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Embroidery enthusiasts on the hunt for Christmas tree inspirations need look no further than the Riggs in Washington, D.C. The boutique hotel teamed up with Rachelle Hruska MacPherson's Lingua Franca to whip up a festive tree celebrating the art of hand-stitching and craftsmanship.
The cashmere-clad tree is bedecked with hand-embroidered crocheted garlands and embroidery hoop ornaments with some of Lingua Franca's trademark slogans such as "Vote," "Give a Damn," "Peace on Earth," and "Dream on Dreamers."
Take a closer look to spot Juno Moneta, the Roman goddess and protector of funds, embroidered on some of the hoops - a nod to the building's history as the former Riggs National Bank dating back to 1891.
Rachelle Hruska MacPherson launched her brand as a response to her therapist's suggestion to take up embroidery for anxiety relief. Lingua Franca gained popularity during the Trump White House years, for its slogans such as "I Miss Barack" on cashmere sweaters. At the moment, the brand has a wide range of garments with further slogans such as "I Read Banned Books," "Abortion is Self-Care" and "Gun Control Now".
Using embroidery hoop ornaments as Christmas decorations (especially smaller ones) is not a new idea, but usually we all tend to adorn them with cute Christmas motifs. This tree invites us instead to consider the possibility of spreading more than just joy through the humble embroidery hook.
So, grab your needle and thread, opt for joyful messages, go political or express your frustration at the current state of the world and turn your Christmas tree into an opportunity to make a real statement with personalised slogans. Let the holiday stitching begin!
In yesterday's post we looked at a choreography inspired by a philosophical allegory taken from a work of ancient Greek literature. Roman and Greek classics and antiquities can actually be extremely inspiring for modern creators.
In Italy, Latin and ancient Greek are still taught in grammar schools, albeit in a demented fashion with teachers focusing on intricate rules rather than on the beauty of certain works, and on the possibilities they may offer to young minds that may re-adapt them for the big screen or for videogames (as it has already happened, actually…).
There is indeed no point in translating for the umpteenth time Julius Caesar's Commentarii de bello Gallico (that has been done thousands of times already) and there is no point in vexing students into learning the sigmatic and asigmatic aorist by heart, if you don't teach them to love the culture and show them how etymology or the themes of certain tragedies and comedies, can be reinterpreted in a more modern key.
If you're studying fashion or makeup and hairstyle, you should definitely check out the attire of Roman statues as their tunic, jewelry and accessories can be used as inspiration for a wide range of projects. The recently rediscovered Torlonia marbles are a great starting point, but if you happen to be in Rome you will spot other examples in a lot of other places, including the Vatican Museums or the Centrale Montemartini.
But don't worry if you can't afford visiting the "Eternal City", look online for inspirations and check out also auction sites. Tomorrow, for example, there is an auction of ancient sculptures and works of art at Sotheby's in London's New Bond Street.
As usual, there is a lot to discover, in between attic vases, fine canopic jars and a Roman torso of the iconic Greek youth of myth and poetry, Narcissus.
Obviously, not many of us mere mortals can afford them (and in some cases I wouldn't even buy them if I could, after all, objects like canopic jars should be in a museum and not in a private collector's house...), but we can definitely learn from them.
Hairstylists, rejoice for example at the roman marble head of Heracles (circa 2nd century AD). The son of Zeus and a demi-god with superhuman strength, Heracles is represented here with parted lips and s prominent brow, his hair surmounted by a wreath of poplar leaves (Heracles crowned himself with poplar after returning from the underworld; that's why the poplar is a symbol of a peaceful afterlife) and tied in an elaborate knot at the back.
A Roman marble bust of a woman is even more intriguing: the Roman lady is portrayed wearing a tunic and mantle, her hair framing the forehead in a broad mass of drilled curls with two echeloned rows of tubular ornaments, drawn back behind the ears and up from the nape of the neck into a turban of coiled braids behind the crown of the head. Her coiffure and hair ornaments reveal us that the bust is from the Flavian period (circa 80-100 AD).
You can try and recreate these styles in real life or adapt them for a photographic project with everyday materials (what could we use for the tubular ornaments? The possibilities are endless…) or prompt Midjourney or another AI text-to-image application to come up with something original, weird or impossible, inspired by Roman hairstyles.
As the centuries passed, certain items obviously fell out of use - think about the votive feet or the foot-shaped oil lamp included in the Sotheby's auction.
At the same time, we could almost try and make connections with what's on our runways and with these objects from the past: Demna Gvasalia sent out on Balenciaga's Fall 2024 runway (that took place last Saturday in Los Angeles) models carrying a stiletto-shaped clutch.
A combination of Elsa Schiaparelli's iconic 1937-38 shoe hat (View this photo) rethought as a clutch, remixed with Moschino's S/S 2015 shoe bag (View this photo) and with more conceptual and less kitsch versions of the same idea, like Margiela's tabi soles shoes (View this photo) and ballet slippers (View this photo) bags, the stiletto-clutch actually retains a connection with votive objects from Roman times - it seems indeed to be ideal for those ones among us who worship at the altar of fashion.
If your interest lies in architecture rather than fashion, ancient relics are also gaining popularity: Fendi recently announced a new conservation project.
The Italian luxury brand committed to funding the restoration of the Grotto of Diana at Villa d'Este in Tivoli, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
Situated at a panoramic vantage point in Villa d'Este (designed by Pirro Ligorio), the Grotto of Diana, the goddess huntress, is a cruciform plan nymphaeum erected in the Cardinal's Walk between 1570 and 1572 by Paolo Calandrino. Inside the grotto mythological scenes from Ovid's "Metamorphoses" with Tritons, Nereids, and Caryatids canephorae are featured. The grotto's surface boasts a rich and intricate polychrome decoration, incorporating various materials such as stucco, glass pastes, shells, glazed majolica tiles, and stone.
For this initiative, Fendi will collaborate with the Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este Autonomous Institute, restoring the decorated surfaces alongside adjacent structures and paths. The project also aims to enhance motor accessibility to the Grotto while addressing the needs of individuals with visual, hearing, and cognitive disabilities through a dedicated path.
This restoration aligns with Fendi's commitment to preserving locations with water features: the "Fendi for Fountains" project has so far worked on the restoration of key fountains in Rome including the Complex of the Four Fountains, Mostra dell’Acqua Paola, the fountains del Mosè and del Peschiera and Mostra della nuova Acqua Vergine. Fendi also released in 2013 a coffee table book about Rome's fountains - The Glory of Water (published by Steidl) - with photographs taken by Karl Lagerfeld.
Last year, Fendi partnered with the French Academy in Rome - Villa Medici, and, supported by the Mobilier National (a French national service agency under the supervision of the French Ministry of Culture), renovated six reception salons at Villa Medici.
