With the internet producing think pieces at an all-time high — and speed — in 2016, we have a tendency to label whatever is at the forefront of the global conversation a “trend.” Things from the past do frequently make themselves anew, and no industry makes that more clear than fashion; perhaps that's why when something that hints at feminism hits the catwalk, there’s a tendency to lump that conversation right into whatever fad may have just traipsed down the runway. But feminism isn’t just a craze or trend.
However, the feminist movement is cropping up more regularly on today's runways. Rick Owens made a real statement with his spring 2014 collection that featured a roster of black steppers clad in his pieces stomping down the runway, instead of the usual host of models. Many criticized the designer for buying into stereotypes of the “angry black feminist” because the steppers were scowling and yelling on the catwalk, but that characterization is just the opposite of what was being performed: “mean-mugging” and chanting are built into step as an art form and it was a really powerful message to show something so intrinsic to black women's culture on one of the biggest runways in Paris.
Owens has since gone on to avoid calling himself a feminist outright, but when talking about his spring 2016 runway, which featured women carrying each other, he said, “I was just trying to minimize what might be seen as my pomposity in thinking I know anything about women. Compassion and affection is exactly what I was hoping to express.”
An equally important designer on the Paris stage who has literally been doing it for well over a half a century is none other than Karl Lagerfeld. He sets trends by keeping up with what's happening in the world at large. Protests were happening around the globe in 2014 and 2015 and were broadcast worldwide through social media, inspiring Lagerfeld to stage a feminist protest of his own during Chanel’s spring 2015 show. “Women’s rights are more than alright,” and “History is her story,” were just a couple of the messages strewn across posters wielded by the models.
As Lagerfeld is king of fads — think of the furry keychains he made popular at Fendi — this could be one of the reasons that some dismiss feminism in fashion as a trend. It’s the nature of the business to quickly move from one thing to the next, which simply doesn’t add up in comparison with such a long-lasting movement such as this, and Lagerfeld does know that better than anyone else. It’s quite possible that he could have done it for the social media fodder (think of the barrage of Instagram posts that followed it), but it remains a statement-making move that will go down as one of the most feminist moments in fashion history.
The ultimate message of feminism in fashion isn’t about exclusion, but inclusion. Becca McCharen of Chromat constantly blends technology with a cast of models who encompass a variety of ethnicities, complexions, and body types — incredibly forward-thinking even in 2016. Calvin Klein made a point of sitting Adwoa Aboah, Zoe Kravitz, and Hari Nef front row for the fall 2016 season, all of whom are outspoken and bold on their feminist stance.
It’s pretty evident that we have a way to go. But as more brands use their runways, social media accounts, front rows, and ad campaigns as vehicles for change, let’s hope fashion can continue to play a part in pushing the movement toward progress.
Related: How This Fashion Designer's Daughter Plans to Tackle Feminism in the Media
