One of the biggest criticism for fashion designers, especially those who are male, is that they don’t design for real women. But during today’s Dolce & Gabbana show at Milan Fashion Week, the focus was on a facet of what it means to be a woman: motherhood.
The show, titled "Viva la mamma!," was an homage to mothers, from the embroidered text (dresses read “I love you mama” in a slew of languages) to the child-scribble graphics to the reproductions of Byzantine-era paintings of moms and their babes. The most obvious representation, of course, were the model moms who walked the runway with their offspring in tow. This was a bring-your-child-to-work-day moment, likely to induce mass jealousy at school on Monday. Whether walking hand-in-hand or carried on hips, the kids ranged in age, but by far the youngest of the bunch was model Bianca Balti’s child, who was still in-utero. A great sight, thought technically not the first time pregnant women have graced the runway (Karl Lagerfeld sent a pregnant model down the runway last year).
Like at many other Dolce & Gabbana shows, the controversy was quick to brew. But even though some accused the brand of positioning children as accessories, the fact that they were the models’ actual children and not hired Gerber babies made it a completely innocent and sweet move. But, it should be noted that while the inclusion of moms and their kids shook up the traditional model lineup, Dolce & Gabbana still didn’t quite break free of their reputation as one of the most whitewashed collections during Fashion Month. Out of the 89 models, there were only three Asians represented and two black models, which is far below the already noticeably homogenous industry average. However, we're encouraged to see the brand reaching out of its comfort zone (perhaps the duo was emboldened by their recent court ruling where they were found not guilty of tax evasion). Maybe next season, we'll see even a broader interpretation of what their idea of a woman is — and it's one that includes women of all ethnicities, sizes, and shapes (pregnant bellies, included).
Like at many other Dolce & Gabbana shows, the controversy was quick to brew. But even though some accused the brand of positioning children as accessories, the fact that they were the models’ actual children and not hired Gerber babies made it a completely innocent and sweet move. But, it should be noted that while the inclusion of moms and their kids shook up the traditional model lineup, Dolce & Gabbana still didn’t quite break free of their reputation as one of the most whitewashed collections during Fashion Month. Out of the 89 models, there were only three Asians represented and two black models, which is far below the already noticeably homogenous industry average. However, we're encouraged to see the brand reaching out of its comfort zone (perhaps the duo was emboldened by their recent court ruling where they were found not guilty of tax evasion). Maybe next season, we'll see even a broader interpretation of what their idea of a woman is — and it's one that includes women of all ethnicities, sizes, and shapes (pregnant bellies, included).
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