So, remember, antiquities are not merely relics of the past but historical gems, things that can help us shaping our future: visit an exhibition, go online to look for inspirations and find ways to reimagine the significance of these pieces and find new ways to reinvent them and incorporate them into a modern context.
The allegory of Plato's cave is likely one of the philosophical myths that linger in our memory, whether or not we encountered it in school or have a strong affinity for philosophy.
In the allegory (Plato writes about it in "The Republic", 375 BC), Socrates illustrates the dichotomy between belief and knowledge: chained prisoners are confined in a cave, behind the prisoners is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners there are people carrying objects. The prisoners are therefore only exposed to shadows cast by objects behind them. The prisoners watch these shadows, believing this to be their reality as they've known nothing else.
The prisoner who is freed and discovers the outside world symbolizes the journey from ignorance and darkness to knowledge and enlightenment. Returning to free the others, the prisoner is blinded because he is not used to the sunlight, so the others think they will be harmed if they try to leave the cave. The blinded prisoner signifies the challenges faced when trying to enlighten others. So, the allegory highlights the transformative power of knowledge and the challenges individuals face in accepting higher truths.
Artist JR recently used Plato's allegory for a project, "Retour à la Caverne" (Back to the Cave), in collaboration with the Opera national de Paris and 𝘭𝘦19M, Chanel's complex designed to bring together its 11 Maisons d'art, the Maison ERES and la Galerie du 19M under one roof.
The artist is known for his installations that have taken over major locations, including the Louvre Museum and the banks of the Seine, the Farnese Palace in Rome and the Strozzi Palace in Florence, the favelas of Rio and the bunkers of the Second World War Atlantic Wall.
At the moment, Palais Garnier is being restored and it is therefore covered in scaffoldings, so the project employed the building as it is, for two installations that took place in September and November.
In September, Act I, entitled "L'entrée de la caverne", acted as an introduction and invited visitors outside the cave and into the light.
The monumental façade of the building was covered with a canvas representing an immense cavern opening onto a perspective of rock and light.
The scene called to mind the descriptions of nature in Edmund Burke's "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful".
The cave was indeed inspired by the romantic codes of the 19th century and in particular by the painter Hubert Robert, while also referencing great stage sets of operas by Berlioz or Wagner.
Over four evenings, projections of ballet dancers and lyrical performers allowed people to discover the origins of these two forms of art through a variety of performances, including, among the others, "Boléro" by Maurice Béjart, an excerpt from "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" by Jacques Offenbach, directed by Robert Carsen, "Brise-lames" by Damien Jalet, an excerpt from "Le Par" by Angelin Preljocaj, "Die Grosse Fuge" by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, and an excerpt from "La Traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi, directed by Simon Stone.
The projections invited people to consider how in ancient times song and dance celebrated the divinities of archaic Greece in caves set aside for the occasion. It wasn't until the 6th century BC that these celebrations were brought closer to the cities, where real tribunes and bleachers were dug to bring together all the citizens.
For Act II - "Dans la caverne" - that took place in November, people were invited back into the cave to explore the entire grotto.
The walls of the cave were covered with handprints collected thanks to the participation of hundreds of visitors to the "Mano Habilis" workshop offered by le19M and run for two months by Atelier Montex, le19M's resident embroidery house. During the workshop participants learned how to embroider their own handprints, which were then placed on the cavern walls alongside hundreds of others.
Choreographer Damien Jalet presented on an abstract, ancestral, evocative, and at times ominously dark yet mesmerizing soundscape by Thomas Bangalter, "Chiroptera", a performance featuring 153 dancers from all over Europe.
Amandine Albisson, étoile of the Paris Opera, opened the performance with a solo, then the curtains rose to reveal the 153 performers on the scaffolds.
Thanks to their costumes, comprising a white light refractive suit with black knee pads and a black and white cape, the dancers created from a distance a visually striking effect, similar to that of split-flap displays or of human pixels on an immense digital board. The choreography was very clever with dancers repeating the same movements in a mirrored and alternating arrangement, that gave you the illusion they were all performing different movements.
There was a fashion twist in the event: Albisson's costume comprising a black dolcevita jumper decorated with crystals under a long black tweed coat that incorporated sparkling shiny yarns with a velvet collar (both the garments symbolised the light vs darkness dichotomy) was designed by Chanel, that also supported the design and fabrication of costumes for the 153 dancers, a rather minimalist yet clever design that allowed the dancers to have maximum impact.
There was a strong architectural component in this installation that went from prehistorical times, with the cave, then passed onto the classical architecture of the building and introduced viewers to industrial architecture with the scaffolding.
Yet, aside from architecture, it was inspiring to see a philosophical concept transformed into a performance (always remember, fashion students, that inspiration can emerge from diverse sources, also unlikely ones like an intangible philosophical allegory, and can be approached from various perspectives...).
There were two messages in this project: beyond today's pervading darkness, beyond all the brutality out there, there is still beauty and light. While beauty by itself may not be able to shelter us from the violence of our world, it can help us restoring hope in our hearts.
The cave in this installation didn't therefore symbolize darkness, but hinted at a protective haven, shielding its inhabitants from the world's violence. Darkness serves to reveal light, the dancers spelled indeed the sentence "Darkness Holds the Grace" at a certain point of the choreography.
As stated also by JR when he opened the show in November: "In recent weeks, we have seen so much darkness around us. All of us, the artists and dancers wondered: what good is dancing, what good is creating, what good is putting on a show with all this darkness around us? But we said no, our role as artists is always to search for the light. And we know this much: you don't chase away the darkness with more darkness, but you chase away the darkness with light, even the tiniest one."
The second message served as an invitation, reminding us that the Paris Opera is accessible to everyone (the two performances on the Place de l'Opéra were free). Let's hope that this invitation extends to other opera theaters worldwide, including Milan's La Scala. Gone are the days when the upper echelons of society turned up in lavish furs and grand gowns on the opening night of la Scala's new season, 7th December, but many people still find opera and ballet as entertainments for an elite audience. Within these theaters lie instead great inspirations and potential careers for costume and fashion designers. The key is dispelling the misconception that these worlds are stagnant an revealing them as vibrant and thriving universes.
All images in this post courtesy of Opéra de Paris.
Maria Callas has been trending recently because today marks the centenary of the soprano's birth and because there is currently an exhibition of rarely seen photographs from the Intesa Sanpaolo Publifoto archive at Gallerie d'Italia in Milan (until 28 February 2024).
