Artworks turning red: vandalism or complaint?
Hi babes!
For us fashion lovers Fashion Week is like Christmas and luckily our advent calendar has come to an end: row closed by Paris one, the fashion weeks month is now over!
Still, I would like to linger a little bit more on them to talk about a few events that, in my opinion, have meant a lot: along with amazing outfits, fashion weeks this year provided us with a few democratic changes in the way people can take part to catwalks, and I think it is worth spending a little time reflecting on them!
One event in particular has stolen my heart completely, and it is Vogue World, hosted during New York Fashion Week (9th to 14th of September 2022).
Organized to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Vogue, it was an ode that Anna Wintour - the iconic editor in chief of Vogue America for now 34 years and not thinking about retiring yet at all- dedicated to the city of New York and the people that have contributed to keep Vogue alive and lively, from the ones that work in it to the faithful readers and fashion lovers. Many said that it recalled the “Vogue’s Fashion Night” events, only less chaotic: in fact, everything was set in detail, from the tickets - different price tickets, along with free ones for students, were sold on the Vogue site way ahead of the event, allowing the audience to choose where to sit and what to get together with the ticket, from gadgets to interviews with important fashion world workers - to the timeline.
So, on Monday the 12th night I went to bed early like a baby only to wake up a few hours later, at 1:30pm, and connected to Vogue website, where the event was live streamed for all the ones who could not get to the American city. The event was amazing: rather than a runaway, it was a vibrant parade, an ode to a city that got back to life after the hard times of the pandemic. Opened by a stunning Serena Williams, in a silver cape, with young black girls dressed in tennis attires, to celebrate her career and the power of black women, long time kept away from sports and fashion. After her, a walking party began, from celebs to famous models to “normal people”. Last but not least, the “Industry Baby” performance of Lil Nas X, sat beside Wintour herself, along with many other fashion-involved VIPs.
Half asleep but happy, I could not help but notice the freshness and coolness of the variety of people that walked down that city street: parents with babies, teenager on bikes wearing Louis Vuitton varsity jackets - I’m sure Virgil Abhlo would have loved that! - firemen, dancers, all wearing high end clothes, from old and new brands, from Gucci to Prada to Banana Republic.
No matter the size, the color of the skin, the religious beliefs, the age, the job, everyone was depicted.
I was alone in bed, deep in the night, but still, all that cheerfulness and diversity made me feel like I was watching something special and different, a little piece of the puzzle of a bigger change, of fashion opening up to people again, the ones that are deeply interest and invested in fashion in everyday life, even if they are not the sons and daughters of important parents.
Vogue World was big, but our Italian runaways had their fair share of wow-factor and inclusivity too.
A few shows, in fact, contributed to this new democratic, all-people opened, fashion turn.
First, the Diesel show hosted on September 21st. It has been more than a month since Diesel took an innovative turn: directed by the creative and forward-looking mind of Glenn Martens, the brand has taken a fresh twist, showing more and more the joyful, not so serious face of this youngers-loved fashion-house. And so Martens decided to open on the 1st of September the possibility, for everyone that wanted to attend the show, to get a first-serve first-get ticket.
It is the possibility to bring fashion to a “more democratic and larger audience not just the fashion industry but also the public friends and fans of the brand, people who love the brand or are curious to see what’s next can add to a fashion show.”
For the ones who were not able to attend the show on person, it was lived streamed on the social profiles of the brand too. And so, that day I had a lunch date with me, myself and my laptop to see the show: sitting in my favorite café in Pisa, I followed the models going around the big, erotic sculpture that was in the middle of the runaway. Denim on denim, modest outfits or revealing ones, blue hair and glitter skin, as if some of them came out of a different galaxy, it was all simple but huge and fascinating. So after it, my friends could not avoid an entire evening of my blabbing about how good it was!
On Thursday 22nd night was the turn of GCDS show. Created by the visionary Giuliano Calza, this one, like Diesel, is a brand that believes in the power of younger generations. Young people have to live in this world and build a better future, but they are sometimes perceived as aliens, their ideas not taken seriously (Calza said that this happened to him too, when he was at the beginning of his career and, no matter the big experience he already had, was many times rejected). So, to support design students and their passion, Calza decided to invite students of five universities and fashion schools outside the show venue, where a big screen will broadcast for them the runaway, so that they’ll be able to get his point of view.
With a purple neon bulb in the back, pink and yellow clothes inspired by the SpongeBob characters (yes, I’m talking about the outfit of the lovely Bianca Balti!), revealing denim, cargos and jewelry bras: long live WIRDO!
Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini, whose show was on Sunday 24th of September, launched a contest on the Instagram page of the brand: people had to share their favorite Philosophy look and comment down the contest post in order to take part in it and try to win one of the four tickets that will give access to the exclusive runway. Sure, less open that Diesel, but at least four “nobodies” had the chance to see a lovely show no matter of who they are, just because they love fashion!
Last but not least, on the 24th too, Moncler celebrated their 70th anniversary by hosting the runaway in the public Piazza Duomo, so that anyone who was passing was able to take a sneak of the new collection outfits. It was not just clothes, indeed 700 dancers, 200 musicians, 100 choir members and 952 models, all wearing the iconic white Moncler puffer jacket, put on an unforgettable show, ending with fireworks for a grand finale!
So, my dears, I hope you had a nice milanese fashion week and don’t forget to tag us in the street style pics you took all around the city!
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