262 don’t waste your creative platform
DON’T WASTE
263 something light-hearted, not a truck driver for the feminist
messages very clearly because they, themselves, don’t come
movement,” he told Fashionista – I didn’t interpret the
with a voice. Unless you count slogan tops.
finale as him striking a blow for feminism — or belittling
When it comes to fashion, the message simply has to lie in
it. I saw it as a demonstration of – and for – how easily
the presentation of the garments. If there’s no message
you can make your runway mean something.
to present, isn’t the collection the equivalent of a song
“I think Karl is a genius,” Olivier Rousteing says. “I think
without sound? Add to that the fact that shows nowadays
Karl is one of the youngest and smartest designers of today.
cost upwards of £500,000 for the fifteen minutes they last,
of a new world. So why do so many refuse to see the great opportunity they’ve been given? i-D Fashion
He embraces the culture. He communicates so much more than
and you’d be cynical not to want those means to contribute
a designer, who just makes a minimal coat and goes, ‘Look,
to something a little bigger than nice sales figures. “The
Features Director Anders Christian Madsen says, don’t waste your platform…
I’m minimal. I’m part of the fashion crowd.’” There are, of
reality is that most of the people on my front row are so
course, designers out there, who have no desire to provoke
bored. They do a hundred shows a day. They go to shows they
the way Karl does it, and for whom runway spectacles like
don’t want to go to, but have to, because they’re paid to,”
Chanel’s would look entirely unnatural. But if you’re putting
Olivier Rousteing says, referring to the fashion media’s
on a huge show at fashion week, being of a subtle disposition
obligation to attend advertiser shows. “So at the end of the
should never be an excuse not to convey a sentiment. “There’s
day, I think fashion needs to be more attractive.”
room for all kinds of runway approaches,” Rick Owens agrees.
Making a difference since 1970, Dame Vivienne Westwood has
“Simple beauty can be enough, too.”
based her entire career on her platforms – the one and the
For his spring/summer 15 women’s show, fashion’s emperor
other – and nowadays, her show notes are dedicated solely
of emotion, Dries Van Noten, asked his models to sit down
to promoting her social and political messages. “Everyone
on an epic carpet resembling the mossy floor of a forest,
has the responsibility to care about the world they live
while birds were tweeting in the distance and singer Max
in, and to try and make a difference in some way, if they
TEXT ANDERS CHRISTIAN MADSEN
As the spotlight on fashion weeks worldwide grows every season, designers are becoming the politicians
I don’t think I’m one of those fashion people, who feels a
greater human fellowship for such a colossal global platform.
need to justify my commitment to a superficial industry by
It was in striking contrast to Madonna’s twelve minutes of
over-intellectualising it and turning it into something it
intense inspirational words and displays of camaraderie the
isn’t. And yet, last September at the shows, I couldn’t help
year before, which ended with the entire Super Bowl turf
but feel a sense of disappointment towards the designers, who
lighting up with the plea, “World Peace.” By this I’m not
didn’t use their runways for more than showing clothes; as
propagating that all artists should sacrifice their work for
the global platforms they’ve now become. Unless you have the
the greater good, but if your show doesn’t have some kind
constant mindset of a teenage school girl, I would hope most
of powerful intention beyond the product, mightn’t we just
people in the world would find it mindless – if not mind-
as well peruse your art on our home stereos, or indeed on a
numbing – watching hundreds of garments walk down runways
hanger in a showroom?
for weeks on end with no greater social, political or even
“I’ve been given this great opportunity to express myself
just theatrical messages behind them. Thankfully, fashion
and do my best to emit good energy,” Rick Owens tells me
week is not as dire as that. But amongst the designers, who
when I ask him how he sees his role as a designer in relation
put their platforms to excellent use, you get the brands,
to the runway. But, he says, “I hope my proposals are soft
which don’t seem to have entered this age where fashion shows
suggestions and not strident proclamations. I do think clothes
pretty much equal award ceremonies in ratings. And that’s
can be a strong message to others and ourselves of who we
a responsibility that goes way beyond a designer’s need to
want to be. And I like exploring the idea of how to be a
sell clothes.
better part of the world.” One of the most considered showmen
“To be honest, who fucking cares about new lengths and new
in fashion, season after season Rick never misses a chance to
this and that today?” Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing starts off,
leave people thinking, whether it’s flying in several troupes
cementing the reason I went to him in the first place. “I
of American college soul steppers of all races to perform for
don’t think you’re going to sell clothes if you speak for
him, using his in-house team of all ages as models, or – as
five hours about the new length of a skirt. Everybody has
was the case in his autumn/winter 15 men’s show early this
done everything before, and everybody has done an oversized
year – sending exposed male genitalia down the runway.
