Walter Van Beirendonck's latest show in Paris was a gorgeous blur of dots and stripes: both the tailored, British kind and the kind so often called "tribal." Think neatly creased blazers and trousers, Navajo prints, sneakers that looked like bug-eyed creatures, and trippy spandex pullovers with crocodiles that would befit Aboriginal art (all worn by dudes in army helmets).
It's the kind of mash-up that's seen often in fashion nowadays: yet seldom are designers so self-conscious about the political implications. At the beginning and end of the show, two of Van Beirendonck's models walked the runway wearing Native American feathered headdresses bearing the phrase "STOP RACISM." At one point, another model had a similar message ("NO RACISM") shaved into his head. It was a blunt command to an industry that is often criticized for thoughtlessly appropriating the aesthetics of non-western cultures––all while employing a homogeneous pool of white models to display them.
Van Beirendonck, long a master of deliberate inconsistency, likely also doesn't think casting a wide net in terms of fashion influences is the same thing as being racist. Under Van Beirendonck's direction, the varied influences of the collection jumbled together into a fun, colorful, romp that was hard to consider anything but inclusive.
Photos by Alice Moitié | E-mail us to be notified once the Fall/Winter 2014 collection hits OC!
