Many of us are suckers for the fashion world.
We are attracted to the glamour, the drama, the bliss, and the ignorance of it all; fed by our ridiculously persistent desire for things we cannot own, experience, or be a part of, but can only hear about.
For those who agree, another thing we probably have in common is that we fear the ‘fashion police.’
We want to look trendy, stylish, and overall well-dressed at our best at all times, and the worst thing that can happen is finding out that you, the daily style enthusiast, have failed as a trendy dresser, caught by the fashion police.
Or perhaps YOU are a fashion police officer—one of those super-cool, always-on-point, impeccable stylists who put others to shame when they are slacking off.
Interestingly enough, however, different topics have caught the fashion police’s eyes recently.
It is in fact, Karl Lagerfeld, the designer, the creative director, the photographer, the most iconic figure in the industry that most of us worship; and A.P.C., a renowned French ready-to-wear brand we love.
Wondering why the King of Chanel himself and the timeless, “hysterically normal” French brand we love are the talk of the fashion police these days? Here’s why.
Karl Lagerfeld
Even if you are fed up with the idea of the fashion industry or never were interested in this topic, the name Karl Lagerfeld and images of his white shirt with a high collar, a stiff black blazer with heavily coated black sunglasses, and mysterious silvery hair in a slick back ponytail should ring a bell.
He is THE “fashion person” that everyone has heard of—the German designer and photographer, the mastermind behind the Chanel fashion house, Fendi, and so much of the action behind the scene in the industry of fashion.
He is more than just a famous deisnger—he is truly an internationally influential icon. And that is why his words hold more weight than others’, sometimes.
Karl Lagerfeld has made several controversial comments in the past years that would make us raise our eyebrows.
For example, in 2012, he called Adele “a little too fat” (while complimenting her on her beautiful face and voice), and has claimed a few times that he hated fat people.
In fact, Vogue reported in October 2013, that he was sued by a women’s group in France for claiming that“The hole in social security, it’s also [due to] all the diseases caught by people who are too fat.” He’s also previously commented that “no one wants to see curvy women on the runway.”
His comments became a huge controversy with people claiming that everyone has freedom of speech and opinion, and others arguing that in his status and position, he should be careful of how his words might affect others, especially insecure young girls who are inevitably being raised in a world where fat-shaming is tolerated.
But once again, in an interview with Irina Aleksander from The New York Times (which was supposed to be about Lagerfeld’s favourite muse, male model Brad Kroenig, but ended up being mostly about Karl Lagerfeld himself), he flatly asserted, “I hate ugly people…Very depressing.”
Beauty is subjective and yes, it’s human nature to be attracted to things that are beautiful. We all do it. But is it okay for Lagerfeld and others in the fashion business to publicly claim that he “hates” ugly people and discriminate against them?
True, maybe “fat just isn’t Chanel”, and maybe luxury brands who seek after one body type do not necessarily need to appeal to wider scopes of consumers. Maybe they are well-off, or even better-off without having to cater to different body types.
But today, more and more people are aiming to be inclusive, and accepting towards differences.
An increasing number of businesses and even fashion magazines are embracing diversity. Whether this is because it is their core belief or because it will attract more consumers, it proves that we all are taking steps to become more socially aware and inclusive. We see how fat-shaming, skinny-shaming, or sexism can affect people, especially future generations.
So isn’t it time that Karl Lagerfeld and his kingdom of Chanel, Fendi, and numerous followers of his jumped on the bandwagon?
Isn’t it time that we MAKE them do so, by stop tolerating these kind of comments?
If you are a loyal follower of his, sorry, but maybe it’s time to check if your values align with those of Karl’s.
A.P.C.
For the readers who aren’t familiar with A.P.C., it is a minimalist, military-look inspired ready-to-wear brand based in France. Many of you might know it from its two collections done in collaboration with rapper Kanye West, or its famous slim-cut jeans.
So why are they under the radar of some fashion police?
Well, if you have been following Paris Fashion Week, you might have seen A.P.C.’s new Fall/Winter 2015 collection where the founder Jean Touitu presented pieces that were true to its traditional aesthetic, such as “slim cut wool and cotton pants, check shirts, a solid range of easy to wear blazers, timeless knitwear, and a wide selection of iconic silhouettes for its outerwear selection.” A unique, pleasant surprise were the pyjama style pants matched with Timberlands.
However, what drew most of our attention was the four models in sweatpants with matching A.P.C.-designed Timberland boots (see picture below).While the models were ushered down the runway in the said outfits, the designer, Jean Touitu, held up a sign that read ““LAST N****S IN PARIS,” immediately drawing the crowd’s attention.
He then went on and said that ““I call this one look Last N****s in Paris. Why? Because it’s the sweet spot when the hood—the ‘hood’—meets Bertolucci’s movie Last Tango in Paris. So that’s ‘N****s in Paris’ and Last N****s in Paris.”
Once he heard the crowd’s nervous laughter, he then moved on to explain how it’s fun to “play with strong signifiers,” referring to the Timberland boots which apparently are a “very strong ghetto signifier,” further explaining that “in the ghetto, it is all the Timberlands—all the big chain.”
Inevitably, Touitu’s choice of words stirred up a heated debate over its “correctness,” with one side claiming that he’s ignorant and that he does not have a full grasp on what the word entails, and the other claiming that the N-word is now a part of the pop culture, where it is widely used as a provocative, attnetion-grabbing signifier.
Well, what do you think?
Interestingly, when contacted by Style.com, Touitu later clarified that this phrase was an homage to his work with Kanye. He also added that he had even showed his work to Kanye before the show, in which Kanye responded and said “I love this vibe”.
Unfortunately, despite Kanye’s approval, others were not so quick to accept, but were quick to rethink their position in this, like Timberland itself.They reconsidered their business decision to cooperate in this collection, and decided to pull out immediately upon hearing Touitu’s remarks.
According to magazines Highsnobiety and Complex, Timberland president Stewart Whitney published an official statement saying “We have chosen to immediately terminate our involvement with the A.P.C. brand. Simply stated, this kind of language and approach is in complete contrast with our values, Timberland seeks to collaborate with designers and brands who are at the forefront of lifestyle trends; equally important, they must also share our values. We will not tolerate offensive language or racial slurs of any kind being associated with the Timberland brand.”
Well, what do you think, Her Campus McGill readers?
Isn’t this a prime example of how one word of ignorance can cost you a serious business deal, and a relationship?
Maybe Stewart Whitney’s strict decision can set a good example for others like Karl Lagerfeld, as we previously talked about.
Keep in mind readers, fashion should be about feeling good.
As Oscar de la Renta once said, “My role as a designer is to make a woman feel her very best,”—and the wisest way to feel your best is to be yourself.
Images obtained from:
http://trendland.com/melissa-x-karl-lagerfeld-capsule-collection-launch-…
Sources:
http://www.bustle.com/articles/59232-karl-lagerfeld-has-pants-covered-in…
http://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/01/24/apc-fall-winter-2015-collection/#…
http://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/01/27/last-niggas-in-paris-apc/http://w…