Just leave it well alone....

Controversy in fashion is not anything novel.  Everyone is eager to tack the label 'enfant terrible' onto anyone who veers just a little too far right.  Designers whose sole purpose is to shock people rarely gets my vote of confidence because for me, it's just not enough have a garment make a statement and a statement alone.  Therefore I'm not impressed when the queen of shocker labels Voyage (I thought label was well and truly defunct...), once famed for refusing Naomi Campbell into their store is basing their new collection on the swastika.  The designers behind Voyage, Rocky Mazzili and Louise were recently also thrown out of a Soho nightclub for swathing themsleves with swastika-printed garments.  Rocky's line of defense made me shake my head in disbelief and feel embarrassed for them at the same time:

"My interpretation of the swastika is of anarchy, rebellion and nonconformism. Isn’t that what London’s clubs believe in, too?

Call me old-fashioned, safe and PC but my interpretation of the swastika is non-sensical evil, hatred and symbolic of human suffering.  I have no problem with fashion poking fun, making political and social commentary but there are some things that should be left well alone and this is one of them.

Ok so, Voyage is a prime example as a label that's purely there for the shock factor and to generate bad (which really means good) PR so really, what can you expect.  But what of these new ads from the McQ diffusion line from Alexander McQueen.  Thanks to Fashion Critic for alerting me to this as I had only previously seen the colour rockabilly ad series.  The ad features a slightly petrified looking girl with a leather jacket adorned (shackled?) with the Nazi eagle and swastika and the Iron Cross, a symbol declared as German by Adolf Hitler.  If this is a creative statement instigated on the part of Lee McQueen, then I'm deeply disappointed.  If it's a move concocted by a marketing agency, then I'm surprised this hasn't been brought up for inspection at ASA.  Above all, I'm mostly baffled since these Nazi symbols really have nothing to do with the clothes themselves and the spirit of rockabilly London kids by which the collection is inspired.  What purpose do they serve other than to shock?  And if it's a selling tactic, then how would a leather vest displaying symbols of historical evil induce anyone to buy into a brand?   

I'm an advocator of pushing boundaries but some lines should be left uncrossed. 

Comments

[gerald]

this really makes my stomach turn...all I can do is feel so sorry for them. Perhaps if they spent less time trying to shock people, and make big headlines, they could actually impress people by their designs, and designs only.

However, to each his own...and if to them this is considered "art" then i hate to say this (and please dont bash me!) but so be it?...I dont agree, and would hope many people dont, but this is a choice they make.

and as far as the MCQ ads...I had never even noticed!! and that confuses me, considering some of lees past references.

i honestly have no idea what to say to this...its such a minor detail, It makes me wonder if any publications have noticed this at all.

[Aly]

well said.

[stef]

AMEN

[JJohnson]

I agree very much Susie!

[gabriela]

awful!. are they so desperate for money and recognition to recourse on such low ways... i mean, they MUST KNOW that they are being disrespectful and touching peoples buttons!
I really hope that Jewish community and the rest of us will raise our voice and ban this label... awful!!!!

p.s: thanks for posting such things susie! keep the good work!

[SRR]

Wow...I hate it when people act recklessly and then use "artistic expression" as an excuse for their antics. Sure, we have the right to say whatever we want, but that right comes with responsibilities. No one is free to incite hatred and violence out of a whim.

[Maren]

This is terrible! The Swastika is the ONE symbol that you absolutely should NOT use in any circumstances. World War 2 isn't that long ago, and it makes me sad to see how ignorant these people are. The worst thing is, in the McQ clothes, people might not notice it, and end up wearing it. Thanks for letting us know, Susie!

[maret]

I totally agree with everything said above. But the iron cross - by the way - isn't a nazi symbol at all. It still is the symbol of the german airforce today and it's awarded for exceptional service for the german country. Juergen Kliensmann the national football coach got one for his exceptional work during the world cup. The iron cross is a prussian symbol existing since 1813. In german history classes the students learn about Adolf Hitler and stuff over and over again... students in many other countries don't. So it makes my stomach turn to see iron crosses on US ebay been sold as SS-symbols or the swastika been used as a fashion icon. On the one hand it seems to be just stupidity (which is bad enough!!!) on the other hand ignorance...
I guess the only thing one can do is to boycott all these labels. Since commercials seem to show what the consumers want to see...
To say that the swastika is a symbol of "anarchy, rebellion and nonconformism" is just more than ridiculous, since it historically stands for the absolut contrary.
O.k. I'll stop here. That's a subject I could argue about for hours ;-)

[maret]

Aw. I'm mixing up the "Eisernes Verdienstkreuz" and the "Bundesverdienstkreuz" so forget all about Juergen Kliensmann and read everything about the "iron cross" on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_cross

