LGBTQ

Reflection: ProjectFEM’s Feminist Fashion Catwalk and Exhibition

~ hollycharlottecampbell ~ Leave a comment

High on the buzz of the debut ProjectFEM fashion event, Founder Holly Campbell reflects on the day, thanks all involved and offers food for thought for the next epic event…

The event was truly a success. After months of planning and exasperating hard work Danielle, Annie, Georgie and I managed to pull together our first event working late nights and weekends around our full time jobs. We emailed until our fingers were numb, persistently pitched for funding and flyered until we ran out of places to go; it all paid off on the day and we seamlessly improvised through unexpected challenges.

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The Team: Annie (Media), Holly (Director), Georgie (Stylist), Danielle (Event Manager at Cargo)

We welcomed guests including the Women’s Equality Party’s Sophie Walker and Catherine Meyer, plus size model Jada Sezer, activist model Rain Dove and America’s Next Top Model’s first gay contestant Cory Wade. All of whom were incredibly passionate about the cause and recognised the necessity of opening a conversation about the detrimental impacts of fashion around gender, beauty, diversity and representation. Sophie Walker gave a captivating speech about WEP’s #NoSizeFitsAll body image campaign, in which a fundamental component is to pressure London mayer Sadiq Khan into withdrawing funding from London Fashion Week for shows that do not cast at least one model of size 12 or above. Our audience were reassuringly engaged and opened up further important conversations around body image and fashion. Take action here.

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Sophie Walker, Leader of the Women’s Equality Party, speaking on 09.09.16

Then the show began! Our models were beaming with confidence and excitement and it showed. Designers included Gudrun & Gudrun, a sustainable knitwear brand and Neon Moon a feminist lingerie brand. Each look made a statement through visual culture in terms of gender and beauty.

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VIPs at the ProjectFEM event, 09.09.16

Diversity and representation are our fundamental aims and integral to our values and mission. We were successful in achieving racial diversity amongst our cast of models and we had a range of genders and ages. However, we recognise that we did not capture a cast as representative as we had hoped. We had two recruited plus-sized models and a model with physical disabilities, but at the last  minute they pulled out which was out of our control. This meant that we did not manage to represent physical disability in the show, whilst invisible disabilities were present amongst our cast.

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Catwalk Finale, 09.09.16

Upon reflection, as much as we advertised through social media, flyered and put out casting calls with a diverse modelling agencies, we struggled to capture the amount of transgender, age and ability diverse models as we wanted. We were inundated with applications from models from ranging ethnic background but found it a real task to reach those with broader ranging underrepresented qualities. Starting the project we thought individuals from these groups would eager get involved. Upon reflection, this challenge shows that if there is no consistent mainstream space for these people then how can there exist an aspiring population of models ready to jump at our adverts? We advertised with a diverse modelling agency but that brought us only young, slim and ethnically diverse models. Diversity is more than that.

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Models from the ProjectFEM Catwalk, 09.09.16

This exemplifies the need for us to continue our work in advocating true human representation within fashion. To achieve that we need to provide opportunities, hope and change for human beings who are completely unrepresented by the fashion industry. We need to give them the space to become models in the first place, to pressure fashion week organisers, designers and advertising agencies to allow equal space for these models. We cannot simply widen the goal posts of idealised beauty by having racial and size diversity, we need to reinvent those ideals from a deeper grassroots level with the radical value that we are all beautiful, all races, abilities, genders, sizes and ages included.

We cannot merely broaden the goal posts of what or who is considered idealised beauty, we need to revolutionise what we are told beauty is. If people outside the stereotypical ideal are not represented then they are unlikely to aspire to become models. We must provide that empowerment and a platform for them to do so. We have learnt a tremendous amount from hosting our first event and our values, drive and integrity has never been stronger!

Feedback from models following the event:

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Styling Radical Buttons, the Feminist Badge Designer

~ hollycharlottecampbell ~ Leave a comment

This week we styled pieces by Radical Buttons, an accessories brand that aim to ‘make the world a less oppressive place, one button at  a time’. Radical Buttons launched last year with the vision to create feminist and social-justice themed accessories to promote self-empowerment and anti-oppression. Half the proceeds of your purchases go to charities and you can customise your own pieces!

