Where Are The Woman?

The fashion industry invariably exists to sell us two things: the idea of beauty and the products to fulfil the idea. A question arises: why is there a lack of prominent female designers in high fashion? 

- Gordon NG

Recent times have moved feminism beyond the bra-burning fringes to a full-on topic of social commentary and activism. Remember Chanel’s Spring 2015 runway show? The big march of thin models in high heels, waving protest signs that said ‘LADIES FIRST’, ‘HISTORY IS HER STORY’ amongst other silly syncopatic phrases, clad in Karl Lagerfeld’s personal take on Coco Chanel’s legacy. That season’s show sent a tremor through the industry: here was Lagerfeld saying ‘let’s get political’ while essentially treating the issue as a fad by sending a meaningless faux protest down the runway of one of the world’s most influential brands, albeit with nice clothing. The facts are plain: in the established gender dichotomy, women have been exploited by men to social, political, and economic ends. In fashion, we can say this with much less pedantry: male designers are telling women what is beautiful and therefore what to wear.

Phoebe Philo