Fashion and clothing have always been a medium of protest. For decades, both designers and consumers have used their clothing style to determine what message they want to convey to the outside world. This also applies to the catwalk, where brands use the global platform to make political or social statements on a current issue in the hope of spreading their message and appealing to consumers who share these values.
But now the criticism seems to be turning inward, as fashion month is increasingly becoming a stage for organizations that actively disapprove of the current processes in the industry. From New York to Paris, some of SS24’s most watched runways played host to unwitting protesters seeking to shine a spotlight on their own campaigns.
Catwalk stormers and unplanned demonstrations are nothing new. For SS20, Gucci was the subject of a subtle protest from model Ayesha Tan Jones, who held up her palms with the words “mental health is not fashion” scrawled on them – criticism of the outfit she wore, which resembled a straitjacket. Previously, during the SS14 season, two women from the Ukrainian feminist group “Femen” stormed the stage at Nina Ricci topless and painted “Models don’t go to brothels” on their bodies.
While many of these previous protests have centered around social issues, this season, as in several seasons before, more attention has been focused on the climate crisis, which has become a flashpoint for fashion critics as the industry’s turbulent relationship with the environment continues to grow comes more into the spotlight. Those that were about society – like Tommy Cash’s appearance as a “homeless man” at Diesel’s SS24 show at Milan Fashion Week, which he described as a criticism of the “widespread cynicism that surrounds trends like poverty chic” – often fell flat or even became the focus of judgment themselves due to their sometimes insensitive approach. Instead, it was the environmentalists who resorted to the shock factor to make their point, gaining the attention they desperately needed.
A chance for fashion weeks to differentiate themselves
In the run-up to London Fashion Week SS24, the British advertising agency Gumtree staged a nude protest in which demonstrators carried placards denouncing the overconsumption of clothing – one of which read: “I’d rather be naked than buy new.” . In a statement, the company’s CEO, Hugh Hurley, said: “We are calling on Britain’s leading fashion houses to recognize and harness their influence on our consumption habits. The British fashion industry has the power to change our toxic relationship with textile waste – and now is the time to act.”
Nudity seemed to be a consistent theme. Unclothed people also caused a stir at The Blonds’ show at New York Fashion Week. This time they represented the notorious environmental group Extinction Rebellion, which has been known for loud statements at fashion week in the past. While her previous protest at London Fashion Week involved pouring fake oil on the streets outside The Strand to demand the event stop working with the “biggest plastic polluter” Coca Cola, the latest theatrics were aimed at fashion as Whole thing, fitting in with one of the group’s themes “No Fashion on a Dead Planet”.
Protesters carried banners reading “Tell the naked truth about the climate crisis” and attempted to highlight “human vulnerability in the face of climate collapse” and called for an end to the use of fossil fuels. In the eyes of everyone associated with the movement, such protests even represent a potential opportunity for fashion week. In a statement, activist Laura Cole said: “NYFW has long struggled to match the prominence of its European counterparts failed every year. Why not focus on the intersection of climate and fashion? In this way, it could become the most forward-looking event in the world. It is high time that designers and leaders think about their role in the supply chain for the environment and people and strive to minimize the damage.”
However, the sense of civil disobedience did not stop there. As always, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) spoke out and caused unrest in every major fashion city this season. The aim was to reinforce the mission of convincing designers to remove animal products from their supply chains. Protesters stormed the catwalks of Michael Kors, Coach, Burberry, Hermès and even Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci debut, proving that even the most prestigious brands cannot avoid such public vilification. The animal rights organization’s typically shocking but distinctive approach was also seen outside the British Fashion Council’s NewGen Show Space, where supporters re-enacted the alleged torture of goats used for cashmere production.
Labor and animal rights are trending topics
When asked by FashionUnited why fashion weeks are increasingly becoming a platform for such protests, vice president of corporate projects Yvonne Taylor said: “PETA’s campaigns ask people to accept the use of skin or hair of a living, sentient being for fashion questioning. Fashion shows are the places where designers and other influential figures in the industry gather. They are therefore the perfect place to hold eye-catching events that educate people about the cruelty involved in the production of animal-derived substances. We run our campaigns with the goal of educating designers and consumers and empowering them to make more animal-friendly and informed decisions.”
While PETA’s previous statements have often been successful in getting a number of notable brands and fashion houses to move away from animal-based materials and use alternatives, it remains to be seen whether their recent actions will convince audiences to do the same. Taylor, who noted that the events were selected based on the number of potential viewers, was optimistic about this season’s efforts: “Awareness sparks a dialogue, which in turn is the catalyst for change. Designers are taking note of this as many are working with vegan materials more than ever before, and we expect there will be further progress in the coming seasons.”
Although less frequent in the SS24 season, the industry also faced criticism from within its own ranks, which fits into the ongoing global discussions about workers’ rights. In New York, the Model Alliance used fashion week as an opportunity to talk about the lack of workplace safety in the modeling industry, citing the recently concluded one Hollywood strike. The organization pointed out that models, as well as actors and Hollywood writers, are fighting to protect their jobs. Participants at a press conference called on the California legislature to enact a fashion industry law to regulate “exploitative management companies” in the sector.
New York Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal commented on the demands in a statement, emphasizing the need to implement the law: “This fashion week focuses on workers’ rights. Actors and models testify to the unfortunate experience of exploitation by large production studios and model management companies. But loopholes in our state’s law leave models vulnerable to exploitation and abuse while agencies profit from their image. Fashion workers deserve the same protection as everyone else, especially in an industry worth $2.5 trillion worldwide.”
The effects of such movements during the highly publicized fashion weeks are usually never immediately known, nor are the reactions of the designers or the corresponding organizations. The work of all those making the declarations will continue until the demands are met. PETA, for example, often reaches into the boardrooms of the brands involved, while Extinction Rebellion, with its reputation for over-the-top demonstrations, ensures that the organization’s politics remain in the minds of everyone it comes into contact with. Either way, it’s clear that climate-centric organizations have no intention of backing away from their mission, especially when fashion demands such judgment.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.