The Fashion Resistance
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore|August 2022
From strong-shouldered power suits to Matrix-adjacent looks and fashion armour, feminine empowerment was the key takeaway of the fall/winter 2022 collections, reports Patty Huntington
The Fashion Resistance

It wasn’t quite the reunion the fashion pack had anticipated. Twenty-fourth February, the day Russian troops commenced their assault on Ukraine, was the second day of Milan Fashion Week and the halfway point of a season that represented the biggest return to the traditional, physical runway show format since

Covid-19 shut down the world in early 2020. Planeloads of international buyers, journalists, photographers, celebrities and models had reassembled on the circuit in numbers not seen in two years, over the moon to be back in the business of fabulousness. Then came Putin’s reality check. “My decision not to use any music was taken as a sign of respect towards the people involved in the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine,” tweeted Giorgio Armani, the first designer to respond publicly to the crisis, after dispatching his models down the runway in total silence. Balenciaga wiped its entire Instagram feed, its only social media activity in the lead up to its 6 March show in Paris being a request for people to donate to the World Food Programme.

“In a time like this, fashion loses its relevance and its actual right to exist. Fashion Week feels like some kind of an absurdity,” read the show notes of Balenciaga Creative Director Demna, for whom the matter was personal. The conflict triggered his own memories of fleeing the Georgian civil war in 1993, initially to Ukraine, as a 10-year-old refugee. After initially considering cancelling the show altogether, he later concluded that that would mean “giving in”. Tweaking his original show concept, which had been intended as a statement on another global crisis—climate change—Demna delivered a dystopian tour de force that was hailed by many as the season’s defining show.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM HARPER'S BAZAAR SINGAPOREView all
BEYOND BEACHES
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

BEYOND BEACHES

Escape Down Under for everything your heart desires a romantic intimate wedding, or a cruise along Sydney's picturesque harbour. The world is your oyster and the best thing is you can eat it too.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
DOWN TO EARTH
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

DOWN TO EARTH

In the spacious apartment of Geraldine Toh and Vincent Lim, art, design elements and an earthy sensibility commingle in perfect harmony.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
DO YOU FASHION, BRO?
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

DO YOU FASHION, BRO?

As the number of male fashion influencers swells, we look at what's driving this trend.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
CRUISING ALTITUDE
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

CRUISING ALTITUDE

With his idiosyncratic Thai movies, dashing movie star good looks and frequent Paris red carpet appearances, Apo Nattawin Wattanagitiphat is bringing the best of Thailand to the rest of the world.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
PUT A RING ON IT
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

PUT A RING ON IT

Complete your love story with a beautiful engagement ring and exquisite bridal jewellery from storied London jeweller, GRAFF.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
PERFECTING TIME
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

PERFECTING TIME

With its unique Atelier d'Antoine programme and an assembly of artisans, Jaeger-LeCoultre shows how it takes watchcraft into the next level.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

'The Shape of Colours', Hermès haute bijouterie collection, is a true technicolour dream.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
HAUTE BIJOUX
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

HAUTE BIJOUX

The latest and most talked-about collections.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
REPAIR REVOLUTION
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

REPAIR REVOLUTION

Unlock your skin's potential.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
LIKE SECOND SKIN
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

LIKE SECOND SKIN

Arissa Ha speaks to Christine Nagel about Barénia, Hermès first ever chypre fragrance.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024