FORGET EVERYTHING I SAID PART 6: I SAY FEMINIST, THEY SAY MYSOGYNIST!

So recently I watched a Women of the World video on YouTube about “Ending Exploitation in Advertising”. I must admit a few years ago I would have nodded my head and agreed with everything they were saying in order to validate my feminism. However watching this video now as a amateur fashion enthusiast (still a feminist however) I can’t help but agree and critique some of the points raised.

This particular ad by Stuart Weitzman caused a stir amongst the five panelists.

 

IMAGE CREDITS

This advert features three strong women; top models Joan Smalls and Lily Adridge, and model Gigi Hadid.

The Stuart Weitzman advert was compared to another ‘objectifying’ advert from a previous era. The panelists compared the two images, “here are three of the biggest models in the world right now reduced to three objects selling shoes, not all women come in that straight leg form, not all women come in that kind of perfection, me and my girlfirends don’t stand around like that!”

My main point, is that ultimately it comes down to our own perspectives of women. Do we believe that a woman can demand the same amount of respect naked, in control and owning her own vunerability and feminitnity? or do we believe in order to do just that, the only way a women worthy of respect should be presented, is fuller figured and entirely clothed?

Or do we believe that these two women are not mutually exclusive and can be the very same woman at different points of the day?

Now, I strongly agree with women being presented in many different ways, showcasing a more representitive perspective of the world we live in for example, more women bosses, more women in charge, more hard working single mothers, more ethnic diversity in casting women (NO TOKEN MODELS, WE SEE THROUGH YOUR COMPENSATION!), more muslim women, and more LGBTQ representation in the media.

My only critique of the advert itself is that I would not have thought it was a shoe advert, I think the three beautiful women completely over dominated the shot and left no attention to the shoes. Maybe the shoes could have been more striking, or have three different pairs of shoes representing three different kinds of women who would wear the shoes in real life. Honestly, I don’t know, I have no idea, don’t listen to me I’m still a student after all… Also I’m biased I can also only see this advert through an aethetically critical perspective…

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Forget everything i said part 5:

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So true to my promise at #bofvoices that I would be a voice for any models, agents or all who see things wrong with this business I'm disappointed to come to Paris and hear that the usual suspects are up to the same tricks. I was very disturbed to hear from a number of girls this morning that yesterday at the Balenciaga casting Madia & Rami (serial abusers) held a casting in which they made over 150 girls wait in a stairwell told them they would have to stay over 3 hours to be seen and not to leave. In their usual fashion they shut the door went to lunch and turned off the lights, to the stairs leaving every girl with only the lights of their phones to see. Not only was this sadistic and cruel it was dangerous and left more than a few of the girls I spoke with traumatized. Most of the girls have asked to have their options for Balenciaga cancelled as well as Hermes and Ellie Saab who they also cast for because they refuse to be treated like animals. Balenciaga part of Kering it is a public company and these houses need to know what the people they hire are doing on their behalf before a well deserved law suit comes their way. On top of that I have heard from several agents, some of whom are black that they have received mandate from Lanvin that they do not want to be presented with women of color. And another big house is trying to sneak 15 year olds into paris! It's inconceivable to me that people have no regard for human decency or the lives and feelings of these girls, especially when too too many of these models are under the age of 18 and clearly not equipped to be here but god forbid well sacrifice anything or anyone for an exclusive right? If this behavior continues it's gonna be a long cold week in paris. Please keep sharing your stories with me and I will continue to to share them for you. It seems to be the only way we can force change and give the power back to you models and agents where it rightfully belongs. And I encourage any and all to share this post #watchthisspace

A post shared by james scully (@jamespscully) on Feb 27, 2017 at 10:40am PST

forget everything i said part 4: WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH FASHIONS FETISHISATION of YOUTH??

So what’s the deal with fashion over romanticising youth? Personally I don’t get it. All the awkwardness and naivety of being a teen… somehow does not manage to show though glamour of the runway, but that doesn’t compromise the super young ages of many of the models on high fashion runways. Now, I have no interest in trying to kill the dreams of many 13 year old aspiring models, but when an adolesent child is scared of growing older and developing naturally in result of losing “a look” and concequently losing jobs and not be able to model high fashion, When can we admit that there is a problem???

I also feel the need to call out all the modelling agencies and casting directors so “concerned” for the physical health of their models and yet at the same time completely disregard how their actions affect their mental well being.

Kudos however, to many designers in the London fashion scene who use their friends as models or street cast with consideration to these issues in mind, especially to Simone Rocha for her casting in her AW17 show. Also Gucci’s Alessandro Michele who casts “older than the latter” models and still magically creates a youthful vibe.

I just hope this isn’t for one season…

 

Forget everything i said part 3: Demna… wyd?

Ok, so Balenciaga… I can do… It has hints of Demnas irony, but all in all fairly interesting, nice collections, nice to discuss.

However part of me wants to give in and analyse Vetements Lou stoppard style and embellish some form of depth and substance to the brand. But the reality is Vetements is the internet troll of the fashion industry, and yes, in past blog posts I have superficially hyped Vetements, but that was then and now I’m over it.

Vetements = cancelled.

What is my problem with his new collection any way? The model casting was way more racially diverse than anything we’ve seen in Paris, Milan and few cases in London so far. However I’m aware that my eyes have only seen some of the intense hard work that goes into designing one collection, now I know I’m no one to try and negatively scrutinize a brand or designer I know nothing about. But lets face the truth that we were aware of this whole time: Vetements is a temporary cult brand, made with a short term expiriry date, which during this limited time aimed to make as much money as possible then die out. Good for you Demna.

