In recent years, fashion has increasingly celebrated the flaws and idiosyncrasies that make people unique. Thick brows, braces, crooked teeth, and under-eye bags have all had their moments in the sartorial sun, but pimples and complexion flaws are rarely seen. Even the “no makeup” look that’s become a runway staple involves layers of dewy foundation.
At Milan Men’s Fashion Week, 24-year-old Malaysian designer Moto Guo flagged a change, sending his models down the catwalk sans concealer — pimples and all. The look was reflective of the ideas behind his collection, Picnic in the Society, in which he ventured to subvert tropes of masculinity by clothing the male models in traditionally feminine shapes, calling the clothes “vivid, quaint, and imperfect.”
Almost more surprising than the models’ skin were pundits’ reactions to it. Some on Twitter baulked that it was just a stunt, others immediately began asking what it all meant — everyone agreed it was a controversial move. The response speaks volumes about our complex relationship to our skin, and how far we have to go before we truly break down one of beauty’s most stringent ideals. But given that acne is the most prevalent skin conditions in the world, should we really be so shocked?
Credits
Text Kasumi Borczyk
Image via Twitter