Designers showing at New York Fashion Week have always found a way to bring hard hitting news to the runway.
This year, Kerby Jean-Raymond’s collection for the label Pyer Moss hit home!
Jean-Raymond incorporated videos of police violence during the show. Some of these incidents include: The Eric Garner case, police brutality at the Texas pool party, chasing of suspects and breaking of car windows. At the age of 28 years, this designer is really turning heads in a major way!
The collection is for Spring 16′, and incorporates “restraint“. With the collection being majority white in color, some of the pieces have very interesting accents: Red stripes that portray gunshot wounds, a jacket in reference to Eric Garner saying “Breathe, breathe, breathe”, and a pair of boots with the names of victims on the side.
Jean-Raymond invited some family members of those who were victim to police brutality. This is his first time bringing this form of activism into a show, and it will probably be the last. The designer has lost a European account that blamed the cancellation of business on “lack of space“. He decided to take charge because he felt as though many others were not stepping up to the plate.
Jean-Raymond originally made “They Have Names” shirts for his Spring 15′ line, but did not use them for the show. He feared backlash and did not add the piece to the show. Later he released the piece for sale to the public. This year he put fear aside and took control!
Disclaimer: In no way I am bashing police or their departments. This is fashion, and fashion speaks for itself. Don’t shoot the messenger.
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