Some looks from Private Policy SS21 collection / New York Fashion Week
Marsha Elle, amputee model and singer
Body Positivity, id est Self-Acceptance
Unafraid to face the most pressing Zeitgeist socio-political issues and raise its voice in the matter, Private Policy wants to bring awareness to Self Acceptance and Body Positivity. The shutdown having forced ourselves to focus more on ourselves and on a constant self-judgment, it comes as no surprise that an inclusive range of modern muses – including the amputee, bionic model Marsha Elle and trans model and activist Dominique Castelano, among others – took center stage at the brand’s Spring 2021 show at NYFW on Runway 360 platform – as a way to challenge the unique Western-based ideal standard of beauty in their own way, and aiming at inspiring other people struggling with the same issues.
“In the modern era, instead of a singular beauty standard, we look for muses who embrace their individuality, celebrate diversity and encourage others to be confident in their uniqueness“, the creative directors Haoran Li and Siying Qu stated in a note of the New York City-based maison.
To embody the whole concept, Greek goddess Aphrodite is the idea that stands behind the Spring/Summer 2021 collection, named indeed “Searching for Aphrodite”. According to mythology, the goddess of beauty and self-love was born from the sky and ocean, akin to how all life on Earth is created. Her beauty doesn’t come from her looks, but her immense power within. The collection develops therefore as a search for the modern-day Aphrodite, which cannot be personified by a sole depiction of beauty but is open and inclusive of different body types, genders and identities.
This concept is translated into abstract graphics, lines and shapes, taken from Botticelli painting of Aphrodite’s birth: instead of conforming to a fixed image in the painting, it rather refers to the goddess’ spirit in an amplified perspective, which can be held by anyone.
Aphrodite is in the Greek-style draped delicate jersey, asymmetrically wrapping the -genderless- body of the model, and matching any kind of more consistent, workwear garments, such as bomber jackets, bucket hats, cargo trousers, vest harnesses and tailored suits. The goddess is also represented by the fully embroidered holographic sheer organza dress.
No more fashion diktats are accepted; in this sense, fashion answers to the desire to emancipate oneself from the ruling principles of (Western) society; it offers a tool to differentiate oneself from a conservative mindset and institutional norms. By overturning the crystalized beauty standards within the dominant ideology, the individual can find now – through fashion itself – the necessary self-liberation. That’s the ultimate self-expression of one’s own power and beauty, incited also by the brand’s strong manifests – using its signature newspaper outlet design process – such as: “Stand strong for who you are” and “I Am Beautiful“.
The brand’s relevance in the present times can not fall through the cracks in what concerns its engagement in sustainability as well, intended as its constant pursuit, through the employment of biodegradable nylon, eco-friendly lyocell cotton, Japanese vegan lambskin and recycled CDs.
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