Are Guns The New Hot Accessory?
Fashion designer Philipp Plein sends models down the runway brandishing guns and wearing gas masks, ostensibly in the name of style. Should a line be drawn when artistic expression abuts the glorification of violence?
German fashion designer Philipp Plein is no stranger to audacious publicity stunts. He made headlines in September for featuring the transsexual model Lea T. in his Milan runway show, further defying convention by having Lea smoke a cigarette on the catwalk. His taste in celebrity casting also raised eyebrows when Lindsay Lohan became the face of his Spring/Summer 2012 campaign and Ed Westwick walked the runway in Plein’s Spring/Summer 2013 menswear show.
But not even what appeared to be male twins making out in Plein’s most recent ad campaign holds a candle to the designer’s most recent shock and awe maneuver. In yesterday’s Autumn/Winter 2013 fashion show, Plein accessorized his military-themed collection with balaclavas, gas masks, and automatic weapons waved at the audience as models walked the runway. Plein drove the point home with messages like “Life’s a game and it’s not fair” and “Only kill for love” stenciled in red on models’ bodies.
In the wake of the Newtown tragedy and the ensuing debates over gun control, Plein’s strategy (or mode of artistic expression) seems particularly alarming. When is a runway show just that — a show — and when does it cross the line? Check out some of the photos here.
MILAN, ITALY - JANUARY 14: A model walks the runway during the Philipp Plein show during Milan Fashion Week Menswear Autumn/Winter 2013 on January 14, 2013 in Milan, Italy.
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12 Responses So Far
- BroadwayBelter thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
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emaleexedge 4 months agoYou people are redic. Next you’ll say someone pointing their finger like a gun or a nerf toy are ‘threats’. Chill outttttt.
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- erins14 thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
- ashkhan thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Win
- BuzzfeedThePoor Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? and thinks it’s Win & LOL
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- susanac thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
- GitRyan thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
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- R. W. thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy
- chuyb thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy & Fail
- oscart thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy, WTF & Fail
- Jimbo31 Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? and thinks it’s Fail
- dawgette68 thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy
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- Mongognom thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy
- Noirling thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Cute
- Murphy_008 thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy & Fail
- juliam11 thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
- Tron thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail & Trashy
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mauser*girl 4 months agoAre people seriously getting their panties into a bunch over *this*? Really? Obviously, they’re going for a military-inspired look. I see lots of sand bags, camouflage, boots, dog tags, etc. Not far fetched to have them carry firearms to go with the theme. They’re not threatening anyone with them. How is this “glorification of violence”?
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- francisdavid Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? and thinks it’s WTF & Ew
- tonii thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
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francisdavid 4 months agoWe have this show every year…. At the national state prison fashion festival…
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- atomic105 thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
- paraxnoir thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy
- isaacdammit Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? and thinks it’s & WTF
- lez9 thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
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- peliboi thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail & Trashy
- brookeh7 Are Guns The New Hot Accessory?
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- gerardomaciasg thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
- groucho thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
- MrSwearword Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? and thinks it’s Trashy
- Tralfamadore thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Ew & Trashy
- Yabby thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy
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- annas27 Are Guns The New Hot Accessory?
- haleyg3 Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? and thinks it’s Fail & Trashy
- diannar2 thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Trashy & WTF
- blairu thinks Are Guns The New Hot Accessory? is Fail
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BimbyBumbo 4 months agoThis is truly lame
Fake tattoos
Fake guns
Stylized street chic for huge $$$$
For gods sake ur fashion: be fashion not parrot clothing that is (ugh, distantly) representative of actual hardwon lifestyles. People suffer fighting wars and living in combat situations ffs -
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matthieugagnon 4 months ago
You should take this post off and not promote the useless use of guns as a commercial launch pad by creating a infinite discussion about it.
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