Vetements' FW21 Collection Includes Pieces Inspired by Hong Kong Protests
Protestors in Hong Kong being sprayed with dye (left), a look from Vetements FW21 (right).
Who else remembers those kids in high school that would gladly go to the mall and overpay for mass-produced t-shirts with the anarchy symbol on them, totally missing the irony? Over the years, Vetements has made inflammatory designs their signature. Their provocations usually aren’t even worth commenting on, but some pieces in their latest collection bring up questions about who has a right to draw artistic inspiration from political situations, and whether that changes when commerce is involved.
Vetements runway looks with blue splatter effects. Images by Gio Staiano / Courtesy of Vetements.
Vetements’ 165-slide lookbook contains the expected “alternative” motifs like flames and anarchy symbols alongside a series of looks featuring a blue splattered effect. At first glance, they just look like a throwback to when neon nights were the rage at corny clubs, but as designer Guram Gvasalia explained to Vogue, the pieces were inspired by protesters in Hong Kong who had been sprayed with blue dye by the police so they could later be identified and arrested. According to investigations by Greenpeace, the liquid also contained adhesives and tear-inducing chemicals that can cause skin irritation.
Vetements FW21 graphic tees. Images by Gio Staiano / Courtesy of Vetements.
The dye-splattered pieces are mixed in with expensive slogan tees bearing pithy messages about free thought and the surveillance state of the world, anarchy signs, etc, none of which make a particular impact when you remember Vetements’ tees typically cost around $500.
Vetements has done political messaging well before - their SS19 show, inspired by growing up in the country of Georgia during a civil war, was one of their strongest outings. However, that’s their territory to explore, unlike Hong Kong’s fight for democracy which they weren’t participants in. The inclusion as a fashion statement is confusing - the blue ink wasn’t something protesters voluntarily donned, and many are exiled, or still serving time for participating in the protests.
Is Vetements baiting publicity through outrage or is their fashion statement just plain insensitive?