In these images she is already the star we all know, revered, well-dressed, clad in cloaks and furs, and donning elegant hats. She is portrayed at La Scala, at a Milanese restaurant, during rehearsals, at the beach and during a press conference, surrounded by paparazzi, a box of Perugina chocolates perched on the armrest of her armchair.
Here she is getting off a train arriving at Milan's Central Station, there she is surrounded by fans; in another image she is pictured next to her husband, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, tycoon, impresario and strategist of her career.
Then she's with Elsa Maxwell and Aristotle Onassis, Grace Kelly and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco. In one image Callas is the centre of attention as she walks in Portofino, alongside Diana and Sarah Churchill, Athina Onassis and Antonella Piaggio Agnelli, the five women in casual yet elegant ensembles, looking like models at the end of a runway show. In these images Maria Callas shines as a perfectly assembled star - stylish, refined and sophisticated.
Yet her life should make us ponder a bit as Callas, renowned for her extraordinary voice and talent, faced criticism and scrutiny for her appearance throughout her career.
Born in 1923, Anna Maria Cecilia Sophia Kalogheròpoulou, better known as Maria Callas, remains the first example of a reconstructed identity via fashion and, well, dieting. Or rather, through dieting and fashion.
Italian fashion designer Elvira Leonardi Bouyeure, nicknamed Biki, met her in 1951 at the house of Wally Toscanini, daughter of composer Arturo Toscanini (Biki's grandfather was Giacomo Puccini).
Biki was impressed by her voice, but definitely shocked by the style of the opera singer. The day after she met Callas, Biki told to her son-in-law and collaborator Alain Reynaud. "I was struck by the contrast between the image I had admired on stage and the one I saw in real life. I was shocked by the unimaginable 'outfit' that Maria had managed to put together. So fat! And with a hat, in the evening, at home! It even had a wide brim of black velvet. Her jacket was at least five centimeters short of closing on the chest. Let's not even talk about the blouse. The long skirt couldn't cover her thick legs, and the shoes were black patent leather, boat-shaped, with a narrow strap that certainly didn't complement the line of her feet. The bag, also black patent leather, was as big as a shopping basket. But what really gave me a shock were the earrings, you know those rowing boats that you rent for boat trips in Venice? Well, On Maria Callas's ears, two long pendants sparkled with bulky rowing boats." "Made out of gold?" Reynaud asked. "No, plastic," remarked a shocked and rather cruel Biki.
Biki didn't hide her concern about Callas' weight even when she was asked to create designs for her. Soon after this encounter at Wally Toscanini's house, Giovanni Battista Meneghini, Maria Callas' husband, phoned Biki and Reynaud to let them know that his wife wanted them to dress her from now on.
Biki invited him to her atelier, but, upon arriving, she and Reynaud told him that Maria Callas had to lose weight to make sure the outfits suited her. Meneghini didn't flinch, and announced they already had a plan for a special diet that would have given Maria a more harmonious silhouette.
In the early years of her career, Callas was 1.72 m tall and weighed 90 Kg. Wanting to lose some weight to get a more dramatic figure and coaxed by many people around her, from critics to her husband Meneghini, she went through a diet.
Callas had a complex relation with weight: her mother, who insisted she sang as a child, often made her feel like an "ugly duckling, fat and clumsy and unpopular", while her sister was "slim and beautiful" as she told The Times in 1956.
Callas and Meneghini met Biki and Reynaud in their atelier in 1952 and, from then on, Biki became Callas favourite designer. By then Callas had already lost some weight and Biki and Reynaud started fantasizing about dressing her in leopard and sable, purple and gold satin, large skirts and ample stoles. The fashion and style machine was put in motion and a new diva was born.
During 1953 and early 1954, Callas lost almost 36 Kg: opera impresario Rudolf Bing, who remembered Callas as being "monstrously fat" in 1951, stated that after the weight loss, Callas was an "astonishing, svelte, striking woman".
Biki also designed for her costumes like the ones for La Traviata: Biki's costume for Violetta hinted at the frivolousness of the character, while her moderate décolletage pointed at elegance rather than at a transgressive nature.
In matters of style, Callas initially lacked confidence. When she departed for the United States, concerns about coordinating clothes and accessories troubled her. Biki implemented a system, and a dressmaker from her atelier discreetly placed a unique number inside each garment and accessory. The singer was then provided with corresponding cards, guiding her on how to pair the numbered items. Under the influence of Meneghini, Biki, and Reynaud, Callas underwent a transformative journey, emerging as a radiant butterfly, embraced and admired in various circles.
Biki acted as our modern-day stylists and turned Maria Callas into an icon: with Reynaud she dressed her in honey-colored satin with sable trim; came up with a long evening gown in leopard print, and opted for daring contrasts of crimson velvet and black satin – all to prove she was a sophisticated woman. Grand capes were draped over her shoulders, necklines were matched with immense butterfly sleeves, a black leather cloak was lined with sable. They say that Biki and Reynaud designed for her a long squarish train that reportedly sparked jealousy in Yves Saint Laurent.
Quite often Callas turned into a vehicle of other people's desires: when she started her love story with Aristotle Onassis, the millionaire wanted her dressed in black with short hair. He would call Biki to remind her of his preferences (when the dressmakers answered the phone they would tell Biki there was a certain Mr Ananas on the line; "ananas" means pineapple in Italian, so this was rather comical...). Biki tried to interpret his desires through her own inspirations, so, a cruise on Onassis' yacht Christina (the images are also part of the exhibition in Milan) inspired Biki trousers with a matching wallet mini-skirt, long evening dresses, swimming suits that highlighted Callas' silhouette, scarves, hats, and a myriad of accessories.
Biki also dressed Callas in the '70s for her last performances, then with Reynaud she would visit her in Paris to try and alleviate her depression. When she passed away at 53, Reynaud went to Paris to see her a last time. Laid on her bed in a grey dress, a rose and a cross on her chest, Callas finally looked serene.
The debate over whether Callas's vocal decline resulted from ill health, early menopause, overuse and abuse of her voice, loss of breath support, loss of confidence, or weight loss in the meantime continued. Shortly before her death, Callas explained that she felt she had lost strength in her diaphragm and therefore she had lost her courage and boldness.
The interviewer continued, asking her if she liked being in the pages of illustrated magazines? "No," she quickly replied. A final shocking question followed, defined as indiscreet by the interviewer himself, the question wasn't about her romantic life as some of us may think, but about her body, how much did she weigh these days? "I'm 1.72 cm tall and I weigh 64 Kg," she answered, adding "and I can't afford losing more weight as I have to work." Guess male opera singers might not have faced the same level of inquiry into their weight or physical attributes.
