Audience throws real trash at models during Milan fashion show

WEB DESK: Milan Fashion Week’s AW24 edition concluded with a dramatic turn of events during AVAVAV’s runway show as chaos unfolded with the audience throwing real trash at the models.

The unconventional presentation, featuring banana skins, crushed cans, eggs, and more, aimed to highlight the harsh realities of the fashion industry and was fueled by online hate directed at designer Beate Karlsson since the brand’s inception in 2019.

Known for their unconventional approach, AVAVAV has previously showcased collections that fell apart mid-walk and presented messy, unfinished offerings. The brand’s shows blend runway with performance art, consistently stirring controversy and sparking discussions online.

Screens flanking the runway displayed a continuous stream of negative Instagram comments directed at Karlsson, providing a visual representation of the online criticism she has faced. Comments like “This is not fashion” and “Yeah, this is trash” were a stark reflection of the show’s literal interpretation.

Post-show, Instagram continued to buzz with critiques, with some claiming the drama overshadowed the clothes, while others criticised Karlsson’s treatment of models.

However, backstage insights revealed that models were briefed on the show’s concept during casting and willingly participated, acknowledging the challenges they face from online trolls.

The chaotic scene involved planted actors initially throwing trash from the audience, later joined by others from the front row.

By the show’s end, the catwalk was covered in refuse, and models were adorned with splatters of canned tomatoes, mustard, and raw eggs. Even Karlsson herself wasn’t spared, as a team member rushed to smear a family-sized pie in her face during her bow.

Karlsson explained that the presentation drew inspiration from mediaeval times, when audiences would express displeasure by throwing rotten tomatoes at performances.

Despite the controversy, the collection featured AVAVAV’s signature styles, including slouchy hoodies, logo-branded baby tees, distressed denim, and satirical caps with slogans like “filthy rich.”

While the airborne chaos may have distracted from the clothes, past interactions with AVAVAV’s creations reveal well-made, quality pieces appreciated by fashion enthusiasts.

Karlsson, despite not providing solutions to industry issues, channels frustrations creatively, offering some of the most thought-provoking and entertaining shows on the fashion schedule.

As the saying goes, let the haters hate, but AVAVAV continues to make a statement in the ever-evolving world of fashion.