Chanel debuted their Spring/Summer 2015 collection on a fake Parisian boulevard within Grand Palais in Paris. The show’s clothing had a 1970s vibe with the tweed pantsuits and bright colorful blouses.
It could have been a nod to the feminist movement in the seventies, since Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s creative director, ended the show with a feminist protest. Normally, I would be happy that feminism has reached a new audience but I don’t think the message was sent correctly. This protest made feminism a commodity.
It is hard to see Lagerfeld as a feminist considering he was quoted saying “no one wants to see curvy women” in his published book “The World According to Karl” and on television interviews. The protest was full of tall, white and traditionally beautiful women. The models marched down with signs that read: BE YOUR OWN STYLIST, HISTORY IS HER STORY, and LADIES FIRST.
I mean, come on. These signs are embarrassing and present a “talking feminist Barbie doll,” as put by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett in The Guardian.
In pop culture and in the fashion world trends change so quickly. It is obvious that Lagerfeld jumped on the feminism bandwagon, staging the protest after Emma Watson’s UN speech. I no longer see ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos on my Instagram feed and it has been a while since I’ve seen someone wear a Juicy Couture sweatsuit. Will everyone be talking about feminism in two months?