[Sonja]

I totally agree to everyone!The connection between symbols like the swastika and World War II is too strong. Although the swastika is in its origins an indian symbol for happiness, everyone connetcs it with Hitler and no one should wear those symbols on their clothes! Because for me, that would be a political statement. It is ok of course to make political statements with the things you are wearing, but I can not tolerate Nazi-statements!

i agree entirely-i think it absolutely disgusting people are using a swastika as a fashion symbol, probably only to raise debate leading to their name being recognised. though the swastika is a very old symbol, dating far back from the nazis, it is known primarily as the nazi symbol. i dont consider myself at all conservative but that really sickens me

[Natty]

It is a bit sick to be honest to base a collection of clothing on nazi symbolism - I mean, who honestly would buy and wear it?? I am wondering with the explaination given regarding the swastika by the designers they are actually trying to re-use this in the way punks in the 70's did. It was not uncommon for punks to wear swastika T-shirts and to adopt the swastika to shock and convey anarchy, they were not necessarily rasist.

[dimes]

okay, you're not going to like what i'm about to say.

i think these designers are applying semiotic techniques here, but it doesn't work because their designs are ugly and cheap looking.
as mentioned above, since B.C. times the swastika had positive connotations. many religions still use it (buddists & hindus) and it sucks that in the last 100 yrs its initial meaning of life/ health was destroyed.

maybe these designer were hoping to have the same results with their statement as the pink triangle (i'm not splainin the pink triangle origins, you have to look it up), but their message is lost because 1) it's not subtle and 2) the clothes are rubbish. would you react differently if an asian or brown person was wearing this outfit? gives it a whole other context...

regarding the eagle: it's the deutscherepublik symbol. that eagle is everywhere in germany (like the union jack or the US flag). it is not a symbol of hate, just out dated (i know this cuz i've lived in germany and have asked these questions to every germany i know. all government buildings have this bird or a form of it on them somewhere).

we should more bothered with the symbols of guns and other weapons than with the swastika. (they have only negative meanings, don't they?)
or maybe we should take all these old images of yuck, rework them and give them an empowering meaning more often.
counteract negativity with e.g. victor&rolf @ h&m instead. can't go wrong with wearing your heart on your chest.

anyway, we're here discussing this and reacting to it which is always a plus. it means we're not emotionally dead fashion victims. besides people who preach hate usually wear suits more than swastikas...

and as maret said, this is a subject that could be discussed for a long time. sorry for the long winded-ness.

[susie_bubble]

That's why I love my readers.... so many different inputs and not just one-dimensional so please do not apologise for contributing to the discussion!
I think the context of the symbols used needs to be defined more clearly... because with the McQ ads, it really isn't all that clear.

[neonoir]

The swatstika is such a negative icon. Just like the "N" word in America, people fruitlessly try to put another spin on it (e.g. with rap/hip-hop) but no one can erase its history.

[DJM]

The McQ ads I don't feel are offensive for the reasons stated by Dimes and Maret. To associate the Iron Cross with the SS is too belittle the honour and bravery of ordinary young German men who found themselves in exactly the same situation as British soldiers. Not all soldiers believed in (or were aware of) what Hitler was doing, they just didn't have a choice. But that's getting a bit heavy! I think McQ was trying to capture the feeling of the dress of that time, a mix of rockabilly and biker, in which case I think he got it bang on. Plus the girl doesn't look like a model, she looks as though she wears stuff like that.

[susie_bubble]

It just doesn't seem accidental that the Iron Cross is there with the Eagle and the Swastika as well (if you look very closely). For me personally, it just looks very deliberately confrontational...

[S.]

Voyage is obviously trying to hard to be contraversial. They deserve nothing. My only concern is that some weak minded will follow.

McQueen, I'll get none of my attention or money from here on in.

This is not fashion, it is not a joke, it is not cool or cutting edge.

[Ulla]

Thank you so much for writing this! Its tragic how some people can use these symbols with so little thought! I wonder what thoughts were behind the designers of Voyage? - it seems so immature (like the prince of England last year...) to use the swastika as a fashion symbol.

[ama]

Dimes I was scanning down the list and absolutely not getting it until I got to your comment.

The only thing I wish someone had mentioned was the whole Vivienne Westwood/McClaren thing when Jamie Reid designed all the prints for the Sex Pistols. They're not shocking and they're not provacative because it's been done, and better before them. They're trying (as are many other designers including McQ) to reinvigorate a punk ethic that lost the wind in its sails years ago.

I for one don't think of WWII when I see a swastika. I see what I prefer to see, the Hindu symbol for happiness and harmony.

