Revolting fashion lines history! In November, Dolce & Gabbana canceled a Shanghai fashion show, just as it was scheduled to start, after being accused of racism. The controversy started after the luxury label shared videos on Instagram in which an Asian model attempted to eat Italian food with chopsticks. The videos were meant to promote the Shanghai event, which the brand had dubbed “The Great Show,” but instead they sparked anger online. Users on the Chinese social media platform Weibo accused the label of trivializing Chinese culture and presenting a racist view of women. To make matters even worse, it appeared Stefano Gabbana, one of the brand’s co-founders, was responding to upset commenters online with offensive insults. He later claimed his account, and the account of the brand, had been hacked.
Alexander McQueen’s Fall/Winter 1995 Collection, “Highland Rape”, McQueen was one of the greatest provocateurs in the fashion industry, so it’s no surprise that another one of his shows makes this list. For his Fall/Winter 1995 show, Highland Rape, McQueen sent out models bruised and battered wearing tattered clothes of tartan and lace. With some thinking that McQueen was promoting violence against women, the backlash was swift. But, in McQueen’s eyes, the show was meant to represent the ethnic cleansing of the Scottish Highlands by British soldiers during the 18th and 19th centuries and the ensuing controversy upset the designer, especially since he cared so much about designing clothes that empowered women.
Ivanka Trump’s Clothing Violates Her Father’s Policies, Donald Trump’s ‘Made in America’ campaign promise seemed to only apply to people outside of his family. As many reporters, politicians and social media users pointed out, Ivanka Trump’s clothing line is still being made in other countries. Months after the election, it was revealed that three people investigating the Chinese factory that makes her shoes either went missing or were arrested by the Chinese government.
The Givenchy Spring/Summer 2016 show built up a whole lot of buzz well before the models headed down the runway. But not necessarily for a good reason: the show was held in the shadow of the Freedom Tower – once the site of New York’s Twin Towers – on September 11. Initially considered a pretty controversial choice of time and location for a fashion show, the fashion press was generally appreciative of the gesture. Givenchy’s Haute aesthetic was strangely of a piece with the scale, drama, and surreal quality of this memorial of public mourning. Not to mention it’s typically black mourning palette. And though it might not seem particularly respectful to use September 11th to sell clothes, its capitalist gesture was in keeping with the twin towers. Although still in somewhat questionable taste, the choice of setting and the collection itself were both praised by those who attended as a powerful and moving experience.
Another upsetting fashion line is Headhunters Line, a very bold fashion line that already generated a lot of controversy. Sex, guns, disturbing message, this fashion clothing line has them all. See more info at Headhunters Clothing.