Stop, drop and pose.
Milan Fashion Week models took “autumn” fashion to new heights at the AVAVAV show, stumbling down the runway and leaving the audience in shock.
The stunning performance racked up millions of views online, with many falling in love with the look and touting the takedowns as “genius.” A single video racked up 11 million views and thousands of comments.
The luxury ‘fits’ were on display during the Florence-based brand’s first live show led by creative director Beate Karlsson, who said it was all planned.
Playing on satire and disparaging the fashion industry’s obsession with status, the “Filthy Rich” line included redesigned knockoff luxury logos with “AV” and graphic tops that read “milk cow.” Karlsson even crafted a necklace out of three Rolex watches, which could be yours for just $300,000.
As a comment on the illusion of status and wealth, the wobbly AVAVAV models debuted the latest collection with style, without grace.TikTok/hypebae
AVAVAV described the collection as a commentary on the current social agenda, in which “cash and escapism” are at the top, according to a press release. The drop trick, then, was meant to debunk the industry’s self-imposed seriousness and demystify the “fake” adopters.
“It’s very easy in this generation to falsify and leak parts of our lives on social media, but all of this can very easily go away,” Karlsson told Vogue. “Falling shows this. The fall makes you lose face when you hit the ground, reality catches you right there.”
The brand made TikTok users fall in love with its impressive gimmick, racking up millions of views online.TikTok/hypebae
But the designer is not ignoring her hypocrisy, saying she’s not “embarrassed” because she can “see the irony in it”.
“Lately I want something different. I want to look like I have my s – – t together, look rich, like I have no problems. A lot of us want to look rich, and now I do too,” she continued, noting that his collection mimics and mocks the very realm in which it exists.
The pieces in the collection were adorned with the “AV” logo, but mimicked the patterns of popular luxury brands.TikTok/hypebae
“We’re trying to take the parts of the fashion system that we like,” he added, “but we still live outside of it and do our own thing.”
On TikTok, users were surprised by the brand’s runway performance, unsure at first if it was accidental or clever.
“The opening of the show surprised me for a second,” reads the caption on the clip that has amassed more than 11 million views, calling Karlsson a “genius” in the caption.
While the pieces are easy to meme online, Karlsson swears the traction of the internet isn’t driving his design choices.TikTok/hypebae
“This show is going to go extremely viral and all over the internet just because of this simple concept,” the TikToker, called The Futurist, continued in the comments.
“I guess it’s her Fall 22 collection,” someone else joked.
Other videos with 1.3 million and 1.4 million views showed various snapshots of the models stumbling down the runway, somehow still looking stylish. Commentators heaped praise on Karlsson’s idea, calling it “iconic”, “striking” and “great”.
At first, it seemed like the fall had been an accident, but when all the models fell, it became clear that it was part of the act.TikTok/hypebae
Since joining AVAVAV in 2020, Karlsson’s designs have caused quite a stir on social media, including Doja Cat’s chicken feet boots at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2021 and the realistic silicone butt inspired at Kim Kardashian.
Models wore clothes that said “milk cow” as a snub to the emphasis on wealth in the fashion industry.TikTok/hypebae
But “getting it right” online isn’t the main motivator for Karlsson’s designs, it’s just blatant coincidence and a wow factor that he’s clearly used to his advantage.
“I don’t necessarily want to design things with the intention of being memeable, and that’s been an internal discussion I’ve had with myself,” she told Vogue. “Am I doing this because I think it will go viral or because it’s something I support as a design?”
Source: news.google.com