How Fashion Brands are Making Statements, Beyond Garments
By Claire Haskell
"In a time like this, fashion loses its relevance and its actual right to exist."
These were the words of Balenciaga's creative director, Demna, in a note to his guests at Paris Fashion Week this year. But for this Fall/Winter runway show specifically, the visionary made sure this didn’t hold true.
In the wake of a detrimental climate crisis and Russia's recent wage of war on Ukraine, some fashion companies felt obligated to make a statement. As evidenced by Balenciaga’s powerful production, the fashion world is gradually using its platform to become more civically engaged.
Before the show, guests were sent a used iPhone 6s as their invitation, along with a statement on waste and neglect. Balenciaga felt the time was up for fashion brands to ignore the climate crisis, so Demna confronted fashion week with fearlessness and determination.
Around the time of the show’s debut, the climate crisis was not the only issue worthy of a conversation. On February 24, the world watched in fear as Russian President Vladimir Putin incited a violent invasion of Ukraine. For Demna, this hit too close to home for the brand not to speak out.
The creative visionary was born in Sukhumi, Georgia, where civil war and human rights violations defined the early 1990s period. Amid the conflict, he and his family were a few of the 250,000 Georgians forced to flee the city and leave their home behind.
For someone who could deeply sympathize with Ukrainians at the time, conducting a show driven by a profound message felt all the more relevant for Demna.
"I realized canceling the show would mean giving in, surrendering to the evil that has already hurt me so much for almost 30 years. I decided I could no longer sacrifice parts of me to that senseless, heartless war of ego," Demna said in his note to the attendees.
From the beginning, the set design for the show was dedicated to making a statement on the ongoing climate crisis. Separated by a glass wall, the crowd observed the 360-degree rotunda runway as artificial snow fell from the ceiling and white covered every inch of the ground the models walked on.
The production could be most closely related to a snowglobe; they carry a certain kind of reminiscence that evokes distant memories of childhood days. Balenciaga wanted their audience to feel a similar sense of nostalgia — but for different reasons.
Snow now feels exotic for some places where it has always been ubiquitous. As the climate crisis worsens, the weather becomes more unpredictable and snow evolves into a rarity. At a certain point in the future, simulations will be the only way to see it happen.
Balenciaga wanted their audience to feel the emotion of eventually losing something that was once so special.
In the spirit of resistance and solidarity, the models trudged through the artificial snowstorm as the production went on. Lights flickered, snow fell harder and wind machines persisted. In their hands, they carried trash bags to resemble the dangers of producing excessive amounts of waste.
The visually striking display aimed to grab the guests' attention immediately— just like Balenciaga demands us to pay attention to our current global emergencies.
While Demna's initial vision for the show was to make a statement about the climate crisis, he found every possible way to stand for Ukraine.
Rows of chairs were covered with T-shirts printed in yellow and blue to represent the Ukrainian flag; Demna read a poem by Ukrainian poet Oleksandr Oles to set the scene. The show's final moments revealed all yellow and all blue looks to send the message home.
"The show needs no explanation. It is a dedication to fearlessness, to resistance, and to the victory of love and peace," Demna said in his note.
Prior to the show, Balenciaga had dedicated its social media to sharing information and resources about the conflict in Ukraine. They also partnered with and donated to The World Food Programme to aid those fleeing the area.
Balenciaga was not the only company to make a statement during a runway production.
The Italian luxury fashion house Armani also paid tribute to Ukraine during fashion week in Milan. The audience observed the show while the models walked in complete silence.
"I think the clothes became even more powerful through the silence," said Giorgio Armani after the show. Even though this approach will not necessarily help Ukraine directly, the brand demonstrated a refreshing commitment to humanity and thoughtfulness—something that is not often seen in the fashion industry.
For Danish brand Heliot Emil, 100% of the profits from their new AW22 collection will be donated to humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Ganni, a Copenhagen-based brand, pledged to donate 100.00 DKK to the Danish Refugee Council. This humanitarian nonprofit organization is currently on the ground in Ukraine, and they are fighting to provide protection and emergency relief to victims of the conflict.
Additionally, the fashion industry has united in sanctions against Russia. Brands including Dior, Hermès, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Burberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Zara have all closed their Russian stores and halted online trading.
While there is still much room left for improvement, fashion brands are finally taking a stand on issues that matter. From what we have seen from Balenciaga, Armani, Heliot Emil, and others, the future of fashion is starting to become a lot more relevant.
