While you are moved by the global situation like many of us and the art and fashion world were not indifferent to this situation that marked our contemporary history, this time we will emphasize the brands and artists that raised their voices for peace.
1. Armani – The power of silence
“Silence says more than a thousand words”, says an old proverb, that is why the Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani has put an end to Milan Fashion week this Sunday with a collection that the models wore on a catwalk in absolute silence, avoiding the techno tracks that Many Italian brands often resort to a noble and elegant gesture to the current situation with which the designer wanted to show his solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
“My decision not to use any kind of music was made out of respect for all the people involved in the tragedy that is taking place in Ukraine,” the designer told spectators waiting to see his proposals before the fashion show began.
Speaking to the media, Giorgio Armani argued that not using music is a gesture “because of what is happening” and testifies to the pain felt in the West by what Ukrainian citizens are suffering, including many children.
“The best we can do is show that we don’t want to celebrate anything because there is something that worries us,” he insisted.
It is usual for Giorgio Armani to be the great brand that closes Milan Fashion Week but this time, they take advantage of this great media power to pass on a strong message which many brands are taking as an example of empathy and solidarity, as for example Paris Fashion Week made an announcement public where it is asked for empathy and prudence and to avoid exaltation in the situation we currently find ourselves in.
2 . Artists for peace
Over time, digital media have become a platform for political denunciation and an extremely strong media weapon. Many artists have made us understand their uncertainty, such as Murakami, Madonna, Jacquemus, Armani, even Yoko Ono herself, but without a doubt one of the stronger spokespersons was Marina Abramovich who took the floor to leave us a historical and comfortable speech seen from her personal experience.
“This is an impossible day. An attack on Ukraine is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on humanity and it must stop,” Abramovic said in English in the video posted a few hours ago on the @abramovicinstitute account.
For his part, the Tucuman artist, architect and performer Tomás Saraceno chose to express his repudiation of the conflict with photos of an anti-war demonstration in which a poster with the Ukrainian flag and the legend “Stop Putin. Stop war”.
Art and fashion is a reflection of our political changes and it is they who should not be indifferent to this world event, we hope that soon it will be another chapter in our history book and serve to give priority to a true change of consciousness.
3. Off-White Parade
It is a fact, Paris Fashion Week continued with its calendar autumn-winter 2022-2023 edition, which started with the long-awaited Off-White parade. The first of many, without beloved founder Virgil Abloh, who passed away at 41 last December and who left many concerns about his disappearance, but in his dream, he made his legacy continue without him, giving his community the opportunity to continue the path.
This collection carries all his DNA and takes the street culture to its maximum expression, playing with visual extremes, textures and shapes and of course, that mixture of haute couture with basic elements of everyday life.
The catwalk was illuminated by a constellation of stars from Naomi Campbell, Serena Williams, Cindy Crawford, her daughter Kaia Gerber, Kendal Jenner, Bella Hadid who, by the way, wore a wedding dress in the best off-White style. The one part that left the most reflection is the closing of the parade in which one of the models carried a huge blank flag which had as its motto “Question Everything” a beautiful phrase which gives a hopeful touch.
4. Etudes x Yves Klein
Etudes is a brand specialized in streetwear with a hyper arty touch and at the same time minimalist and at the same time a forceful conclusion. The brand not only bets on its latest collections to reflect current trends, but also always remains purist in its content, since its beginning, 10 years ago. To celebrate this symbiotic alliance that connect art and fashion, they decided to make a collaboration, as arty as possible, and with the whole class with nothing more and less than the creator of Blue Cobalt, YVES KLEIN.
Uncovering shared affinities for conceptual experiments, Études and Klein’s avant-garde work pushe the boundaries of what art could be. By celebrating their French and minimalist principles, Études and Klein created a dialogue that explores the international dimension of their work. Their interest in the ultramarine blue that unites them radiates colorful waves throughout the collection.
This color is very recurrent in the artistic and visual work of the brand and it is clear that it is the perfect shade to commemorate the 10 years of artistic laboratory that the ETUDES brand has given us.
Text by Sophia Thowinsson.
