted, Instagram-savvy performance. We think it can.
Dress codes: can there be a productive relationship between politics and fashion? Is Margaret Atwood a feminist? That’s what I’m trying to work out during our lamentably brief time together squished around a table in the back of a promotional booth at a comics convention in California. Obviously, you might roll your eyes, Have you read The Handmaid’s Tale? Certainly among fourth wave feminists, many of whom, in the UK at least, studied the book as part of the National Curriculum at A-level, Atwood is lionised, especially on Twitter, where she enthusiastically interacts with her 1.27 million followers on a regular basis. But what many of them forget is that Atwood, who is now 76, grew up on the cusp between first and second wave feminism, a time when women were fighting for tangible goals such control over their reproductive rights rather than the right to publish nude selfies without criticism. “I, as a female person, don’t have any trouble reading Moby Dick. “Wonder Woman was read by everybody,” she continues. Angel Catbird is out in the UK on 8 September.
Does Fashion Have a Place in Politics? Whilst some may argue that fashion and politics have no business being mentioned in the same sentence- I disagree. My interest in fashion from a young age stemmed from a fascination in clothing’s purpose beyond the practical. I’ve always been intrigued by the way personal style acts as a non-verbal rhetoric that we use to communicate who we are with each other. Psychologist have deduced that it takes us just 3 seconds to make a judgment about someone based on their appearance. That’s a snap judgment, but a judgment nonetheless. Much like politics, fashion is paradoxically elitist whilst also being democratic. But whilst our personal style decisions can be quite subtle and even subconscious, politician’s sartorial choices are often much more considered than it appears. Over the years political figures have done this in various ways to varying degrees of success. Tony Blair: The Flaky Patriot When you’re the Prime Minister, endorsing British industries is a good PR move.
Fashion’s most iconic political statements As the date of the UK election draws nearer, politicians have turned their attention to fashion and pop culture in an attempt to wrest the youth vote. David Cameron has claimed Kardashian kinship, Nick Clegg has starred in an “Uptown Funk” election anthem, and the Labour Party has channelled Katharine Hamnett with their “Hell Yes” slogan tee. These recent antics come as no surprise – fashion and politics have long been linked. Last week we paid tribute to Dame Vivienne Westwood’s best protests, one of the great masters of using fashion as a vehicle for social commentary. Now we turn our attention to other designers who have used their clothes to shine a spotlight on important issues. From men’s skirts, anti-terrorist slogans and Pussy Riot films, to penises on the catwalk, feminist runway protests and reflections on wartime hardships, here are the most memorable political statements in fashion history.
Japan's women's magazines ramp up focus on politics amid widespread concern over Abe's security reforms Public anxiety over the security legislation is in the streets — and in print. Even women’s fashion magazines have discussed the topic alongside recipes and hemlines, in a measure of how deeply aware the public is of the changes afoot. An edition of Shukan Josei (Women’s Weekly) published on Sept. 8 focused on women who took part in a massive rally outside the Diet on Aug. 30 in protest at the security bills. “Dear Prime Minister Abe, Do you know why we are angry?” The article ended declaring: “We don’t need a prime minister who doesn’t understand how women feel.” In its July 14 edition, the same magazine carried a major 10-page feature about the security bills, including an interview with Seiichiro Murakami, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker who opposes the legislation. “We were surprised by the large number of responses on Twitter and on the Internet,” said Bunichi Terada, the magazine’s editor-in-chief. “They have no interest in splits within political parties,” he said.
People and Politics at Prada | Fashion Show Review, Ready-to-Wear - Autumn 2016 | BoF MILAN, Italy — For all that it was a triumphant return to form, Miuccia Prada's menswear show in January turned out to be a mere appetiser for the deeper, richer women's collection she showed tonight. That was partly a reflection of her own feelings: "A woman is so much more complex than a man. She has to be a mother, a lover, a worker, a beauty..." But it was the way the clothes mirrored those multi-facets — and the emotional states that accompany them — that made the show a tour de force. Longtime collaborator Frederic Sanchez’s soundtrack of female singers ran a full drenching gamut, from the fierceness of PJ Harvey, to the pain of Piaf to the chill anomie of Nico, by way of sterling accompaniment. Tears flowed backstage. Her men were mariners, drifters. Some had tiny, padlocked books slung round their necks like pendants. Why? On her catwalk, Mrs P. offered her own vision of a polarised world: the powerful and the weak, the rich and the poor.
As Brexit Looms, Prime Minister Theresa May Looks to the Future of British Fashion | Intelligence | BoF LONDON, United Kingdom — Just as the Marc Jacobs show was closing New York Fashion Week across the Atlantic, scores of London-based designers, editors, buyers, executives and educators — from Christopher Bailey and Dame Vivienne Westwood to Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman and Browns founder Joan Burstein — assembled yesterday evening at 10 Downing Street, home of the new British Prime Minister Theresa May, as the unofficial kick off to London Fashion Week. As the ornate room filled with people, guests wondered aloud, “Is she actually going to show up?” and if she did, “what will she say?” The elephant in the room was the UK’s decision to leave the EU following the Brexit vote on June 24. This would be the prime minister’s first opportunity to address the British fashion industry on the subject in a direct way. May was dressed in black, wearing tailored Amanda Wakeley trousers with a now sold-out piece from Palmer/Harding’s collaboration with John Lewis. Stavros Karelis — FOUNDER — Machine-A
Debating Style, Courtesy of Jeremy Scott and Carolina Herrera Photo Is Jeremy Scott the Donald Trump of American fashion? Not in terms of politics — definitely not in terms of politics — but in terms of positioning? Mr. His success is impossible to ignore, whether or not you liked the extended riff on bouffants, the B-52s, ’60s mod and cartoon caricatures he offered in pastel shades of patent, cotton knit and silk. Continue reading the main story Slide Show At the very least, it has exposed the extent to which many designers like to play it safe, and stick to the familiar party line. , for example, created his usual elaborate set — this time, an entire Caribbean lagoon complete with water, tiki bar and palm tree — for a show of peppy but entirely unoriginal striped crochets, flower-child patchwork prints and silk bombers. Continue reading the main story Slide Show This isn’t necessarily bad: There are plenty of women whose comfort zone is consistency. As was the subtle way Mr. Continue reading the main story Slide Show Photo As was the subtle way Mr.
From the Archives: Political Powerhouses in Vogue As the U.S. team heads to Rio in pursuit of its sixth back-to-back gold, all eyes are on Elena Delle Donne. By the time their daughter was standing two heads above her fellow kindergartners, Elena Delle Donne’s parents knew she was an unusual child, and were not terribly surprised when, aged ten, Elena joined a basketball team and led it to place third in the national championships. Recently voted Most Valuable Player of the Women’s National Basketball Association, Elena is currently poised to lead the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team to collect its sixth consecutive gold in Rio. “She is a once-in-a generation type of player,” says NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum. “She’s a Steph Curry.” In an unlikely twist for somebody with Marvel-comic physical gifts, Elena’s life has also been shaped by extreme physical disability. The two sisters are extraordinarily close, often literally so. After lunch, mother and daughter retreat to the Delle Donnes’ 35-acre, multi-home property.