The Most Controversial Fashion Moments That Made Headlines in 2017
Fashion, like anything else, is subject to all sorts of strange and unexpected controversies. For its part, 2017 was arguably one of the most tumultuous years in fashion history. From celebrity mishaps and designers grappling with how they handle political controversy to miscalculated advertising and copyright lawsuits, this year, there was no shortage of headline-making moments. It's a time that many in the industry will reflect on in the future so they don't repeat these things again (hopefully). Ahead, let's take a moment to look back at some of the top stories in fashion that flooded our newsfeeds this year.
Michael Heiman/Getty Images1/16Designers Refusing To Dress Melania Trump
After the election of Donald Trump, several designers grappled with how to handle dressing the new First Lady, Melania Trump. Sophie Theallet wrote a public letter stating that she would not be dressing Melania (despite the fact that she had done so for former First Lady Michelle Obama) because of her husband's policies. Following the letter, other designers followed suit including Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs. For her first Presidential appearance at the inauguration, Melania ended up wearing an American designer, Ralph Lauren.
The Washington Post2/16Kellyanne Conway's Trump Revolutionary Look
Speaking of the inauguration, another thing people could not stop talking about was Senior Advisor to the President, Kellyanne Conway's look for the occasion. In an attempt to wear something American-themed, she wore Gucci red, white and blue outfit she dubbed "Trump revolutionary wear." The only problem? The look was conceived by an Italian designer who was inspired by London for the outfit.
Courtesy of YouTube3/16Kendall Jenner's Pepsi Commericial
Kendall Jenner's Pepsi commercial was supposed to be one of the biggest moves the model ever made. Instead, it ended up being one of the most talked about moments of 2017... and not in a good way. The video staged a protest against the police that was solved by Kendall Jenner pushing through the crowd to simply hand an officer a can of Pepsi. Following the fallout, Kendall stepped back from interviews and appearances for a while, and didn't address the issue until it came out on an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians months later.
Courtesy of Vogue Arabia4/16Gigi Hadid's Vogue Arabia Cover
While it was welcome news that Vogue launched the first-ever Arabian version of the magazine, the release was nothing short of controversial. The inaugural cover model was Gigi Hadid, who has covered almost thirty Vogue issues in her short career. The issue? Many felt that this was an opportunity to have a model from the region grace the cover rather than an American. For her part, Gigi Hadid is half-Palestinian, a point that many supporters brought up in the debate as well.
Courtesy of Romphim5/16Romphims
Romphims are literally just a romper made to fit male bodies. Why was this a huge headline? Apparently, romphims were an issue for people who can't get over gender normative clothing standards, and thus a huge debate erupted.
Photo Courtesy of Instagram/@the_native_tiger6/16Megan Fox's Son Wearing a Dress
Actress Megan Fox found herself making fashion headlines after she posted an Instagram photo of her son wearing a dress from the movie Frozen. While both Megan and her husband Brian Austin Green feel it's no big deal (because it isn't), many parents were outraged by the move.
Photo Courtesy of Kendall + Kylie7/16Kendall + Kylie Jenner Selfie "Vintage" Band Tees
Kendall and Kylie Jenner's eponymous clothing line has had its ups and downs this year. The sisters found themselves in the center of a firestorm of controversy after releasing "vintage" band t-shirts that featured their faces photoshopped over music legends. Not only did many people find the designs offensive and morally reprehensible, apparently Kendall and Kylie didn't have legal permission to use most of the images either.
Photo courtesy of YouTube8/16Tory Burch's All-White "Juju On That Beat" Ad
Tory Burch was accused of cultural appropriation after featuring three white models dancing to "Juju On That Beat" in her ad campaign. One social media user captured the overwhelming sentiment quite succinctly: "Tory Burch definitely should've had women of color in that ad and that's all I'm going to say about the situation."
NurPhoto9/16Kellyanne Conway Illegally Endorses Ivanka Trump Clothing On Television
After the #GrabYourWallet campaign saw stores dropping Ivanka Trump's clothing line, Senior Advisor to the president Kellyanne Conway decided to step in. Unfortunately for her, the brand-saving move was actually illegal. On an episode of Fox and Friends, she told the audience to go out and buy Ivanka's clothing. It's considered an ethics violation to endorse a product as a public official, and Kellyanne received a formal warning because of it.
EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ10/16Gucci Employees Allegedly Protested Donald Trump at Trump Tower Store
The New York City Gucci Store is located in Trump Tower, a place that became the epicenter of political protests this year. On Twitter, one onlooker posted what looked like employees from the store holding up signs that read, “Hate has no home here.” Despite the social media post, Gucci denied that their employees engaged in any sort of protest.
Alex Wong11/16Melania Trump Wears Heels to Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Area
After a deadly and devastating hurricane took place in Houston, the president and the First Lady boarded Air Force One to visit disaster relief areas. Melania was photographed heading to Texas in a pair of tall stiletto heels. It was a move that many social media users found insensitive, as the areas she was scheduled to visit were devastated by flooding. Later, her team said that she brought shoes to change into.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images12/16Zara Factory Workers Leave Disturbing Notes In Clothing Pockets
A report on AP revealed that shoppers at an Istanbul Zara found notes in clothing pockets, claiming the workers who made the clothing had not been paid. The company later explained that a third party manufacturer was to blame and that the employees would receive back pay.
MONEY SHARMA13/16Ivanka Trump's Clothing Violates Her Father's Policies
Donald Trump's 'Made in America' campaign promise seemed to only apply to people outside of his family. As many reporters, politicians and social media users pointed out, Ivanka Trump's clothing line is still being made in other countries. Months after the election, it was revealed that three people investigating the Chinese factory that makes her shoes either went missing or were arrested by the Chinese government.
Getty Images14/16Stefano Gabbana Defends Melania Trump
Time and time again, Melania Trump was spotted wearing Dolce & Gabbana looks at major events. And while other designers shy away from claiming responsibility when Melania wears their work, Stefano Gabbana did quite the opposite. He took to his Instagram account to praise the First Lady, a move that several fans of the brand were not happy with.
Yanshan Zhang15/16Curvy Models Speak Out About Victoria's Secret Lack of Size Diversity
Despite the fact that the 2017 Victoria's Secret Runway was the most diverse VS model cast ever in terms of race, when it came to size, it was anything but. Models like Ashley Graham took to social media to publicly denounce the choice, but the brand has yet to even acknowledge the criticism.