So, on Maria Callas' birth anniversary, let's not just celebrate her as a divine opera singer, but also reflect on the impact of body shaming on women. We now reclaim her as an icon of style, but Callas was subjected to public commentary on her weight, attire, and overall physical appearance. By looking back at Maria Callas' story, we can ponder on the harmful impact of body shaming and celebrate her legacy in a more inclusive and respectful way.
A woman from Derbyshire recently found in the lining of her coat a Chinese prisoner's ID card. The coat was purchased from British brand Regatta during a Black Friday sale, as reported by The Guardian. Upon wearing it the woman discovered there was something hard in the right sleeve that impaired her movement. She cut the jacket and discovered the ID card – complete with a mugshot of a man in a prison uniform and the prison details.
The plastic holder indicated it was produced by the Ministry of Justice prisons bureau, raising concerns about potential prison labor involvement in the clothing's manufacturing.
When the woman contacted Regatta's customer service, they initially dismissed it as a worker's ID from a Chinese factory and suggested disposing of it. Subsequently, an email requested the return of the ID and the coat, with the woman claiming that Regatta offered a replacement coat, though the company denied it.
The incident raises questions about the efficacy of auditing supply chains, especially in large-scale high street brands. Regatta, based in Manchester, is part of the Regatta Group, selling outdoor clothing through various channels. Despite being a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative like its other brands, Regatta faces challenges in ensuring ethical working standards, especially in remote factories like those in China. The company claims that the garment in question was produced in a fully compliant factory in China, audited by a certified third party in July 2023, with no policy breaches found.
However, the process of auditing has become exceedingly challenging for certain companies across diverse industries. As discussed in a prior podcast, one can draw a comparison between ultra-fast fashion retailers and supermarkets. In the food sector, companies and supermarket suppliers claim to conduct audits on agricultural produce to demonstrate that the harvesting operations are carried out by legal workers and not by exploited illegal immigrants. However, these audits often involve remote checks or infrequent on-site visits to farms. A similar scenario unfolds in the fashion industry, where auditors are significantly distant from the factories in China or Bangladesh that may be engaging in exploitative practices for profit.
In August 2022, China affirmed its commitment to the International Labour Organization (ILO) by formally ratifying the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), and the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105). Convention No. 29 unequivocally prohibits all forms of forced labor, compelling state parties to criminalize such practices. Besides, Convention No. 105 mandates the immediate eradication of compulsory labor for diverse purposes, including political coercion, education, punishment, economic development, labor discipline, and discrimination based on race, social status, nationality, or religion.
However, prior investigations and research have exposed that individuals detained in China, sometimes for extended periods due to religious practices or behaviors deemed disloyal (such as using WhatsApp, sporting a beard, or studying abroad), are frequently exploited in the garment industry. This includes members of the Uyghur population, as well as Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Hui, Mongols, and Xibe. In response to these concerns, the United States State Department implemented the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), that was approved by the Senate and Congress in 2021 and signed into law by US President Joe Biden in June 2022.
In the last ten years there have been other cases in which handwritten notes by exploited inmates were uncovered in consumer products. In 2013, a woman in Oregon found a folded letter within a package of Halloween decorations sold at Kmart. The handwritten note detailed the writer's imprisonment in a labor camp in northeastern China. The writer described grueling conditions with inmates working seven days a week for 15 hours, enduring the brutality of sadistic guards and urged recipients to forward it to the World Human Rights Organization. The author of the letter was later identified as religious dissident Sun Yi, who spent over two years at Masanjia Labor Camp in China (the story is recounted in the volume "Made in China: A Prisoner, an SOS Letter and the Hidden Cost of America's Cheap Goods" by Amelia Pang).
In 2017, a shopper in Arizona discovered a distressing note in a handbag purchased from Walmart. The note, written in Chinese characters, detailed harsh working conditions and beatings endured by a presumed Chinese prisoner at Yingshan Prison in Guangxi. The findings continued in 2015 when a shopper in Swansea and another in Belfast found labels sewn into pieces of clothing from Primark (one read: "forced to work exhausting hours"), and in 2019 a note from foreign prisoners in China appealing for help was found in a Christmas card.
In 2021, a woman from Norwich stumbled upon a Chinese prisoner's ID sewn into the lining of a new coat she had purchased online for £49.99. The coat was bought from a UK fashion firm suspected of outsourcing its stock and inventory to China and other international markets.
The ID card found in the Regatta coat, identifies a specific prisoner and prison (that specializes in garment production and electronics components processing), something that makes you dread about the fate of the prisoner in question and also makes you wonder if, from now on, there will be more thorough checks on garments to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The incident underscores the importance for companies to assess potential human rights infringements: ensuring the security of supply chains is a complex task, particularly for a widely recognized high street brand manufacturing thousands (if not millions) of garments annually. Nevertheless, it remains crucial for companies to thoroughly evaluate any potential violations of human rights. At the same time, this story reminds us that, as consumers, we should be vigilant, get informed about the ethical standards of the brands we favour and also avoid buying extremely cheap items from ultra fast retailers, a clear sign that these products may be made with prison labor or in sweatshops.
A northern banded dragonfly unexpectedly lands on a Balkan pond turtle's nose and delicately stops there, almost posing like a ballerina performing an arabesque. The turtle seems to enjoy the moment and for an instant the two are locked in a perfectly blissful moment.
Animal enthusiasts can marvel at scenes such as tender moments between hares in Scotland's Monadhliath Mountains, penguins interacting, a grizzly bear engaged in salmon fishing, and a polar bear enthroned on an iceberg bed.
Poetic snapshots include moon jellyfish illuminated by the aurora borealis in Norway's fjords, a humpback whale calf's missed sip of milk leaving a ghostly trace in sea currents, and starlings forming murmurations that shape a giant bird in the sky.
Some images depict animals mirroring human behaviors, such as a shrew and a fox locking eyes or a mudskipper fiercely defending its territory from a trespassing crab.
In other instances, the human presence is subtle yet impactful, revealing danger. Claire Waring's photograph captures a Celebes crested macaque attempting to drink from a discarded plastic bottle on a beach in Indonesia. Unfortunately, the macaques have learnt that these bottles contain liquid, quite often a sweet beverage, so they look for them.
There are other images highlighting the repercussions of human waste, such as Brent Stirton's photograph of a bull elephant with gunshot wounds, scavenging for food in a Sri Lankan dump.
Amidst these poignant visuals, a fashion image by Britta Jaschinski stands out. Titled "Fashion Victims," it doesn't feature playful or cute animals but a rack of lifeless coats made from the skins of endangered big cats like snow leopards, jaguars, and ocelots.
While the title suggests impenitent human beings indulging on the latest fashion trends, Jaschinski's intent is different as the victims here are the animals killed to provide luxurious coats for humans. The confiscated coats, held in Hamburg's Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, undergo forensic tests before being used in educational events to prevent their return to the black market.
