7 minute read
FASHION AND ITS DOUBLE STANDARDS
WRITTEN BY MANAAL IQBAL DESIGNED BY LAYNA HONG
There’s a double standard that exists in fashion. One that takes advantage of freedom of expression without advocating for it. One that celebrates modesty until it becomes the brown woman’s modesty. Fashion is a space meant to celebrate creativity in appearance, because of the infinite styles, fabrics and trends that accompany it. is what makes it so appealing. But what’s it like when brands get away with using an existing appearance for their own profit, without acknowledging the politics that might come with it?
The hijab is at the center of this concept. At first glance, it might look like cultural appropriation, but this goes beyond that. It goes to the point of fashion taking advantage of cultural and religious norms for profit even though individuals who practice these norms can’t safely do so. The hijab is at the center of this concept. Brands take advantage of the “headscarf” (as they so popularly refer to it) and commercialize it into the next big trend, while simultaneously refusing to acknowledge the struggle Muslim women face everyday trying to represent their religion. Distancing themselves from the politics of the real world, this is just one example of the way high fashion has turned into something inaccessible for the average consumer. The double standard makes fashion’s every claim of diversity, inclusion, and progress that much more meaningless. The hypocrisy isn’t something that can be ignored, and understanding where this double standard comes from is the first step in acknowledging it.
At the center of the issue, Tthe hijab sits as the intersection between fashion and religion. The hijab is a religious headscarf worn by Muslim women all over the world. Since it’s a very tangible symbol of Islam, it’s become a target of Islamaphobic policies by foreign governments. In France and many other fashion capitals of the world, hijab bans have been imposed to limit the expression of the religion and curb “terrorist” influences. Right off the bat it sounds ridiculous. To deny someone their basic rights based off of a piece of clothing sounds like something out of a dystopian movie, but it’s the reality of Muslim women all over Europe. Muslim women exist in spaces that support freedom of expression and reject it at the same time. The dichotomy laughs in their faces when they’re being physically assaulted for a piece of cloth. What do fashion brands like Gucci, Dior, Miu Miu, and Acne
Studios have to do with the politics of a hijab?
The answer: nothing. At least, that’s what they try to tell us. The fashion industry, especially high fashion, exists in a bubble that tries to separate expensive brands and lifestyles from the real world. It takes the saying “no need to make everything political” quite literally. The hijab is still on the runway, with models and celebrities donning colorful fabrics and textures on their heads–except it’s not a hijab anymore. Once it walks onto the runway it’s a “headscarf” or a balaclava, even though almost everything about its appearance matches the hijab.
For example, the balaclava is a head covering that’s traditionally worn in Eastern Europe. Strikingly similar to the hijab, the balaclava is like a hood of a hoodie. It’s become the latest trend appearing in runway shows for Miu Miu, Acne Studios, and Maison Margiela. Muslim women, including myself, can’t help but feel a pang of betrayal to see another head covering headcovering gain popularity in fashion without any support for the struggle tied to wearing hijab. We can’t do anything but watch a model walk down the runway wearing the same
thing as them. Yet, when it’s a headscarf or balaclava it’s a cool trend, but when it’s a hijab it’s a crime. Stripping the hijab of its politics has real consequences on the people who wear it, something the fashion industry does a great job of ignoring in order to keep everything neutral.
High end brands remove any political, religious, or cultural meaning from their clothing unless it benefits them in order to perpetuate the “neutral” bubble. This perspective has slightly shifted in the last decade, with brands standing up for gender equality and against human rights violations (queue Burberry pulling its inventory from Russia) or joining movements against Asian-hate, but there are two important caveats–that change is microscopic, and it only happens when the industry can profit off of it. Paris Fashion Week still exists even though the French government demonizes Muslim women, and there’s not a glimmer of support from the industry. It goes to show that fashion will use whatever audacity necessary to keep politics out of its shows, its brands, and its lifestyles whenever it wants.
But why? It’s because politics don’t sell–especially the brown woman’s politics. High fashion perpetuates a bubble that markets to a very specific audience: rich white people. Wealth is notorious for standing away and above the problems of the world, and issues like gender equality or human rights violations can be marketed from the white perspective, making it easy for brands to selectively include politics in their industry when it’s convenient for them. Whether someone like me, the average consumer, is offended by it or not–it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to actively participate in high fashion anyways, because I can’t. Since high fashion brands have turned themselves into an exclusive club for the rich, they have no need to “trouble” themselves by relating to average people. It makes fashion’s every claim of diversity, inclusion and progress that much more ironic.
In the 21st century, fashion has taken a pivotal stance on the politics of an industry built on objectifying the white woman’s body. Building a diverse pool of models from all over the world to walk the runway, the industry has begun championing diversity in race, gender, ethnicity, size, all of it. It seems like real improvement exists when this year’s Paris Fashion Week is compared to the first. But all of that improvement exists in a “neutral” bubble soaked in ignorance, and without that bubble, none of the progress is really there. Without Gucci, Dior, Versace and every other high-end high end brand desperately trying to play Switzerland and keep politics out of their clothes and runways, their “progress” isn’t progress at all. It’s an intentional choice to profit off of political and social issues because it’s easy, convenient, and marketable–not because it’s important, meaningful and morally sound. Trying to be neutral by removing everything political in the industry isn’t neutral at all, it’s joining the side of the oppressor.
But who cares if Dior doesn’t want to get political in their shows? Even though fashion can and should be used as a space to creatively escape from the overwhelming emotion of today’s world through self-expression, there’s a line. Selectively including politics when it’s profitable and removing them when it’s not crosses that e line. If fashion wants to profit off of the hijab by marketing it as a headscarf, it has a responsibility to advocate for Muslim women where their hijab jeopardizes their safety and livelihood. The industry can support Ukraine, call out Asianhate, and advocate for gender equality, so there’s
no excuse for excluding support for issues that predominantly affect brown women. In order for fashion to lay claim to diversity, inclusion, and progress, it needs to find that balance between advocacy and appreciation.
Whether or not there is a solution, whether or not this is right or wrong, there’s a double standard that needs to be acknowledged. I still actively participate in fashion where I can, drawing inspiration from my favorite designers and trends. As much as I want to chase after high fashion and get a taste of that lifestyle, none of that matters if it comes from a space that refuses to advocate for me, to uplift me, to support me. This experience becomes more common across so many different identities: Muslim women,
When an industry takes advantage of an individual’s lifestyle without advocating for them, they distance themselves from them, and from the real world. From that point on, every claim about supporting different voices, ideas, or issues goes down the drain. The industry is yelling into an echo chamber. The audience that’s already been sucked into a world of couture will stay that way, and the average consumers left behind won’t seek out inclusion. It makes breaking into fashion, breaking this cycle, very difficult. It also makes witnessing this double standard that much more heartbreaking. Not even days after France imposed a nationwide hijab ban, Vogue France posted a picture on Instagram with the caption: “yes to the headscarf!” The irony laughs in our faces, and proves why recognizing this hypocrisy is more important than ever.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALZAHRAA AL BAYATI MODELED BY NADEEN ATIEH
