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Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe
Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe

We talk a lot about America being polarized, but it's not the only country with cultural chasms you need crampons to cross.

Italy and France, despite being glamorised for their food and freedoms, are not homogenous philosophical blocks.

Just because all the cobbled roads in the quaint village you're visiting are 'Old World,' it doesn't mean everyone who lives there thinks like Voltaire and dresses like Giorgio Armani.

RELATED: Secrets To Dressing Like An Italian When You're Not One

On that note: a new, scantily clad statue in an Italian town recently went viral for all the wrong reasons.

The bronze statue, which depicts a female character from a 19th century poem, has ignited discussion in Italy, with some politicians calling it“an offence to women” and demanding it be removed, and others coming to its defence.

The statue portrays a woman from the poem The Gleaner of Sapri by Luigi Mercantini (a gleaner is someone who collects grain left in fields by harvesters). As the story goes, a female gleaner leaves her job to join a doomed expedition of revolutionaries.

The statue depicts the woman wearing a transparent and tight-fitting dress, with her right arm placed over her breasts.

The statue was unveiled in Sapri, a town in southern Italy, on the weekend. Backlash quickly grew. Some called for it to be removed. Others defended it.

Laura Boldrini, a former Speaker of the Italian Senate, said: "The statue... is an offense to women and the history it should celebrate."

"But how can even institutions accept the representation of women as a sexualized body?"

"Male chauvinism is one of the evils of Italy."

Monica Cirinna, a senator in Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party, called it “a slap on the face of history and of women, who are still (treated as) sexualised bodies."

Sapri mayor Antonio Gentile defended the statue. He said it was "made with skill and impeccable interpretation" and he hoped it would become a major tourist attraction.

Other Twitter users shared various views on the statue, debating its merits (and flaws).

The debate continued over on TikTok, where, beneath a video of journalist @sophiasmithgaler explaining the story, one user wrote: "Why can you not be a revolutionary fighter and also thicc."

Another commenter wrote: "If she was covered the feminist comments would still pop out 'you want us covered and in the kitchen'" to which Sophia responded: "this is just straight up daft. If she was dressed authentically I'm sure many would be happier."

Watch Sophia go back and forth with commenters in the video below (as well as sharing more details about the statue controversy).

 

The statue's creator, artist Emanuele Stifano responded to the controversy on Facebook with the following statement.

"I'm shocked and displeased by what I'm reading. I have been brought charges of all kinds that have nothing to do with my person and history. When I make a sculpture I always tend to cover the human body as little as possible, regardless of gender. In the case of the Editor, since it was placed on the seafront, I 'took advantage' of the sea breeze that invests it to move the long skirt, and so highlight the body."

"This is to highlight an anatomy that should not have been a faithful instant of a 800 farmer, but rather to represent an ideal of a woman, evoke her pride, the awakening of a consciousness, all in a moment of great pathos."

"I add that the preparatory sketch has been viewed and approved by the contracting authority.
To those who don't know me personally I say that I continuously question my work, working with humility and always trying to improve myself, far from me to the great Masters of the past that represent a beacon that guides and inspires me."

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The post Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe appeared first on DMARGE.

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Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe
Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe

We talk a lot about America being polarized, but it’s not the only country with cultural chasms you need crampons to cross.Italy and France, despite being glamorised for their food and freedoms, are not homogenous philosophical blocks.Just because all the cobbled roads in the quaint village you’re visiting are ‘Old World,’ it doesn’t mean everyone who lives there thinks like Voltaire and dresses like Giorgio Armani.RELATED: Secrets To Dressing Like An Italian When You’re Not OneOn that note: a new, scantily clad statue in an Italian town recently went viral for all the wrong reasons.The bronze statue, which depicts a female character from a 19th century poem, has ignited discussion in Italy, with some politicians calling it“an offence to women” and demanding it be removed, and others coming to its defence.

The statue portrays a woman from the poem The Gleaner of Sapri by Luigi Mercantini (a gleaner is someone who collects grain left in fields by harvesters). As the story goes, a female gleaner leaves her job to join a doomed expedition of revolutionaries.The statue depicts the woman wearing a transparent and tight-fitting dress, with her right arm placed over her breasts.The statue was unveiled in Sapri, a town in southern Italy, on the weekend. Backlash quickly grew. Some called for it to be removed. Others defended it.Laura Boldrini, a former Speaker of the Italian Senate, said: “The statue… is an offense to women and the history it should celebrate.”“But how can even institutions accept the representation of women as a sexualized body?”

“Male chauvinism is one of the evils of Italy.”

Monica Cirinna, a senator in Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party, called it “a slap on the face of history and of women, who are still (treated as) sexualised bodies.”Sapri mayor Antonio Gentile defended the statue. He said it was “made with skill and impeccable interpretation” and he hoped it would become a major tourist attraction.Other Twitter users shared various views on the statue, debating its merits (and flaws).

The debate continued over on TikTok, where, beneath a video of journalist @sophiasmithgaler explaining the story, one user wrote: “Why can you not be a revolutionary fighter and also thicc.”Another commenter wrote: “If she was covered the feminist comments would still pop out ‘you want us covered and in the kitchen'” to which Sophia responded: “this is just straight up daft. If she was dressed authentically I’m sure many would be happier.”Watch Sophia go back and forth with commenters in the video below (as well as sharing more details about the statue controversy).