During the photoshoot, Jaschinski discovered that, on average, the fur industry sacrifices 12 animals to make one coat. Collaborating with a biologist, the photographer attempted to quantify the impact of the fur trade by trying to count how many animals were killed to make these designs, but stopped due to its shocking nature.
While many companies and luxury houses have eliminated (or pledged to eliminate) furs from their collections, there is still a lot to do and this symbolic image not only holds significance for this award, but could also serve as a powerful tool for fashion awareness campaigns.
The shortlisted images are currently on display at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London until June 30, 2024. We can all participate in the People's Choice Award voting until January 31, 2024, with the winner set to be announced on February 7, 2024.
Image credits for this post
The Happy Turtle Photograph: Tzahi Finkelstein/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Ice Bed Photograph: Nima Sarikhani/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Aurora Jellie Photograph: Audun Rikardsen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Neighbourhood Dispute Photograph: Ofer Levy/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Starling Murmuration Photograph: Daniel Dencescu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Rubbish Drinks Photograph: Claire Waring/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Bull in a Garbage Dump Photograph: Brent Stirton/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Fashion Victims Photograph: Britta Jaschinski/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The Material Innovation Initiative is a think tank dedicated to advancing research and knowledge-sharing aimed at expediting the development of environmentally friendly and animal-free materials across various industries, including fashion, automotive, and home goods. Additionally, the think tank organizes events and releases reports on alternative materials such as those replacing leather, fur, exotic skins, and textiles primarily derived from petrochemicals.
Several companies have actively worked on creating products using recycled plastics, including those harvested from oceans, and have experimented with materials like fungal mycelium. Numerous studies explore the potential of algae, jellyfish, and dormant bacterial cultures. However, many of these materials are still in the experimental stage or remain expensive to produce, limiting accessibility for most consumers.
While anticipating progress in research, it would be a good idea for the European Union to consider the prohibition of specific materials and textiles. In October, the EU banned microplastics, including loose glitter and products containing certain microbeads and synthetic polymer particles, due to their environmental impact.
The EU should broaden its focus to include the potential ban on polyurethane-coated garments and on the promotion of more environmentally safe alternatives. The terms "faux leather," "pleather," or "vegan leather" used by companies can be confusing and contribute to greenwashing, all of them indicate indeed fossil fuel-based materials that can have an impact on the environment and on the health of the wearer, as evidenced by the rapid deterioration observed in certain cases.
After extensive wear, polyurethane-coated garments, often exhibit surface scratching, cracking, and peeling from the support fabric. However, in specific instances highlighted in this chapter of our "Fashion Forensics" series, garments, such as a long skirt by Sisley (Exhibit A) and an unlabeled cropped top (Exhibit B) purchased from a market stall, deteriorated rapidly, leaving behind a hazardous residue resembling dust. This emphasizes the urgent need for scrutiny and potential regulatory measures regarding such materials.
Exhibit A
Description: Exhibit A refers to a polyurethane coated ankle-length full circle skirt by Sisley (Exhibit A)
Fit: The full circle skirt has a comfortable fit, it is not tight, and sits comfortably around the waist. It is rather heavy as it is long and very ample with a generous volume.
Feel: The surface is very smooth and pleasing to the touch, mimicking the silky consistency of nappa leather.
Material: The label indicates that this garment by Sisley (a brand under the Benetton Group as indicated on the label) comprises 100% polyester for the main textile, with a polyurethane coating, and a lining composed of 97% polyester and 3% elastane.
Labels/Warnings/Washing instructions: The label indicates the skirt was "Made in China". The washing instructions explain it should be washed at 30°, no bleach, no tumble dry, no iron, no dry clean, no wringing.
History: Purchased approximately five years ago, the skirt has been worn 12 times: twice by a friend who subsequently passed it on to me this year and ten times by myself.
Upon receiving the skirt, it was in perfect condition. Despite following the washing instructions, the skirt exhibited immediate damage after only one wear.
Deterioration: Initially free from signs of wear, the skirt's surface cracked on the left side near the zipper after the first wear. These cracks expanded rapidly, extending to the back and around the waist.
Notably, no accessories or embellishments were worn that could have caused damage (I wore the skirt with a plain cotton T-shirt with no sequins or beads that may have damaged it and no belt or other types of accessories around the waist). Soon, the hem started fraying, and cuts appeared.
Subsequently, the cracked areas began peeling off. Unlike previous experiences with polyurethane coating, the material displayed a lack of elasticity, breaking into smaller pieces rather than in long and elastic film patches.
Storage: Kept in a wardrobe away from light and plastic covers, the skirt hung alongside other garments made of wool and cotton.
Exhibit B
Description: Exhibit B refers to a cropped top with strings, coated with polyurethane, and lacking any identifiable label. It is designed to fit a person of medium size.
Fit: Tight fitting, as stated above the top appears suitable for a medium-sized individual.
Feel: In contrast to the skirt, the surface of this polyurethane-coated garment is not as smooth. The material imitates a slightly thicker leather, resembling pigskin.
Material: Though there is no label, it is evident that this garment is constructed from a synthetic material coated with polyurethane. Notably, an indiscernible synthetic odor, reminiscent of synthetic textile materials, has developed.
Labels/Warnings/Washing Instructions: No label is present on the garment.
History: Purchased approximately 6-7 years ago from a market stall in Rome, Italy, by a friend who never wore it. Stored in her wardrobe under a jacket, the top was forgotten until recently rediscovered and passed on to me along with Exhibit A.
Although never worn, it was not smelly or dusty upon receipt and appeared to be in reasonable condition. I tried it on, found it fitting, and packed it between clean T-shirts for a recent trip.
Deterioration: Upon removing it from the case, I observed immediate cracking on the surface, accompanied by the release of a fine black dust that soiled other garments.
Attempting to mitigate the dust release, I washed it following typical instructions for polyurethane-coated garments (30° wash, no bleach, no tumble dry, no iron, no dry clean, no wringing). However, this worsened the situation, causing the coating to break and peel off entirely in various places, including the strings and resulting in a further substantial release of black dust.
Storage: The cropped top was stored in a wardrobe away from light, alongside garments that posed no risk of damage. It hung beneath a jacket.
Conclusions
The swift deterioration of garments with minimal or no use is quite surprising. While skepticism may surround anonymous market stall purchases, the skirt in question is from a once-popular high street brand in Italy and from what I was told it costed around 100 euros. Although not an exorbitant sum, it exceeds the cost of similar polyurethane-coated items at fast-fashion retailers. The rapid degradation of both items is shocking.
