Fashion Insensitivity Rears Its Dubious Head

FASHION REVIEW
by Shardae Jobson

Ciudad Juarez, in Mexico, is synonymous with the macabre words of murder, rape and torture due to the 400 (and possibly counting) violent incidents that have taken place, the victims all women in connection to the crestfallen factories they work and receive measly paychecks. On the basis of this grim information alone, not only is it simply odd that the Rodarte duo of (sisters) Kate and Laura Mulleavy cited the city as inspiration for their dreamily ghost-esque collection, matters became more noteworthy and provocative when it was announced the collection would be accompanied in partnership with M.A.C. Cosmetics with products named directly after the city and its features, which are not so subtle including nail polishes named "Juarez" and worse, "Factory". Rightfully so, Rodarte and M.A.C. were faced with impassioned criticism, as it was also unfortunate for M.A.C. as they've for years been proactive in supporting the fight against AIDS with their Viva Glam campaign, showing the high fashion, high gloss label has an altruistic side that's been applauded.

A majority of the cases in Juarez have gone unsolved and with little arrests. Rodarte's new collection was uncomfortable to witness through pictures when the background of their inspiration is really a landscape of nameless abused, dead women who will never know justice even if it came their way.

Comments flooded many fashion focused websites about the insensitivity of the (unintentional) situation, and came weeks after the visual crime that occurred at the high end UK department store Selfridges, where on display was a lone Alexander McQueen garment quite literally hanging from a gallows. McQueen had killed himself back in February of this year, found in the same position as the dress in his Mayfair apartment in England. Many promptly denounced the store for its disgraceful imagery, though Selfridges sheepishly denied they were trying to make any kind of connection or statement about McQueen in the display. This is similar to the Rodarte meets Juarez conundrum in that how is it possible that fashion forces can come to the conclusions they have in their projects that are so closely and recently tied to events that can only be described as tragic and evil? It is not that all responsibility should be placed upon these individuals to become sudden voices of reason and peace, but where is their worldly education? Where is their compassion?

This wouldn't be the first time fashion has turned the other cheek to tragedy or sympathetic causes as we can even look back to the (thankfully) short-lived but impressionable era of the heroin chic look which no one in fashion cared if it affected the youth with its emaciated, apathy expressions until they lost one of their own that was a part of the youth. Rising photographer Davide Sorrenti, the younger brother of popular Mario Sorrenti, who was an avid heroin user himself, died in February 1997 at the age of 19, as more came out in light his death, including President Bill Clinton, in criticizing often less than penitent presentations.

It was announced on July 19 M.A.C. was planning to change the name of Rodarte's makeup products and donate a percentage of sales to a fund related to the Juarez community. Considering M.A.C.'s charitable past, this seems more in line with the company's shiny image of beauty and prosperity than the lack of knowledge about the harsh conditions of life that apparently inspired Rodarte.

The Lulleavy sisters submitted a press release when their M.A.C. collection was revealed, also explaining the motivation behind the clothes that will likely go down as one of the most infamous showings in fashion history this millennium: "Our makeup collaboration with M·A·C developed from inspirations on a road trip that we took in Texas last year, from El Paso to Marfa. The ethereal nature of this landscape influenced the creative development and desert palette of the collection. We are truly saddened about injustice in Juarez and it is a very important issue to us. The M·A·C collaboration was intended as a celebration of the beauty of the landscape and people in the areas that we traveled."

Rodarte did sound sincere in their wistful clarification and apology about their latest ventures in fashion and make-up, but what is puzzling about is how during their travels and exploration of Juarez, according to their story, had no kind of re-telling or introduction of what was going on in la ciudad? It's like visiting an impoverished town, only to proclaim, you loved the run-down articheture of the buildings so much, it inspired you to take arts and crafts, though Jessica Wakeman, blogger of The Frisky, made the best snarky comparison that hit the nail on the head: "I'm not going to go name my Sudan-inspired nail polish 'Darfur,’ which I think is a pretty apt comparison.”

Fashion has never been a place of respected morals and humanity. It is the one industry where racism is borderline legal and accusing one of being "fat" is just a form of hazing, the fashion industry makes Hollywood look like an attempted penance island. Even Alexander McQueen was a target of occasional charges of insensitivity (such as his 1996 collection, un-obsequiously titled Highland Rape with models strutting in tattered outfits and dabs of blood about their bodies, and his ridiculous way too high heeled shimmery booties that Lady Gaga wore in the "Bad Romance" video), his rebuttals were among those that fought for art's position to be emotive to its audience, whether good or bad. Maybe Rodarte were aware of Juarez's overtly dark and current state. Maybe they really were touched by the quaintness of Mexico's simplicity of orangey-pink tones through-out the landscape. Maybe they just wanted to make come clothes and didn't care. The website and blog The Frisky was the first to point out the careless behavior of Rodarte and M.A.C., labeling the artistic efforts as "tasteless", and they certainly had a point. To name one item "Quinceanera" was cute and could be possible best-seller, but to call some of the nail polishes not only "Juarez", but also "Factory"? Seriously? It is funny how ghostly has been used to describe their collection, when that is precisely what the many women of Juarez had become: distant and disappearing.

By no means, with M.A.C. taking direct action in saving the upcoming collection, should the Rodarte sisters, who are also honored CFDA winners, be banned for life in their careers because of this unfortunate misstep, but it is a misstep that is grossly unbecoming and uncharacteristic of the fashion's label delicate, supremely confident nature (hell, they even collaborated with super chain store Target and the Gap). The duo's eerily pastel compilation, becoming exclusively one of the most buzzed about topics within Internet blogging circles, reminded us to not take fashion seriously (and figuratively) unless directly involved in the industry because they don't care for us that are a little wider in the hips, darker in the skin tone, and apparently mourning the death of truly innocent victims who barely made enough money in a day to buy two Starbucks ventis if they wanted to. Rodarte are not vicious, but please...wise up, ladies. It's not such a small world after all. M.A.C. has also written a press release of their own concerning the matter, reassuring their loyal consumers they are seeking to correct the situation: “We understand that product names in the MAC Rodarte collection have offended some of our consumers and fans. This was never our intent and we are very sorry. MAC will give a portion of the proceeds from the MAC Rodarte collection to help those in need in Juarez. We are diligently investigating the best way to do this. Please be assured that we will keep you posted on the details regarding our efforts.”