Fashion's ever dark side

The industry totally missed the point with Rodarte’s upcoming Fall collection inspired by Maquiladora workers in Juárez, Mexico. Can we be excited about the clothes and still comfortable patroning the brands and the scene when the political message behind it, so strong, is so ignored cum exploited?

Stars and commentators alike at the show talked about how beautiful the collection was, how the makeup was done to mimic sleepwalkers, "and that, you know, 'uhhhhh' effect" that is so beautiful and 1920s, they then go on with what the clothes' fabrics were, if it was well put together, etc.,  all the while avoiding, or not cognizant, of the messages behind the designs. Their collection was called a "fantasy," like in a good way. humongo sad face <:(

How could the sisters behind the Rodarte collection not clue their own makeup designer in on why the models are to wear a ghost like makeup - maybe because they work in a terribly dangerous environment and they have to work into the middle of the night? No, you wanted to leave that part out? Okay. Let's go with, they are like beautiful sleepless angels. That works too, for fashion anyway.

What could be worse than totally ignoring the message, and focusing instead on how transparent the knits are, is that now MAC has a forthcoming collaboration coming out with Rodarte on cosmetic products, also inspired by this collection and its new marketing campaign, "we don't care". In the next few months, we can all apolitically go buy eyeshadows with trendy titles like “Bordertown” and nail polishes like “Factory”. These colours are so in!!!

I'm totally embarrassed and I had nothing to do with this. But it's like that time you invite a friend to some anti rally, and they do some crazy opposite sh!t like wearing fur to an anti fur fashion campaign. I'm terribly disgusted, because I enjoy fashion and MAC because of the product, but how can I continue to support such a nauseous practice?

I have to wonder that maybe the designers didn't go all out letting people know about the political messages behind their clothes. Maybe they were just ignored. I mean, with the economy so bad right now and not being able to afford MAC makeup, who wants to think about poor people - more depressing!!! just ewww...

Indeed, MAC reversed on their gungho viral fashion product agenda, and expressed they would give proceeds to charity saying, "... umm... we'll choose one later" after the social media scene picked up on the naked disinterest. It would have been better not to even credit the unfortunate lives of those Maquiladoras than to bring them into a world which from what I've seen, mutates and uses the "inspiration" it finds to fashion self-affirmation, and then spit it out when done chewing on the flavour of the season. I've never seen an inspiration be so excluded from its own concept, its very being. Artless.

Gawdawful, and in such poor taste to market the down trodden lives of others to just give your product a name. Does this mean that girls all around the world can't go out and purchase that awesome colour, "factory"? I mean, what's in a name?

Juliet: Tis but thy name that is my enemy.(40)
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose(45)
By any other name would smell as sweet.

Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene II

Just as in that saga, in this one, a lot. That dialogue just as well encapsulates the main struggle and tragedy presented by this sorry fashion episode. MAC doesn't need to wish their product to "be some other name!" as their consumers for the most part, like the fashion industry, will see exactly what they are branding - just a name - an aesthetic,  all depoliticized, and happy, trendy, go-lucky.

Question: Would a campaign which reinforced and publicized the plight of the Maquiladora workers  receive more or less publicity than it is now?