This week, models at New York Fashion Week got down and dirty on the runway. Literally. A muddy pit served as the runway for the fashion show by designer Elena Velez. Up until the models got into a staged fight on the floor, it seemed harmless at first - just a quirky runway decision. Videos from the mud fight rapidly went viral. According to fashion magazine WWD, her "anti-heroines," as Velez referred to them, went through "a literal swamp," labouring with each step as their Nike sneakers, slides, and high heels sank into the goo. They had chipped white paint on their bodies and in their hair. Models were seen fighting in mud puddles during the pre-planned disaster, spoiling their clothing and raising the question of how much spectacle is too much. Velez's "manifesto" claimed that there was a purpose for this show. “We have lost touch with our gift and responsibility to paint a truthful and beautiful picture of our times. It feels to me like the sanitization and unilateralization of womanhood in popular culture today leaves no room for the nuance and multiplicity we deserve as architects of labyrinthine interior lives.” She stated in her manifesto that her collection 'The Longhouse' was both a celebration and an exorcism of current feminine influence. According to Vogue, which once called Velez "explosive and aggressive", she reportedly refused to do interviews after the show. She desired for the show to speak for itself. Velez went on to state that the show was a “creative interpretation of the reorganization of contemporary society around feminine expressions of control and behavioral modeling” and a reaction to a “climate of post-progressivism where resistance to a monolithic cultural paradigm is intensifying.” See the video of the mud fight yourself: View this post on Instagram A post shared by DietSabya® (@dietsabya) Velez's creativity is undeniable, and her utilitarian designs that feature strapped, out-seamed coats and pants, an asymmetrical skirt gathered at the hip, and many more commercial items, masterfully execute her raw feminine aesthetic. In a season where Helmut Lang and the 1990s are all everyone can talk about; it feels timelier than ever. Alana Hadid, Gigi, Bella, and Anwar's older sister also made her modelling debut on the filthy, mud-slathered catwalk. 📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don't miss out on the latest updates!
