There is a fine line between fashion and custom, but during each Fashion Week, this line is often crossed. A scandalous image may get you likes and comments on social networks, but what is its ethical side? Remember the lion dress Kylie Jenner wore to the Schiaparelli fashion show? It has divided the internet like Marmite, Brexit or football clubs. This Fashion Month, it was the rapper who caught the public’s attention. Tommy Cashwho dressed up as a homeless man at the Diesel SS24 fashion show.
At first glance, her outfit may seem incredibly inappropriate and tasteless. Controversial clothing always attracts attention, and this is a big reason why celebrities attend fashion shows – because bad press is style, good press. According to Cash himself, he didn’t put on the suit to cause a stir. but to raise public awareness. “The problem of homelessness is enormous throughout the world, and even in the richest countries such as the United States, large portions of the population struggle to afford basic necessities and decent clothing.”– said the rapper. He later also criticized the fashion industry’s approach to “homeless chic” as he calls it: oversized clothing has been trending for many years, especially in high fashion. Remember Cloth, a brand that has a history of criticizing power structures, acting as a mirror to a wider society obsessed with hype? Obviously, they didn’t launch oversized clothing as a leading trend, but they made it an aesthetic, demonstrating that they could be avant-garde. A very cool look, but only if you choose to wear it.
Who wears baggy luxury clothes he does it because he has a choice. But if someone is forced to wear baggy clothes because they have nothing better to do, the cool factor disappears. “The clothing choices of homeless people are characterized by practicality, affordability, affordability and comfort, while those who embrace the ‘homeless chic’ image do so out of vanity and status, often investing in expensive clothing.” Tommy adds. Fashion is an industry driven by consumerism, and if there’s an upward trend, luxury brands are always happy to take advantage of it. When Heroin chic was launched again on the catwalk and on social media, it renewed the debate about the problematic nature of a trend that, even in the 90s, could not be called forgivable as the aestheticization of drugs and ailments. And then, when workwear became fashionable, Vetements jumped on it headlong. Maybe the problem isn’t what Tommy Cash or anyone else looks like, but the system. Or, an even riskier thought: perhaps trying to mirror an industry is itself a problem.
During Fashion Week, some people create their outfits purely to impress. They want clicks, comments, instant fame. The shows also act as entertainment for front-row guests, some coming to watch, others to be seen. Before the show starts, we hear whispers wondering who will look the boldest or who will surprise us again and go viral on social media. Meat dress Alexander McQueen What Lady Gaga it was worn once, is on the board of anyone who wants to make a splash, because even if they don’t want to make a bad impression, they want to start a conversation centered on themselves. Who cares about the look of your clothes when everyone can talk about you? In the fashion industry, everyone is constantly thinking about how be able to reach a wider audience. If that means appearing in a controversial image, some are happy to do so, while others prefer to use the show as a platform to raise issues and communicate them visually through clothing, like Tommy Cash. Fashion is a big bubble, and maybe it should learn to look at the world outside of it. It is clear that there are more serious issues than status or fame.