The only shocking thing about the swastika in the media is that everyone in the world is still brainwashed by media propaganda. Why not look at the swastika in a different way, for example why not think every time you see it what a dumbass Hitler was for choosing it in the first place?

I still wear my World's End Destroy t-shirt and even have a Jamie Reid print on my wall of the swastika. I am not anti-semitic. I understand what the artistic was trying to say and achieve. Maybe the problem is like Hitler, the clothes are horrible?

You should consider paying respect and acknowledging one of the world's most heinous events.

Perhaps you choose not to see Nazi genocide but not everyone is fortunate enough to have that choice.

Do you really think you can negate the holocust with a little happy thinking?

[dimes]

alright, no one is dismissing the holocaust or ww2.
25 million russians were killed in ww2. does that mean everytime i see stalin or a sickle and hammer on a t-shirt i scream or throw eggs? uh, no.
i just think it's not something i would wear (because of what that means to me) but i get the message and choose to react in my way or i leave it at that.

you know, we're lucky we're living in a time where we can change the meanings of so many things (colours, symbols, words, anything) and say what we think. that's why we're here at bub's site, is it not?

[Natty]

We all have the option to read as much or as little into this as we like. Whilst I see it as trying to re-live the 70's punk days, and using this is an anarchic and subversive way, rather than racist - I still dont think that it is clever or a good idea fashion wise. I very much doubt that the label will do themselves a favour as this is also like commercial suicide! In regards to the McQueen advert, I believe the essence was to create a stylish hells angels style - not to offend. The thing is, the swastika will always be a symbol which fills the majority of people with dread and fear hence the individuals who use this would expect contoversy and for us to be up in arms. Best way for us to demonstrate our dislike is not to buy!

[valentina]

How can you say that the swastika doesn't remind you of Hitler and The World War II? I think that the symbol is strong and even if its hindu meaning is positive in Europe it has only one interpretation. Moreover i think that the people of Voyage is so superficial and dumb to make the equation swastika=subversion=originality=wow, let's use it! Meanwhile during the nazism every form of individuality was banned and the artists, poets, musicians was killed. Don't even talk about fashion.So the people at voyage think this is cool and revolutionary?

[Fashion Critic]

Guys, I think to argue about the origins of the swastika is to miss the point. There is not a slightest doubt that in the given context, both designers were using swastika as a Nazi symbols, end of story.

[Slappy]

There's a difference between the swastika and the hakenkreuz. The hakenkreuz (the broken cross), which is what the Nazis called it, is a mirror image of the swastika; in other words, the arms point clockwise, while the hakenkreuz's arms point counterclockwise. The swastika is an ancient symbol also used by American Indians (and then by cowboys); After World War 2, though, no one really cared about the difference between the two. A hakenkreuz is a swastika is a hakenkreuz, and it's Nazi.
The swastika/hakenkreuz was a popular symbol among outlaw bikers in the Sixties (See Peter Fonda's "The Wild Angels"), and a few still wear it. Apparently this is what McQueen was going for, but the symbol is today still connected to Nazism and is taboo.
The iron cross is everywhere motorcyclish these days, and it comes from the same place: outlaw bikers who wanted to look badass and piss off The Man. Adolf issued his own version of the iron cross, so if you look carefully...
There are still plenty of Holocaust survivors in the world today, and apparently McQueen doesn't mind spitting on them. Many more people are morons about Soviet imagery too -- they just think it's cool, knowing nothing or not caring about the murderous histories of the USSR (or China, etc., etc.). There's plenty of Polish and Ukrainian immigrants in my neigborhood. I doubt many of them would be too happy about seeing a hammer and sickle on a t-shirt. I know how how they'd feel about a swastika.

[Karl]

"would you react differently if an asian or brown person was wearing this outfit?"

BROWN PERSON!!! Since when was anyone brown? I am almost certain many black people would find that phrase racist and far more offensive than some fashionista pratt in a swastika.

[Kyle "Malachi" Derrick]

I dont know. I dont like seeing symbols of such importance being used in a manner such as this. By wearing a swastika, you should be showing a little more about yourself other than "i want to shock someone." I personally wear my "aryan wear" so to so proudly in a manner to show my respect to the ideals of those involved in neo-nazism. Hitler would be pissed.

[HollidayNews]

Hello

Bye

[Susan]

It's unfortunate that a designer must use this swatiska symbol for blatant shock factor. Although I am also saddened that long before the swatiska was synomonous with Nazi/hatred, it was rich in religious meaning and is prevalently used on tombstones and architecture in Asian countries to this day.

[derblooseRell]

Result: пиктокод дешифрован

[jordan ring 6]

My interpretation of the swastika is of anarchy, rebellion and nonconformism. good point