Controversial fashion statements made by well-known and popular retailers the past two weeks has been the fashion gossip lately. These statements really question how far self expression in fashion can really go before boundaries are crossed and bridges are burned. We have seen celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry take risks in their fashions during red carpet events and televised award programs to create an ensemble that will be mass-publicized and memorable. Joan Rivers, host of the hit E! network television show Fashion Police, stresses how important it is for celebrities and designers to take unthinkable fashion risks in order to survive in the retail world. However, how far is “too far” when it comes to controversial fashion statements? Is there a boundary that must be met when making these statements, or is the wildest and most unthinkable statement acceptable and what retailers and designers should strive to reach?
American Apparel stretched the norm for an eye-catching advertising stunt at their East Houston location last Thursday, January 17. They never shy away from a risqué advertisement and, in fact, have created controversial ads in the past. This particular instance, however, has shocked every person walking past the storefront window display causing such a shock factor that their publicity has skyrocketed on every social media platform. You must be asking yourself at this moment what this so-called controversial window display entails. Let’s just say women mannequins are looking very well…au natural. This advertisement is intended to show that American Apparel embraces natural beauty and American Apparel’s non-photoshopped and airbrushed standards within the industry. Is this particular mannequin transformation purposeful in American Apparels image, or is this a self-expression overload that is just a little to provocative to publicize?
Another example of a recent controversial fashion statement has come from well-known retailer Urban Outfitters. Just two years ago, Urban Outfitters had to pull a controversial T-shirt from its website after receiving considerable slanders and remarks from angry critics. The gray, V-necked shirt read ‘Eat Less’ written in cursive letters across the front and was worn by a very slim model. Obviously this message was offensive towards a plethora of people who are, have, and witnessed someone who has suffered from eating disorders. Recently, Urban Outfitters has created a new monochromatic cropped shirt that reads the word ‘depression’ in various sized fonts. Again, many are upset that the company is using the mental illness as a fashion statement and are disgusted. However, Urban Outfitters claims that the brand that produces the shirt is named ‘Depression’ and their philosophy is “Because living life the conventional way is depressing.” Whether this claim is true or not we may never know, but the fashion statements made by the company are controversial and very offensive to many people. Some may say this is way too far, and some may say it is not. The real question is whether this was “too far,” or whether this was just one of those unthinkable fashion risks needed to be made to create publicity (whether good or bad).
These are the questions that are faced on a daily basis in the fashion world. Is going against values, beliefs, and the norm acceptable because it is used to create fame and publicity; or do these controversial statements go so far that in a way it is detrimental towards their image and really cause the company, designer, celebrity, etc., controversy? I’d love to hear your opinions on this issue WVU Fashionistas! Tell me where you stand; how far is too far?