In the case of the skirt, its design contributed to its malfunction. Despite its aesthetic appeal, the heavy, ample, and long configuration may have exacerbated cracks and tears in the material. This is proved by the fact that most cracks occurred in the upper part of the skirt rather than in the middle or the lower part (the cuts around the hem may be justified by the skirt brushing against my platform shoes, sturdy footwear with a thick sole, yet again my shoes shouldn't have damaged the garment...), as if the upper part had to bear too much weight and couldn't sustain it. This prompts consideration of whether a similar malfunction would have occurred in another type of skirt such as shorter, pencil skirt made with the same material.
This statement doesn't mean I'm defending the quality, but, as a note to remind fashion design students reading this post to always study your textiles, consulting the material you're using and also questioning it (like Louis Khan questioning the brick – remember?). Listen to the material and be reasonable, can the material of your choice support your design or is it too delicate and fragile? Test materials and, if possible, create miniature versions to assess durability.
Both designs seen in this post pose an environmental risk. The skirt releases polyurethane particles ranging from 0.05mm to 2cm, while the cropped top dissolves into a fine dust that poses an inhalation risk for the wearer.
The video showing the top's deterioration highlights the release of numerous particles, emphasizing the potential health risks (apologies for the ambulance in the background, but I didn't want to mute the video to allow viewers to hear the distinct sounds of the top crumpling on the paper and to comprehend the extent of particle release and their minuscule size). This raises concerns about gender-specific exposure as well: polyurethane coating is employed on all sorts of garments and accessories, yet there are probably more designs made with this material tailored with women in mind, which would make them more prone to health risks.
Scientific researchers have proved us that some disorders such as thyroidal dysfunctions may be caused by chemicals (for examples, those ones used in consumer goods like non-stick pans and water-resistant fabrics). Nowadays more women suffer from thyroidal issues than men, so could it be that we women are intoxicating ourselves by exposing our bodies to certain substances and textiles (death by fashion is not a new thing, after all: at the end of the 1770s the bright dye called Sheele Green became very popular, but a lot of women wearing gowns dyed with this arsenic-laced shade felt sick, developed sores and ulcers on the skin, reported a loss of hair and vomited blood…).
What are these substances doing to us humble wearers? Well, we don't know for sure, that's why an investigation into the impact of certain substances and textiles on the human body would be needed to see if we could find them responsible for many modern illnesses and disorders.
So, what to do with the garments in this post? Well, in their current state, the garments cannot be worn or recycled, leading to the inevitable outcome of contributing to landfill pollution. Which leads us to our conclusion: given the unpredictability of polyurethane-coated designs, it is advisable to avoid purchasing them.
Despite this, the demand for faux leather remains high, as evidenced by the success of Kylie Jenner's brand, KHY. The brand recently released 12 designs, 10 of them - including a trenchcoat, a body-con dress and a pair of trousers - all made out of "faux leather", and many pieces are already sold out (and with this I'm not accusing Kylie Jenner of selling low quality faux leather garments, but nobody guarantees us that her pieces will not crack and peel like the ones in this post...).
But there are alternatives for those impenitent fans of The Girl on the Motorcycle look: if you like leather and can't afford new garments made with this material, search for vintage ones.
If you have the skills, get some leather rolls online (you can find a few meters of nappa at very affordable prices from NonaSource that sells leftovers and dead stock from luxury fashion houses) and make your own garment (it's surprising what you can do with a bit of leather and some automatic buttons even when you don't have any sewing skills) or enlist a friend with skills, and do a project together.
Who knows, maybe one day the deterioration of these garments will be brought to the attention of the European Union. After the restriction on microplastics, the EU is focusing on the regulation of plastic pellets - also known as nurdles or nibs and usually melted down and reformed into everyday products - to prevent environmental harm. The pellets can indeed leak into the environment during the supply chain or break down into microplastics and may be eaten by people and animals. But, the same could be said about polyurethane-coated garments.
Let's also hope that in future they will do an exhibition featuring a wide range of garments in different states of deterioration that could prompt consumer reflection on the impact on our health and on our planet of the materials we wear on an everyday basis.
Sometimes, one stumbles upon cherished treasures or enigmatic mysteries without intending to do so. John Maloof, for example, came across the extensive body of work of Vivian Maier, an unassuming nanny with a penchant and a talent for street photography, during a thrift auction on Chicago's Northwest Side, an event that allowed her rediscovery.
A similar scenario unfolded for Sébastien Girard in more recent years, even though in his case he found a very different archive. In 2011 a specialist was sent to assess the Barbie dolls and toys of the late collector Tom Wilkins in Boston. However, the toys were not the sole discoveries; amid scale models, dioramas, electric trains, and Barbie dolls, they also found 12 albums of Polaroid pictures that Girard acquired.
All of them were entitled "My TV Girls" and each contained neatly arranged pages, each featuring nine images of women - some of them unknown, others famous actresses from TV shows and films. Quite often they were pictured in various states of undress or entirely naked. The images varied from slightly out of focus or subtly erotic to more explicit scenes, such as a woman making love to a topless girl. Some were sourced from pornographic films, while others were from well-known movies, including Barbarella. The author exhibited a particular fascination with women's breasts, evident in pictures of women in bras, bra advertisements, and even a program on mastectomy.
In total, there were 911 meticulously organized Polaroids, each dated, numbered, and captioned by Wilkins who left comments on labels applied to the white margins of the Polaroids. Altogether, Wilkins dedicated 1,248 days between August 1978 and January 1982 to taking these images. The choice of the Polaroid was obvious since, if processed by a laboratory, such images may have lead to inquiries.
The subject matter, theme, precise and rigorous commentary, along with meticulously catalogued images, collectively indicate an obsessive - perhaps even dangerous - mind with a disconcerting hobby, or a man propelled by masculine libido with a preference for women's breasts.
Wilkins never photographed women in the flesh; instead, he focused solely on their image or representation, whether through the TV screen or via mannequins and dolls. He actively engaged indeed also in (sometimes sexual) recreations involving Barbie dolls, both indoors and outdoors.
Similar practices are not unprecedented or unrecorded. The volume titled "Type 42," features images taken from a television (and cinema) screen, portraying actresses or singers like Brigitte Bardot, Françoise Hardy, Romy Schneider, Anouk Aimée, and Sophia Loren, among others. The photographer in this case remained anonymous, leaving the audience uncertain about whether it was a man or a woman. However, Cindy Sherman, in the introduction to the book presenting 120 of these images, described the content as an exhaustive study of what it means to be a woman, as if the photographer were seeking the very essence of femininity.
