Karl Lagerfeld characteristically caused controversy again this week at the widely anticipated Chanel Spring/Summer’15 show for Paris Fashion week.
What has he said this time? Well, less archetypically, Lagerfeld hasn’t attracted criticism for his sharp tongue or outspoken views, but has allegedly “jumped on the feminist(or gender equality) bandwagon” through Chanel’s protest-themed show.
The catwalk itself really was a spectacle to behold. A demonstration of supermodels wielding SS15’s apparently must-have accessory; the feminist picket sign, stormed the runway. The staging saw the inside of the Grand Palais transformed into a chic Parisian boulevard. Cara Delevingne was at the helm brandishing a padded megaphone, rallying her army of tweed clad protestors. The Fashion house really outdid last year’s celebrated ‘supermarché sweep’ theme.
Yet the show remains an unlikely bastion of feminism. Lagerfeld is of course more renowned for being more ‘fat-ist’ than feminist with an attitude to the female form as ‘blatantly size-ist’ as Daniel Cleaver’s attitude to Bridget Jones’ office skirt. Labelling Adele “fat” and claiming “no one wants to see a curvy woman” are just two examples.
That being so, why has this caused such a stir? Critics claim Lagerfeld is making a mockery of modern feminism/move towards greater gender equality with slogans such as “boys should get pregnant too” thereby undermining its popularisation. The Independent’s Alexander Fury noted that “a few of the models had the good grace to look embarrassed.”
However, in my view, this is nonsense. Yes, the issue of gender equality is undeniably current and theme perfectly timed; the “#He for She” allusion to Emma Watson’s inspiring UN speech symbolised this. Yet it is something the fashion house has always embodied. Coco Chanel, (who was named in the Time’s Top 100 most influential people of the 20th century) became famous for eroding gender stereotypes through her fashion in a radical way and the show itself was a return to that with a mix of power suits and feminine fabrics. Trish Halpin, editor in chief of Marie Claire stated “I think he was harking back to Coco Chanel’s feminist values – she was very much a strong and empowered woman. I think this just shows that fashion, feminism and empowering women do not have to be mutually exclusive.”
It is also absurd to claim the publicity generated will stunt the popularisation of feminism when the publicity is facilitating it. Lagerfeld himself is acutely aware of this; commenting that the show will be “shown all over the world” and that “Chanel has a kind of power where people look at it, I think it is a good thing”. The social taboo associated with being a self-confessed feminist is diminishing. Feminism is in vogue and no longer seen as synonymous with misandry.
These journalists are also blowing the issue far out of proportion. It is after all a fashion show, intended for entertainment. Karl Lagerfeld has certainly never taken himself this seriously, as he famously said “Everything I say is a joke. I myself am a joke.” As Jess Cartner-Morley, reporter for the Guardian commented “It would be naive to take this show too seriously. But a well-meaning joke is surely a far better thing than a nasty one.”
So we can all return to lusting over the iconic bags our student loans will never cover; which deserve a better life than being alcohol-drenched in the lemmy anyway and moaning about not being Cara Delevingne yet whilst eating Ram curly fries (we used the hip adductor in the gym twice this week!) with our feminist conscience in-tact.