LIFESTYLE returned to the theme in 2008, when for Cycle 10 of her
In September 2018, luxury London department store
modelling reality show America’s Next Top Model, she
Selfridges and designer brand Balenciaga were forced to
had the contestants pose with real homeless women for
apologise following a backlash over a window display for
a poverty-themed fashion shoot. It is not only the fashion
clothes that critics branded “homeless chic.” They were
industry, but also the media, that has drawn upon poverty
accused of “trivialising” rough sleeping with the window
and homelessness for money, and even entertainment.
display which included hooded mannequins in slumped positions. The display was deemed “insensitive”, with
In January 2010, Vivienne Westwood unveiled a
many feeling it used “homeless chic” and imagery of the
‘homeless chic’ collection in Milan. The show saw models
poorest in society to target the richest, something that
using props that a stereotypical homeless person might
seems to be a trend across most of these cases.
own, including shopping trolleys and bedrolls. Another model emerged from a cardboard box with a sleeping bag,
Most recently, the row over glamorising poverty was
showing the questionable lengths that the show took the
reignited when in early 2020 French designer Maison
theme to, especially considering that it was likely more
Margiela released black Fusion leather mesh sneakers
celebrated for its fashion than for bringing awareness to
that were described as having a ‘deconstructed aesthetic’.
an important subject matter. The collection was another
The shoes were covered in drips of ‘glue’, something that
example of a fashion house being triumphant in using the
social media users blasted as glamorising poverty. The
hardships of poverty to create something ‘beautiful’ and
interestingly designed shoes had the hefty price of £1,125
celebrated. “Homeless chic?” said one magazine editor.
attached to them. It thus seems that this trend is one that is
“It is a little close to the bone. The clothes were fantastic,
failing to die out, but hopefully the fashion world will soon
though.”
learn that it is not ok to glamorise real life suffering.
CLASS
27
