Hari Nef’s latest Barbie look offered salvation in silver cutlery

Did anyone tell Margot Robbie Barbie filming has wrapped? The movie’s main girlie seems like her mind’s still stuck in Barbieland, rolling out saccharine sweet dolly pink look after look on the red carpet premiere trail across the course of the last few weeks. And while we love to see iconic archive Versace bits originally worn by the supers given their moment in the spotlight, and last night’s Vivienne Westwood was stunning, it’s all getting a bit… boring? 

Step forward Hari Nef, who last night showed up to the hotly anticipated movie’s London premiere in a second-skin gown studded with silver cutlery. The work of Turkish-born, London-based designer and former Dazed 100er Dilara Findikoglu, the dress transformed Nef into a modern-day Joan of Arc – the patron saint of France who fearlessly led the country in battle against the English in the 1400s. 

Debuted at London Fashion Week back in February, the AW23 look was inspired by gender-skewing Joan’s reclamation of her body, with the rest of the collection finding influence in the women protesting for their rights in Iran, legendary London punk band The Slits – their own lyrics fiercely pushing back against male oppression and the patriarchy – and Findikoglu’s deep hatred of Marilyn Monroe biopic Marilyn. No surprise that the offering itself was named Not a Man’s Territory. 

Barbie’s status as a feminist icon is a contentious and long-debated topic – with pioneering Ms editor Gloria Steinem describing her as “everything we didn’t want to be, and were told to be”, it wouldn’t be a reach to suggest Nef may be using the press trail and this look in particular to highlight what she sees as a real feminist trailblazer. But whatever the message, one thing is true: in a sea of toothache-inducing identikit fuschia, bubblegum, and Pepto-Bismol pink looks that are currently flooding each Barbie event, Nef’s subversive gown offered salvation in silver cutlery.