This weekend’s naked outburst at Prabal Gurung was not the first of its kind to showcase during Fashion Week. Protestors, streakers and activists may not follow the fashion but they certainly follow the crowd when it comes to making a statement. Over the seasons the runway has seen countless genitals, the front row has had morals preached and the combined police forces of London, Paris, New York and Milan have had their work cut out during the months of February and September. Here’s our top five favourite fashion week disrupters.
The front row of Prabal Gurung certainly got an eyeful when a leopard-thonged man complete with a Burger King crown gallivanted down the runway. After being chased off by security, the mystery man was later identified as Vitalii Sediuk, a Ukranian actor who’s said to have previously pulled a similar stunt at the Grammys. Well, you can’t say he’s not ballsy.
Streaker at Prabal Gurung AW14
VERSACE AW12
Arriving at the front entrance of the star-studded Versace AW12 show, Ukraine’s feminist group Femen appeared half-naked holding signs reading “Anorexia”, “fashion = fascism” and “models do not go to brothels.” In a bid to draw further attention to the industry’s use of size zero and ensure the Milan police force worked their shifts, the girls hollered and rioted, later writing on their blog “Each year, the grinding plates of the fashion business mill hundreds of thousands of girls”. Donatella declined to comment.
Femen outside Versace AW12
DOLCE & GABBANA SS14
Should we admit this? Should we not? The Dolce & Gabbana menswear SS14 streaker is a former Dazed & Confused intern. Bringing sport’s age-old tradition to the stage, the Berlin blogger who writes for men’s fashion and football blog Dandy Diary and goes by the pseudonym 'Miky the Streaker’, left little to the imagination with only a pair of white socks and KangaROO trainers to his name. Seemingly taking it in their strides the D&G duo took their bows and Stefano Gabbana later posted a picture of the nudist on his Instagram. Turns out you don’t always go to prison for indecent exposure.
Streaker at Dolce & Gabbana menswear SS14
NINA RICCI SS14
Perhaps the most coveted of Femen’s fashion career was their bombardment of Nina Ricci’s SS13 show in Paris. Two blonde activists with the words “fashion dictaterror” scrawled across their chests ran down the runway screaming, adding a little nightmare to the pastel dreaminess of Ricci’s collection. Before being tackled off by a team of burly men, one protestor attempted to lift up model Hollie-May Saker’s skirt but was promptly met with a punch. Saker later tweeted “Feeeeeeuuumin. That bitch ruined my walk and had her saggy tits in my face.” Can’t say it didn’t get people talking.
Femen at Nina Ricci SS14
NAUTICA SS14
Usually Fashion Week disrupters are fame hungry nudest right? Not always. Lead by model Sara Jiff, who’s appeared in campaigns and runways for the likes of Prada, Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga and Stella McCartney, a pack of models and mortals lined the streets opposite NYFW’s hot spot the Lincoln Centre. Directly targeting Nautica surrounding their refusal to sign the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, a bill aimed at safeguarding Bangladeshi Sweatshop Workers, they held banners reading “no one should die for fashion”. Read about the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh here.
A Bangladeshi sweatshop protest outside Nautica SS14