We chose the following handmade pieces to style into two different looks:

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The designs make statements on a range of social justice issues that affect women and the LGBTQA+ community from sexism to veganism and politics. We love the humour and novelty behind the designs, which makes each piece more meaningful in expressing your identity through your style.

Pink is Power

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The designs of the badges and necklace have been co-ordinated with the colours of the shirt and coat for an unashamedly pink and feminine look. We should not be ashamed of embracing our femininity for fear of compromising how seriously we are taken by the outside world. Reclaim pink into your style, it holds power and sentiment. Take ownership of being a woman who embraces her femininity without compromising her mission.

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This sentiment also goes for the novelty pumps, fashion should be fun, creative and expressive so own it by pairing cute, unique pieces with Radical Buttons accessories that make powerful statements.

Look 2– Express Yourself

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Instead of buying into a pre-motif’d jacket, go DIY and customise your own with motifs and badges that make meaningful statements that express you, your views and your values.

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A mesh crop top and appliqué bralet makes a visual statement of liberation and empowerment by taking ownership of your body regardless of shape or size. We are taught to cover up and wear styles that ‘flatter’, but it can be liberating to show your body in the public sphere, when women are predominantly told to cover up boobs and hide any fat.

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We believe that self-expression, either through novelty accessories or statements on pins is fundamental to style. Don’t be a dupe of fashion by buying pre-motif’d jackets this season, create and customise your own with badges that are important and expressive to you. Regardless of what the catwalks and magazines tell us is in season right now, carry novelty accessories through because they create a sense of timeless character and personality for your look.

Show us how you are styling your Radical Buttons accessories, and we will share them on our Instagram page!

Written and styled by Holly C

D&G Capitalise on Same-Sex Families After ‘Opposing Gay Adoption’

~ hollycharlottecampbell ~ 3 Comments

At first glance, these handbags emblazoned with images of same-sex, inter-racial families struck me as a brilliant fashion statement of inclusion and equality.

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It then dawned on me that the image, posted on Instagram this week, was published by one half of D&G, Stefano Gabbana, . The brand who, in an interview with Panorama magazine in March 2015, stated “We oppose gay adoptions” and “The only family is the traditional one”. After a backlash and calls to boycott the brand by celebrities including Elton John and Courtney Love, Stefano later defended his comments in an interview with CNN , claiming his “freedom to speak” and that “this is just [his] point of private view”… Not very private when you’re airing your harmful views in an interview read by hundreds of thousands of people and causing a backlash from lesbian and gay celebrities for the world to view.

The handbags were launched as part of D&G’s Family Project which is based on Stefano’s ideas of the ‘traditional family’ and Sicilian culture. The collection’s catwalks and magazine spreads have projected images of young, thin, attractive female models posing as biological mothers to their offspring. The fundamental ideal promoted by the project’s campaigns is that of heterosexuality, whiteness and the biological generations of one Sicilian family.

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D&G’s ideals are quite obvious with a quick scan over the DGFamily Project’s adverts; the traditional family is paramount, with no representation of same-sex couples, adoption or any other deviation from tradition.

The handbags, insultingly embellished with images of same-sex couples and adopted children, seem starkly out of place for a campaign unwaveringly founded on D&G’s idea of the traditional family.

After the backlash of their comments against gay adoption, it seems that they appropriated the diversity trend. The bags are unfitting to the ideals consistently promoted by the brand. The debate was raised by myself (HollyCC__x) on the Instagram post, see Stefano’s (@StefanoGabbana) response below:

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Stefano did not offer any helpful comments or justifications (to his brand, or to critical onlookers) for releasing the out-of-place handbags as part of his Family campaign. Further, his obvious ignorance of the context and placement of the handbags emphasise just how poorly thought out the move is. The brand have failed to maintain any responsibility for their offensive comments and it appears that they will continue to do so.

The handbags, initially appearing as a revolutionary statement within a currently restrictive fashion culture, put into context are actually a perfect example of trend-spotting dependent on social attitudes. The masses have retaliated and the hegemonic fashion leaders have made a botched move for acceptance.

ProjectFEM‘s aim is to create a revolutionary, inclusive and empowering fashion brand that promotes pieces that make unapologetic social statements. Out of the shameful context of D&G, we would champion these handbags. However, we must not waver from our principles and responsibility to be conscious and critical within the mainstream fashion system.

We would love to hear your thoughts, leave us a comment!

Written by Holly C