Comme des Garcons Fall 2001 collection, 'Beyond Taboo', was one in which, Rei Kawakubo "tackled sex, and the material manifestation of erotica - in all its corseted, cone-bra'd, satin and lace glory." (Laird Borrelli-Persson)
I love this collection. The wonderful reworking of corsets, bustiers and bras. Turning underwear into very cool outerwear.
The humble slip....
provided wonderful inspiration,
The jackets from the collection...
This was a skirt that was influenced by the collection. It's not a good photo for clarity, but the front opening is by a hook and eye tape, top stitching resembles boning channels, and a side layer of lingerie mesh and lace to reflect a slip/petticoat, aspects of underwear becoming outerwear.
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And, of course I was inspired by the corset bustiers!
One of the glorious corset tops from the CdG collection, seen from a variety of angles Isn't it a fascinating garment.
'Taboo' as a noun: A social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place or thing.
'Taboo' as an adjective: Prohibited or restricted by social custom.
Taboo, whether noun or adjective, is often based in a cultural sensibility, relating to customs and/or religion.
The English use of 'Taboo' is dated to 1777, when Captain James Cook visited Tonga. He referred to the Tongans' use of the word 'Tabu' in a journal entry, "has a very comprehensive meaning; but, in general, signifies that a thing is forbidden...when any thing is forbidden to be eat, or made use of, they say, that it is taboo."
Common taboos involve restrictions of: killing and hunting; sex and sexual relationships; reproduction; the dead; food and dining.
Human sacrifice and cannibalism would be considered extremely taboo in a contemporary western society, yet such activities were once a strong aspect of society norms in early post-European contact Tonga, Tahiti and Aotearoa/New Zealand.
By the time European contact began with Tonga, rituals of sacrifice were performed to honour various gods, whereas in Tahiti (Otaheite) sacrificial rituals had become oriented towards one particular god, 'Oro, the god of war.
I imagine that the ritual of sacrifice came across as a powerful tool of authority.
I believe Captain Cook witnessed a human sacrifice on the island of Tahiti (Otaheite), on the 1st of September, 1777. Maybe he would have a completely different reaction to such an event as myself, due to the fact that his society back home, were still into public executions....but who knows.
Discussing rituals of sacrifice in the Pacific brings me to Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau,
the German film director, producer and screenwriter. Nosferatu, an adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, is one of Murnau's acclaimed works.
In 1931 he travelled to Bora-Bora
to make the film 'Tabu'.
Murnau started filming with film pioneer Robert J. Flaherty, but Flaherty left the production after various disputes between the two of them.
Sadly, Murnau died of injuries he sustained in a car accident, one week before the public opening of the film.
If interested to know more details about the film, check this site,
According to Charles Silver, a former Curator in the Dept. of Film at MoMA, "Murnau, after the relative imprisonment of Weimar Berlin and mad Hollywood, loved Tahiti, Bora-Bora, and the smaller islands. The informality and laxity of strictures on behaviour (including sexual ones) seemed a kind of rebirth....Tabu is a great treasure to the lovers of cinema. Its haunting imagery is intrinsically lovely, its rhythms unique, its denouement overwhelming."
There is a story that when filming one section of Tabu, Murnau moved a sacred rock to get a better camera placement.
If you would like to view the film, here's the video. It is a tender love story,and the ending scene is very moving, both beautiful and sad. Remember it is a silent film and the soundtrack is pivotal.
Try the link to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0slETXbC0I
This screen shot explains the general premise of the story.
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Rei Kawakubo revisited bras as outerwear in the CdG Fall 2008, 'Bad Taste' collection.
Vivienne Westwood & Malcolm McLaren's Fall 1982/83, 'Nostalgia of Mud/Buffalo Girls' collection, according to the V&A, was the first collection "to introduce underwear as outerwear, with 1950s-style satin bras worn over dresses."
I worked with the concept in a collection I put together a number of years ago. Bra made from felt and fastened with chunky buckles. I didn't think it would catch on, but I sure enjoyed the creativity that was involved in producing it! Does the look seem a bit 'Stepford Housewives Just Want To Break Free!'
American designer Dion Lee brought a skillful design approach to "bra on the outer" concept, in his Fall 2018 collection.
And you can take a look into a history of the underwear as outwear look via this link. It goes back way earlier than you would think. https://harpersbazaar.com.au/underwear-as-outerwear-lingerie-fashion-trend/
Rick Owen's Fall 2015 collections was described as "Designer Breaks Last Taboo in Male Fashion, Full Frontal Nudity". Owens said "Boys with their dicks out is such a simple, primal, childish gesture", but he did it anyway, by way of a porthole over the groin area. I guess if you were sitting there in the audience, you might get a flopping eyeful!
Six years later, Owens Fall 2021 collection was described in a GQ article, "Rick Owens Takes On Fashion's Last Taboo: Male Aggression." Owens said of his collection, it was an exploration of male suppressed rage on every side of the moral divide. "I'm always conscious of my own aggression....Aggression is something that I'm fascinated with because I'm constantly conscious of wrestling with it, personally. And I think that's true of every man."
What do you think?
YFront aggro?
And I can still see that porthole look....
Latex rubber clothing was once something secretive, shocking, and described as "the most sensual fabric there is due to its unique look, sound, smell, feel and taste."
This is a very interesting article to read https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200108-from-fetish-to-fashion-the-rise-of-latex
An interesting paragraph from the article relating to the Mackintosh raincoat
"The invention of the Mackintosh raincoat in 1824 spawned a particularly loyal community of rubber lovers, whose letters of enthusiasm about the erotic “thrill of macking” (fetish slang for wearing the garment) were published in the periodical London Life as early as the 1920s. The devoted convened to found The Mackintosh Society, one of England’s first modern fetish organisations. As membership in these circles grew and word of its ‘perverse’ uses spread, rubberwear’s societal subtext became increasingly taboo. After World War Two, a wave of social conservatism forced fetishists underground."
Five years ago I wrote a blog on the theme of raincoat/trenchcoat, which included information about the history of the Burberry trenchcoat. I remember there was a cool wee video about Thomas Burberry's textile invention.
And here's the Billy Idol 'White Wedding' music video mentioned in 'The Rise of Latex' article. It might take you back.
Leigh Bowery, who I have mentioned in previous blogs, enjoyed wearing latex,
In 1985 Bowery opened his own nightclub, the infamous Taboo.
His handmade invite to the nightclub's launch.
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Nothing was ever out of bounds at Taboo, apart from some of the punters who wanted to get in. It was very druggy and I did read someone say it was the first ecstasy club in Britain.
If interested in knowing a bit more about Taboo and Leigh Bowery's art, check out this article,
I think Taboo was closed down by the Police after a year of its opening.
Many interesting articles about Leigh Bowery are to be found, but I think the headline of this one says it all 'The taboo-busting legacy of Leigh Bowery' https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-legacy-of-leigh-bowery/
Boy George went on the write a musical called Taboo. It premiered in London's West End January 29, 2002, with Boy George playing the character based on Leigh Bowery.
Connect with the Promo press release video via this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvvAg-tFibs
Maison Martin Margiela Couture AW 2013 presented some cool tributes to Leigh Bowery. Drip head masks and latex jeans, t-shirt, jacket and coat.
For the book lovers among us, Taboo = forbidden/banned. A list of books that have been forbidden/banned for one reason or another!
Let's finish with the lovely Sade musical video 'The Sweetest Taboo'. Enjoy.
SLTSLTBsigning off.
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