After searching through the collection 3 more times…

Vetements = cancelled.

Maybe just maybe the punch line in this collection was the embracing of many different personalities on the runway, as opposed to having just one type of model on the runway. We (and by we I mean I) have compained many times on social media and on this blog about the lack of representation/ diversity on the runway. Well here, in Vetements AW17 collection we have a vastly diverse mix of personalities represented through their clothing on the runway. Is this Demnas way of saying ‘you wanted more, so here’s more, here’s everything you’ve asked for… in abundance’. It’s kinda like he took 36 random people off the streets of Paris 15 minutes before his show starts and paid them to walk his show in the clothes they were wearing… Maybe… or perhaps I’m overthinking it.

Vetements = soon to be cancelled but not over yet.

Forget everything I said part 2: To appreciate or to regurgitate…

…Is not really the question if I’m being honest with you. I remember hearing somewhere that it’s easier to copy and paste a piece of text, or an image or a concept.

But you’ve already seen that before.

What makes a more interesting interpretation is when a collage is formed. When the image, or text, or concept is flipped, chopped and twisted, then merged with the latter and then stuck down with a pritt stick spray mount; when it’s explained through a red filter, a new perspective and given a personal touch so they know it’s yours, even though it’s not.

forget everything i said

Ok so forget everything I said, I still have one more rant for you guys. It goes something like this…

I’m done with the ‘cool kids’ aesthetic…

I’m done with the whole Vetements obsession, and the whole regurgitated graphic t’s everyone wants to wear from Zara and H&M with no interest to where their favourite shops stole the idea from.

I’m done with the emotionless, prepubescent looking teens walking down the runway running on coffee and propercorn.

I’m done with fashions fetishisation with youth.

I’ve said this once on twitter, I’ll say it again. BRING BACK THE 90’S AND 2002 PARIS HILTON!!!!!

MY LAST POST…

…PROBABLY…

There’s an article that iD haven’t written yet. I’ll write it now.

“Concerning the millennials”

We’re self proclaimed writers, photographers, musicians, designers, poets, artists and all of the above.

No we’re not the least bit ‘groundbreaking’. You’ve seen us at Tescos, you’ve seen us walking home from college or sixth form, and no we’re not a ‘rare’ kind of youth.

The word ‘millennials’ is over rated.

We are the ‘Make it happen’ generation, and we’re not letting grade boundaries and AQA examiners tell us how to live!

The consent collection FT Leomie Anderson and Viktor & Rolf

Model (and generally awesome person), Leomie Anderson is one of the main inspirations for my blog, this year she has more than enough proved 2016 to be her year and the beginning of her many successes to all her aspirations.

Only a month ago she launched site LAPP THE BRAND standing for ‘Leomie Anderson the Project the Purpose’ aimed at young women giving them the confidence to say no to many of the pressures young women may face from society.

“The first capsule collection is based around reclaiming the word ‘No’ and, as Leomie put it, “Making young girls feel cool to say no in the face of pressure”. After Leomie’s open letter to her readers discussing the issue of consent and the right to say no went viral, Leomie began working on the t-shirt collection and was inspired by phrases girls use to say no to men. The aim was to make girls feel proud and confident to say no to situations they don’t feel comfortable in and remove the negative misogyny around women denying men their bodies, something Anderson feels too many young girls fall victim to.” – about LAPP

 

Her post on her blog about consent has inspired me to do this post featuring one of my favourite Viktor & Rolf collections; f/w 2008 to many or as I like to call it The ‘Consent’ collection/ The ‘No means no’ collection.

Nee-Na-Non-Nej-Nee-No-Hapana-Nah-Non-Naa-Nein-Nahi-Nei-Tidak-Nil-Lie-Nie-Não-Nu-Không-Neyn- No-Means-No.

@sonnyArchibald

 

 

Final images…

Thank you  @milenaiannicello,@ryanjames.c and @seunghee_mua also to @JACKSON_EWJ  and @TANIALESLAU

Check out behind the scenes:  what are you so angry about ? BEHIND THE SCENES…

@sonnyArchibald

STYLE CONFESSIONS| SEASON 2

STYLE CONFESSIONS| SEASON 2 – WHEN PRINCESS DIANA WORE VETEMENTS

Princess Diana (at least in my opinion) is a unappreciated style icon to our generation. Back in her era (Rest In Paradise) she rocked many looks with ease. So my question is if she was alive today would she be wearing Vetements? With Celine Dion rocking out in the iconic titanic hoodie, proving that this ironic brand is for the fashion ambitious of all ages, whose to say she wouldn’t? The Royal family, you say? nahh… However personally I think no, she probably wouldn’t… but that still doesn’t stop me from making a collage of her wearing similar looks to Demna Gvasalia designs and other designers.

DISCLAIMER #1 – just to clarify Princess Diana never wore the brand Vetements; Vetements was launched in 2014 by Demna Gvasialia, Princess Diana (RIP) died in 1997. -1997=2014=???

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DISCLAIMER #2 – yes I spelt “millennial” wrong…

 

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Images Via VogueRunway.com

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Ok so that’s all for Style Confessions| Season 2! No one expected a come back… but it came back any way!

Check out Style Confessions| Season 1 and my Style Confessions Video explaining what it’s all about!

@sonnyArchibald