Colombie was crying, “Come back, come back,” on the stereo
can,” Dame Vivienne’s husband and Creative Director Andreas
beige coat. I think clothes are interesting – I love doing
For Rick, whose work develops within the frames of a highly
with solemn timing. Loaded with beauty, it was far from
Kronthaler says. “We use our catwalk shows as a platform
my clothes – but what’s more interesting is the concept
defined aesthetic rather than on an all-change-every-season
a political decree. In fact, it was the opposite. Dries
for our collections, but also to help us communicate the
behind it: how you are going to present it.” Olivier didn’t
level, the social messages with which he imbues his runway
was telling the world to calm down and take a moment of
things we care about.” In the world of Westwood, those
have a huge spectacle on his Balmain runway last September,
presentations don’t just create unpredictability within his
silence. It was a powerful display that had guests in tears.
two
but his show notes, an anti-censorship mini-manifesto by
universe, but all-important food for thought, too. Because
“It’s not to make them cry,” Dries assures me when I ask
men’s show, for instance, was based on the wardrobe of the
Olivier himself, were enough of a statement to make things
it’s wrong when people say designers are here to design, and
him about his theatrical intentions. “But emotion is nice.
Prince of Wales, while Dame Vivienne had written a tribute
very interesting,
tell Olivier Rousteing to stop posting selfies on Instagram
I’m not afraid of clichés. I think at the moment in fashion
to His Royal Highness praising him for his progressive
This is my point: it doesn’t take that much to create an
and go draw some sketches instead. (Read the comments he
everything has to be cool. You can’t show an emotion. So I
environmental work.
attention-grabbing show experience, and frankly, when you have
gets and you’ll see them.) Designers are, and always have
say, now you’re gonna get it really full-on, with the music,
The message went out loud and clear to guests in their
YOUR CREATIVE
PLATFOM
“When you have 500 - 1500 guests in attendance and your show is live-streamed to the whole world, isn’t it your duty to put it to maximum use, be it socially, politically or environmentally?” ANDERS CHRISTIAN MADSEN
are
usually
interlinked.
Andreas’
autumn/winter
15
500-1500 guests in attendance and your show is live-streamed
been, our most powerful and easily accessible tools for self-
with the lights, with the whole thing, because I want to
Milan venue, to the audience watching the live stream, and
to the whole world on top, isn’t it your duty to put it to
expression, simply for the fact that what we wear becomes
create emotion.”
to the people, who read about the show in the media the
maximum use, be it socially, politically, environmentally,
people’s first impression of us. They’re arbiters of taste,
For designers such as Dries and Rick Owens, the genius in
day after. A fashion show is no Super Bowl stage – I know
or whatever else you have to say? (This, of course, assuming
opinion-makers, and zeitgeist wizards, and those positions in
their way of using the runway to make a difference lies in
that – but for an industry with more media presence than
that we all – designers or otherwise – have a broader vision
society should come with a high amount of expectations for
allowing people to freely interpret the beauty and emotion
pretty much any other in this world, these shows are the
for the world than the width of its lapels.) What saddened
what you do with your platform.
they present. “I don’t think I have the authority to teach
foundations for the messages designers will eventually put
me last September was arriving at a show with barely no
When Karl Lagerfeld finished his Chanel spring/summer 15
anyone any lessons, but I do think it’s fair for me or
into the world. And that’s why each designer should put his
set design and picking up show notes that were solely about
show with a cheerful feminist protest march on the runway,
anyone to question things,” Rick says. In my quest for all
platform to its ultimate use. “With technology and social
the cut and colour of garments, only to witness a mindless
there was an outcry amongst some of fashion’s spectators,
designers to use their platforms, colleagues have played the
media today, one show can reach all corners of the earth.
parade of models down the runway to a ‘cool’ house music
who thought the Kaiser was making light of activism and
Devil’s advocate on me: since fashion weeks are essentially
When anyone around the world sees the campaigns behind our
soundtrack. I understand these are trade shows, but why waste
current neo-feminist waves. “Why is pointless activism being
made up of trade shows, who am I to tell designers what to
catwalk shows, or the graphics used in our collections, we
the spotlight?
used to sell clothes, when elsewhere in the world, real
do with their runways? After all, they’re selling clothes
hope they are also engaging with the message,” Andreas says,
It took me back to Beyoncé’s performance at the Super Bowl
issues are being fought for with blood, sweat and tears?”
and I went into fashion writing to write about fashion, not
echoing the show-stopping words of Rick Owens: “Everything
last year, which embodied her trademark female independence
Susie Lau of StyleBubble wrote in an essay. But contrary to
politics. Right? But unlike other arts such as music and
makes a difference.”
theme nicely, but was distinctly lacking in a message of
Karl’s own comments – “I like the idea of feminism being
film, clothes aren’t able to express social and political
@anderscmadsen
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