As the world cries “Je Suis Charlie,” Walter van Beirendonck presents a poignant message with his autumn/winter 15 collection on the first day of the Paris menswear shows just two weeks after the worst terror attacks on France in decades. The first boy out had a bare chest covered with clear PVC and the words “Stop terrorising our world,” imprinted on it’s casing. A succession of messages advocating freedom of expression followed this, including “demand beauty,” and “an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” The rest of the clothes were an homage to van Beirendonck’s craft for fine tailoring and patchwork, pop-arty collages, whilst the cone shaped necklaces invoked the provocative “butt plug” of American artist Paul McCarthy, which caused a backlash and was vandalised in it’s installment at Place Vendome last December. The message the collection gave was, overall, one in support of freedom of expression.
Credits
Text Felicity Kinsella
Photography Mitchell Sams