In Stores Now: "Derelict" Homeless-Inspired Fashion

by Shannon Moriarty · 2009-10-01 09:07:00 UTC
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Shoppers aren't the only ones trying to mimick the latest trends from the pages of fashion magazines. The high-end department store Barneys New York has jumped on the "homeless as high fashion" bandwagon by featuring homeless manikin displays - complete with park benches, trash cans, and newspaper blankets.

Mimicking the homeless to sell expensive clothes? Not cool, Barneys.

This display comes after a homeless-inspired photo spread was featured in the pages of an international fashion mag and the portrait of a homeless man was snapped by the Sartorialist himself. Many considered these initial statements to be edgy, thoughtful even. It was about the juxtapositions of designer clothing on homeless people (or the image of a homeless person on a fashion blog). With the help of my thoughtful readers, I put my outrage aside and opted to try and take advantage of the teachable moment this homelessness/fashion crossover provided.

But this just crosses the line.

Apparently, I'm not alone in my sentiments. Several fashion bloggers, including OMG blog (who broke the story) and the Ethical Style blog found the display to be in poor taste. Homeless advocates are also shaking their heads. According to Joel John Roberts over at LA's Homelessness Blog, the fashion world's obsession with all-things homeless is insulting to those who are struggling to get by on the streets.

I couldn't agree more. The timing is tasteless and the message - whatever it is - is insulting to those who are hurting the most.

Sure, it's Barneys this season... but will these tasteless displays wind up in JC Penny next year?

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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