Concerning the Barbie scenes, another precedent that may be linked to Wilkins is Morton Bartlett who crafted fifteen anatomically correct dolls of children, including twelve prepubescent or physically developing girls that he photographed in various poses or tableaux, sometimes clothed, occasionally nude, with many images carrying an erotically suggestive and profoundly unsettling undertone (View this photo).
Perhaps Sherman's introduction for "Type 42" opens up another interpretation, somewhat supported by a Polaroid that may aid in reinterpreting Wilkins' opus. In a photograph, akin to those in the "My TV Girls" series, Wilkins conceals his face behind the camera and dons a Beautiful Ones Playtex bra (described in a 1981 ad as "delicate, lacy, a little daring (...) feminine" View this photo).
The description on the margin reads: "27 MAR 81 #646. Me wearing 38B Beige Playtex Beautiful Ones lace bra. Photograph was taken using a dressing mirror and an SX70 camera." In this Polaroid Wilkins turns the camera onto himself, capturing an image of his transformed body, imitating the bodies he had previously photographed.According to Girard, the act of cross-dressing becomes the pivotal factor unlocking the truth behind the other images, transforming their meanings. Wilkins posed here as a woman and this revelation prompted Girard to reassess the material and delve into further research.
Born in 1951 and residing in the conservative Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston until his death in 2007, Wilkins, in Girard's perspective, aimed to transcend gender norms paradoxically by utilizing the stereotypes prevalent in society to escape them and define his preferred gender.
In a nutshell, Wilkins documented the image of the desirable woman as dictated by American society, yet simultaneously portrayed his own aspirations, so that the final images of the photographs re-shifts from male voyeurism to the desire for a woman's body.
This interpretation adds an intriguing layer to the work, suggesting a different meaning and forcing a reflection on society and on a man living in a fantasy, unable to freely express his true self and taking refuge behind a series of women seen on TV with which he aimed to identify.
Reportedly, Girard possesses other self-portraits of Tom Wilkins in feminine attire, complete with a bra, panties, and even a sanitary napkin, transitioning from a predator-voyeur to an appropriator, visualizing masculine fantasies and integrating them into his own body. Whether this signifies a search for trans-identity is challenging to ascertain (doubts remain, as among the pictures only one image alludes to transsexuality in a detached way - "2 MAR 1980, #325, off TV, movie. That boy is really a girl").
Girard initiated this exploration in 2011 when he acquired the enigmatic Polaroids, partially published in 2017 under the title "The Diary of Tom Wilkins."
Recently, an exhibition at Parish Photo in November showcased the pages of the albums as meticulously arranged by Wilkins, accompanied by an installation featuring a TV and a Polaroid camera recreating Wilkins' equipment.
Another book, "My TV Girls," in a limited edition of 500 copies, has just been published by Christian Berst Art Brut, the gallery currently showcasing a selection of Wilkins' photographs under the title "Bad Timing" (until 14th January 2024), consisting in a series of images triggered too early or too late, missing the decisive moment, yet Wilkins still decided to keep them.
Maybe in future they will be able to shed more light on deciphering the images behind "My TV Girls" and further details on Wilkins' life.
Yet, Girard faces a caveat: John Maloof's discovery of Vivian Maier brought her work into the international scene and resulted in a complex lawsuit over copyright ownership with distant heirs. Has Girard withheld additional images in anticipation of potential heirs emerging? It remains uncertain. Perhaps, one day, as more portraits will be unveiled, the truth behind Wilkins' enigmatic persona will be fully revealed. Until then, ambiguity prevails, leaving open one question - was he a male voyeur or a man in search of his trans-identity?
Image credits for this post
All images courtesy Christian Berst Art Brut - Sébastien Girard
We have explored a wide range of exhibitions dedicated to women artists in the last few posts, looking at events in London, Madrid and Brescia.
Robilant+Voena in New York will join the trend launching in December the exhibition "Ahead of her Time: Pioneering Women from the Renaissance to the Twentieth Century" (5th December 2023 - 10th February 2024).
Curated by Dr. Virginia Brilliant, Director of Old Masters at Robilant+Voena, this event will showcase over 30 works by women artists from Europe (with particular attention to Italy and France) and America, spanning five centuries.
"Ahead of Her Time" will feature masterpieces by Old Master and 19th to 20th-century women artists, complemented by portraits and works (some of them unseen as part of private collections and now on public display for the first time in generations) belonging to influential women in the art and culture fields.
Some of these visionaries are well-known pioneers in their fields, others are not so famous; all of them defied societal norms throughout history in their lives and work.This journey of discovery begins with a celebration of 16th and 17th-century Italian women painters, including Orsola Maddalena Caccia (who was a nun, a talented artist and a shrewd businesswoman), Lavinia Fontana, Fede Galizia, and Artemisia Gentileschi (works by these last three artists are also included in the exhibition "Maestras" currently on at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid).
These artists received their initial training from their fathers and went on to establish unique styles, launching their careers in societies where independent female artists were a rarity.
Rediscovering them also allows us to make comparisons between the different ways they all portrayed the same scene of Judith with the head of Holofernes (Fede Galizia was the first one of them to be drawn to the subject): Fede Galizia for example put emphasis on the richness of the gown worn by Judith, while the maid is in the background; Fontana and Gentileschi instead tended to represent Judith and the maid as two women part of the same team, collaborating in beheading Holofernes.
The exhibition then highlights 18th century artists like Angelica Kauffman, Rosalba Carreira, and Adelaide Labille-Guiard, emphasizing the challenges women faced despite increasing opportunities in artistic education.
Labille-Guiard limited herself, for example, to the genre of portraiture, and Kauffmann left England for the Continent where history paintings by women found greater acceptance.
Mary Beale worked in London as a painter and writer, providing for her family through her professional work. She was also a pioneer for other reasons: in 1663 she completed the manuscript Observations, that remained unpublished, but became the earliest known educational text in English about the act of painting written by a female painter (the text explained how to paint apricots).
The women painters of Sèvres, who produced some of the finest works in porcelain to emerge from the Royal Manufactory, were also excceptional as proved by the sophisticated examples on display. But there are more artists to discover, including Anne Vallayer-Coster, who painted exquisite still lifes like the one with shells and corals, and Hortense Haudebourt-Lescot who was a portraitist. Both capitalized on post-Revolutionary France's newfound freedom to pursue their artistic careers, surprising male contemporaries with their talent.
Moving into the 19th century, artists such as Erminia de Sanctis and Victoria Dubourg explored unique genres and styles, adapting to evolving societal trends. Several artists in the exhibition actually demonstrate their receptiveness to the changing trends and fashions in society, creating works depicting popular literary or historical subjects, or incorporating the latest craze of Japonisme, as evident in a striking painting of flowers in a delicate porcelain vase by Grace Adelaide Fletcher. The exhibition also features objects reflecting the broader impact of women in society, including a portrait of the Brontë sisters by their brother Patrick Branwell Brontë, and a carved ivory tusk that stands as a testament to the British adventurer Baroness Anne Brassey.
