When Maria Grazia Chiuri took the helm at Christian Dior in 2016, her debut Spring/ Summer 2017 collection was an instant hit. Her simple white t-shirts emblazoned with the proud slogan “WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS” was an instant sell out, despite the £490 price tag. This summer it was everywhere, seen on bloggers, models and even celebrities such as Rihanna and Jennifer Lawrence.
Image via Vogue
This season, Chiuri has tried to emulate the success with another feminist slogan t-shirt, this year reading ‘Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists’. This is the name of a 1971 essay by Linda Nochlin, and is considered to be a ground-breaking essay of art and feminism.
Within this essay, Nochlin states: “The question “Why have there been no great women artists?” is simply the top tenth of an iceberg of misinterpretation and misconception.” It explores the idea that while there are many great women artists, they are less likely to succeed in this field.
Image via Vogue
The main problem is that when taken out of context of the essay, the quote looks quite insulting at first glance. If you are unaware of the essay, it seems an inexplicable statement to make.
We love the concept of the t-shirt, which is even more poignant considering Maria Grazia Chiuri is Dior’s first female creative director. Unfortunately, we aren’t so sure on the execution. To avoid misunderstandings, maybe stick to the ‘WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS’ shirt.
Slogan t-shirts can be a tricky business, with a lot of them causing offence by their bold statements. We’ve chosen our best and worst slogans on the high street.
Tweet us @Fashion_North with any questionable slogans you have seen!