These were the words of Balenciaga's creative director, Demna, in a note to his guests at Paris Fashion Week this year. But for this Fall/Winter runway show specifically, the visionary made sure this didn’t hold true.
In the wake of a detrimental climate crisis and Russia's recent wage of war on Ukraine, some fashion companies felt obligated to make a statement. As evidenced by Balenciaga’s powerful production, the fashion world is gradually using its platform to become more civically engaged.
Before the show, guests were sent a used iPhone 6s as their invitation, along with a statement on waste and neglect. Balenciaga felt the time was up for fashion brands to ignore the climate crisis, so Demna confronted fashion week with fearlessness and determination.
Around the time of the show’s debut, the climate crisis was not the only issue worthy of a conversation. On February 24, the world watched in fear as Russian President Vladimir Putin incited a violent invasion of Ukraine. For Demna, this hit too close to home for the brand not to speak out.
The creative visionary was born in Sukhumi, Georgia, where civil war and human rights violations defined the early 1990s period. Amid the conflict, he and his family were a few of the 250,000 Georgians forced to flee the city and leave their home behind.
For someone who could deeply sympathize with Ukrainians at the time, conducting a show driven by a profound message felt all the more relevant for Demna.
"I realized canceling the show would mean giving in, surrendering to the evil that has already hurt me so much for almost 30 years. I decided I could no longer sacrifice parts of me to that senseless, heartless war of ego," Demna said in his note to the attendees.
From the beginning, the set design for the show was dedicated to making a statement on the ongoing climate crisis. Separated by a glass wall, the crowd observed the 360-degree rotunda runway as artificial snow fell from the ceiling and white covered every inch of the ground the models walked on.
The production could be most closely related to a snowglobe; they carry a certain kind of reminiscence that evokes distant memories of childhood days. Balenciaga wanted their audience to feel a similar sense of nostalgia — but for different reasons.
Snow now feels exotic for some places where it has always been ubiquitous. As the climate crisis worsens, the weather becomes more unpredictable and snow evolves into a rarity. At a certain point in the future, simulations will be the only way to see it happen.
Balenciaga wanted their audience to feel the emotion of eventually losing something that was once so special.
In the spirit of resistance and solidarity, the models trudged through the artificial snowstorm as the production went on. Lights flickered, snow fell harder and wind machines persisted. In their hands, they carried trash bags to resemble the dangers of producing excessive amounts of waste.
The visually striking display aimed to grab the guests' attention immediately— just like Balenciaga demands us to pay attention to our current global emergencies.
While Demna's initial vision for the show was to make a statement about the climate crisis, he found every possible way to stand for Ukraine.
Rows of chairs were covered with T-shirts printed in yellow and blue to represent the Ukrainian flag; Demna read a poem by Ukrainian poet Oleksandr Oles to set the scene. The show's final moments revealed all yellow and all blue looks to send the message home.
"The show needs no explanation. It is a dedication to fearlessness, to resistance, and to the victory of love and peace," Demna said in his note.
Prior to the show, Balenciaga had dedicated its social media to sharing information and resources about the conflict in Ukraine. They also partnered with and donated to The World Food Programme to aid those fleeing the area.
Balenciaga was not the only company to make a statement during a runway production.
The Italian luxury fashion house Armani also paid tribute to Ukraine during fashion week in Milan. The audience observed the show while the models walked in complete silence.
"I think the clothes became even more powerful through the silence," said Giorgio Armani after the show. Even though this approach will not necessarily help Ukraine directly, the brand demonstrated a refreshing commitment to humanity and thoughtfulness—something that is not often seen in the fashion industry.
For Danish brand Heliot Emil, 100% of the profits from their new AW22 collection will be donated to humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Ganni, a Copenhagen-based brand, pledged to donate 100.00 DKK to the Danish Refugee Council. This humanitarian nonprofit organization is currently on the ground in Ukraine, and they are fighting to provide protection and emergency relief to victims of the conflict.
Additionally, the fashion industry has united in sanctions against Russia. Brands including Dior, Hermès, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Burberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Zara have all closed their Russian stores and halted online trading.
While there is still much room left for improvement, fashion brands are finally taking a stand on issues that matter. From what we have seen from Balenciaga, Armani, Heliot Emil, and others, the future of fashion is starting to become a lot more relevant.