The 20th century brings to light American women painters who built upon the progress of their European predecessors, infusing their works with expressions of political equality struggles. In this section the exhibit unveils previously unseen works, including a unique double-sided canvas from 1919 depicting British writers and lovers Vita Sackville-West and Violet Trefusis, newly attributed to Augustus John, a discovery made through research for the exhibition.
In the 20th century, female American painters embraced the advancements pioneered by their European predecessors. Many of these artists integrated subtle expressions of their growing struggles for political equality into their works.
Laura Coombs Hill shed light on the challenging coexistence of personal independence and familial responsibility through an intimate drawing of her cousin. Grace Gassette's enigmatic full-length portrait of a lady reminds us of the extraordinary life of this painter and sculptor.
During the First World War, initially responsible for surgical supplies at the American Hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Gassette assumed the role of technical director of the Franco-American Corrective Surgical Appliance Committee in 1916. In this capacity, she leveraged her profound understanding of anatomy, honed through figure drawing, to innovate and design orthopedic devices for injured soldiers.
The exhibition not only unveils uknown masterpieces but also invites us to reflect on the evolving landscape of gender equality and the transformative power of art.
The diverse range of trailblazing women artists included in this event pays indeed tribute to the resilience, ingenuity, and determination of the female spirit across centuries. Their struggles and triumphs should serve as an inspiration for contemporary women aspiring to creative self-expression and exploration.
"Ahead of Her Time" also includes a tactile reproduction of a still life painting by Orsola Maddalena Caccia for blind and partially-sighted visitors, adding a further inclusive dimension to the appreciation of art and underlining the importance of organizing similar initiatives. By doing so, galleries and museums can indeed broaden their accessibility, welcoming a more diverse audience.
Image credits for this post
Lavinia Fontana Self-Portrait, c. 1579-80 Oil on silver copper 14 x 10 cm
Fede Galizia Judith with the Head of Holofernes, c. 1622 Signed 'FEDE GALITIA' (on the seam of the sack, lower left). Old inventory number 'No. 208' (on the reverse of original canvas) Oil on canvas 127 x 95.5 cm
Orsola Maddalena Caccia Still Life with Vase of Lilies, Tuberoses, Irises, Daffodils, Jasmine, Tulips, and a Red Peony on a Table Top, with Cherries, Peaches, and Lemons, c. 1630s Oil on canvas 88.5 x 62.5 cm
Artemisia Gentileschi The Penitent Magdalene, c. 1626 Oil on canvas 81 x 68.5 cm
Grace Adelaide Fletcher Cherry Blossoms in a Vase, 1886 Signed and dated 'Grace Fletcher/Japan/1886' (lower left) Oil on canvas 109.8 x 54.2 cm
Grace Gassette Portrait of a Lady, 1907 Signed and dated 'Grace Gassette 1907' (lower right) Oil on canvas 177.8 x 80 cm
Augustus John Portrait of Vita Sackville-West (recto); Unfinished Signed faintly 'J' (lower right) Oil on canvas 58 x 50 cm
Augustus John Portrait of Violet Trefusis (verso), 1919 Signed faintly 'J' (lower right) Oil on canvas 58 x 50 cm
The latter is also linked to the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC), a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls (domestic violence awareness is instead represented by the colour purple).
In Italy, though, many people opted to wear a red ribbon to raise awareness that violence against women is a cultural problem and a social responsibility that concerns everyone and to remember the women who were victims of violence this year, in particular Giulia Cecchettin, 22, who was killed two weeks ago by her ex-boyfriend.
Police forces displayed the symbol on service vehicles and uniforms, students donned it in schools, but there were also politicians and members of the Italian parliament who opted for red ribbon or a white ribbon with a red section.
While it is always honourable to stand up for a good cause, the choice of a red ribbon may be confusing as this symbol is globally recognized to express awareness and support for those living with HIV and AIDS and their families and friends, and the efforts to increase funding for AIDS services and research.
The Red Ribbon appeared for the first time in 1991, when a group of New York artists met in a gallery in the East Village to discuss a project for Visual AIDS, a New York arts organization dedicated to HIV awareness.
The artists involved in the project wanted to encourage conversation about HIV during a period when it carried significant stigma. The simple yet immediate design was chosen as it was easy to recreate it: it was influenced by the yellow ribbons tied on trees to show support for the US military during the Gulf War, but the red colour was selected for its bold visibility and symbolic representation of passion, heart, and love, a bit like a valentine.
Pink and rainbow colours are usually associated with the LGBT+ community, so opting for a different shade was considered as a way to remind people that HIV was relevant to everyone.
As the decades passed, the red ribbon became one of the most iconic symbols of the late 20th century, it is indeed also represented in the permanent collection at New York's Museum of Modern Art. It should be highlighted that the red ribbon doesn't belong to anybody, it is not exclusive to a country, a government or a campaign and the artists who created it ensured that it stayed copyright-free, and was not a commercial or trademark tool.
That said, while it is not a copyrighted design and therefore in this case there is no infringement, choosing the red ribbon to indicate another cause may prove confusing, especially for younger generations who may not be aware of the AIDS campaign (let's hope teachers and members of their families will tell them about it) or even amount to appropriation.
This situation is regrettable as it suggests that a campaign dedicated to women, typically subjected to discrimination in our society, would adopt a symbol initially crafted by another marginalized community. If this trend gains popularity, there is also a risk that in Italy it might supplant the red ribbon as the emblem for AIDS awareness.
Perhaps, instead of relying on ribbons and other symbols or appropriating symbols from other fights, we should reshift our attention on our goals and objectives. A 1994 leaflet promoting World AIDS Day succinctly stated, "Ribbons are not enough" - emphasizing that the red ribbon becomes truly meaningful when paired with actions and words that create a tangible impact. "Wearing a Red Ribbon is the first, easy step in the fight against AIDS. The next step is to do something," the leaflet highlighted.
Sporting a ribbon is indeed a visible commitment, yet it falls short in addressing the urgent matter of violence and femicides. This is particularly crucial when contemplating the severity of the situation in the Italy, where over 100 women were tragically killed this year. The necessary subsequent steps demand concrete actions to bring about positive change in the ongoing battle against violence against women.
A last note for design students: this may be a superficial reminder, when working on a project always ensure to thoroughly examine the meanings and symbolisms associated with colours, symbols, and logos both within your own country and globally. This will allow you to avoid creating designs that might appear derivative or inadvertently lead to appropriation issues.
