As London Fashion Week drew to a close yesterday, Burberry have been forced to apologise for one particular look from their AW19 runway show which paid tribute to the "youth of today". The design in question featured the model in a hoodie with drawcords that hung in the shape of a noose.
What the brand were thinking when they thought this was a good idea, we've no idea. While mental illnesses and suicide are indeed things that are plaguing the "youth of today", it's hardly something we should be throwing down a catwalk. It's hard enough living with a mental health condition with people snorting and saying "You and every other millenial" without seeing it become an ACTUAL fashion trend too.
"Suicide is not fashion", said model Liz Kennedy, who was at the runway show but did not wear the hoodie. "It is not glamorous nor edgy and since this show is dedicated to the youth expressing their voice, here I go... How could anyone overlook this and think it would be okay to do this especially in a line dedicated to young girls and youth. The impressionable youth. Not to mention the rising suicide rates world wide."
The brand have since claimed that it was actually inspired by a nautical theme, though removed the item from the collection. "I realise that it was insensitive. It was never my intention to upset anyone", said creative director Riccardo Tisci. "It does not reflect my values nor Burberry's."
The interesting thing is, however, this is not the first time mental illness has been glamorised by the world of fashion. Emo culture of the late noughties perpetuated a trend of tongue-in-cheek Fruit of the Loom T-shirts with "The voices in my head..." legends across across the front. Teenagers would post pictures of themselves with black mascara tears running down their face on Myspace, and even snaps of the self-harm scars on their wrists.
Living within such a subculture, you saw just how badly people were affected by the trend. Teenagers with genuine mental health conditions would be both idolised and envied, as if it somehow made a person more interesting. Extra points if you attempted suicide and ended up in a psychiatric ward. It was really quite appalling to witness.
Of course, subcultures come and go, and, thankfully, the whole "emo" brand is less relevant these days. But we still see mental illness on the runway all the time. Emaciated skeletons with faces of ethereal beauty despite the obvious pain they are going through - and, indeed, are encouraged to experience - are the ones who are showcasing the extraordinary fashion trends of today.
In fact, it could be seen as somewhat hypocritical to attack a brand for displaying suicide as a trend when many of the models are in the process of killing themselves through anorexia and bulimia.
There will no doubt be more romanticisation of mental illness in the future which will only serve to make suicide in young people as trite as any other teen problem. The fashion industry has already been criticised for its long history of insensitivity towards issues of race and body image, so it would be naive to ever expect them to change for the sake of our young people's mental health.
Tagged in Burberry London Fashion Week