The statue’s creator, artist Emanuele Stifano responded to the controversy on Facebook with the following statement.“I’m shocked and displeased by what I’m reading. I have been brought charges of all kinds that have nothing to do with my person and history. When I make a sculpture I always tend to cover the human body as little as possible, regardless of gender. In the case of the Editor, since it was placed on the seafront, I ‘took advantage’ of the sea breeze that invests it to move the long skirt, and so highlight the body.”“This is to highlight an anatomy that should not have been a faithful instant of a 800 farmer, but rather to represent an ideal of a woman, evoke her pride, the awakening of a consciousness, all in a moment of great pathos.”“I add that the preparatory sketch has been viewed and approved by the contracting authority.To those who don’t know me personally I say that I continuously question my work, working with humility and always trying to improve myself, far from me to the great Masters of the past that represent a beacon that guides and inspires me.”

Read Next

The post Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Read more
Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe
Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe

We talk a lot about America being polarized, but it’s not the only country with cultural chasms you need crampons to cross.

Italy and France, despite being glamorised for their food and freedoms, are not homogenous philosophical blocks.

Just because all the cobbled roads in the quaint village you’re visiting are ‘Old World,’ it doesn’t mean everyone who lives there thinks like Voltaire and dresses like Giorgio Armani.

RELATED: Secrets To Dressing Like An Italian When You’re Not One

On that note: a new, scantily clad statue in an Italian town recently went viral for all the wrong reasons.

The bronze statue, which depicts a female character from a 19th century poem, has ignited discussion in Italy, with some politicians calling it“an offence to women” and demanding it be removed, and others coming to its defence.

The statue portrays a woman from the poem The Gleaner of Sapri by Luigi Mercantini (a gleaner is someone who collects grain left in fields by harvesters). As the story goes, a female gleaner leaves her job to join a doomed expedition of revolutionaries.

The statue depicts the woman wearing a transparent and tight-fitting dress, with her right arm placed over her breasts.

The statue was unveiled in Sapri, a town in southern Italy, on the weekend. Backlash quickly grew. Some called for it to be removed. Others defended it.

Laura Boldrini, a former Speaker of the Italian Senate, said: “The statue… is an offense to women and the history it should celebrate.”

“But how can even institutions accept the representation of women as a sexualized body?”

“Male chauvinism is one of the evils of Italy.”

Monica Cirinna, a senator in Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party, called it “a slap on the face of history and of women, who are still (treated as) sexualised bodies.”

Sapri mayor Antonio Gentile defended the statue. He said it was “made with skill and impeccable interpretation” and he hoped it would become a major tourist attraction.

Other Twitter users shared various views on the statue, debating its merits (and flaws).

The debate continued over on TikTok, where, beneath a video of journalist @sophiasmithgaler explaining the story, one user wrote: “Why can you not be a revolutionary fighter and also thicc.”

Another commenter wrote: “If she was covered the feminist comments would still pop out ‘you want us covered and in the kitchen'” to which Sophia responded: “this is just straight up daft. If she was dressed authentically I’m sure many would be happier.”

Watch Sophia go back and forth with commenters in the video below (as well as sharing more details about the statue controversy).

The statue’s creator, artist Emanuele Stifano responded to the controversy on Facebook with the following statement.

“I’m shocked and displeased by what I’m reading. I have been brought charges of all kinds that have nothing to do with my person and history. When I make a sculpture I always tend to cover the human body as little as possible, regardless of gender. In the case of the Editor, since it was placed on the seafront, I ‘took advantage’ of the sea breeze that invests it to move the long skirt, and so highlight the body.”

“This is to highlight an anatomy that should not have been a faithful instant of a 800 farmer, but rather to represent an ideal of a woman, evoke her pride, the awakening of a consciousness, all in a moment of great pathos.”

“I add that the preparatory sketch has been viewed and approved by the contracting authority.
To those who don’t know me personally I say that I continuously question my work, working with humility and always trying to improve myself, far from me to the great Masters of the past that represent a beacon that guides and inspires me.”

Read Next

The post Italy’s ‘Sexist Statue’ Controversy Reveals Embarrassing Stereotype Tourists Still Believe appeared first on DMARGE.

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Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone
Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone

It's been a bit of an odyssey but finally, after a number of delays, No Time to Die – the hotly-anticipated 25th James Bond film and actor Daniel Craig’s last stint as the famous fictional spy – finally had its world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall earlier this week.

Naturally, the world's gripped in a bit of 'Bond fever', and it's not hard to understand why: after the nightmare that's been the last eighteen months, indulging in a bit of escapism into James Bond's glamorous world is a tantalising prospect. The guns, the suits, the watches, the cars...

Speaking of, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 – Bond's most famous car and the vehicle most strongly associated with the character – makes its return in No Time to Die, and to celebrate, the Aston Martin team organised a rather exciting vehicular stunt with one of the greatest wheelmen of all time.

Sebastian Vettel, four-time Formula One World Champion and Aston Martin F1 Team driver got behind the wheel of a specially track-modified DB5 for some rather spirited driving out at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix.

Watch Sebastian Vettel drift an Aston Martin DB5 below.

 

Vettel clearly enjoyed his time behind the wheel of the vintage sports car, the German all smiles with his tongue out during his high-octane. He almost crashes the car during one stunt – seeing as most DB5s command a seven-figure price tag these days, we're sure Aston Martin were gritting their teeth the entire time.

RELATED: This Globetrotting $1.7 Million Aston Martin DB5 Is Immaculate… But There’s A Catch

Vettel was joined on track by his Aston Martin F1 teammate, Lance Stroll, as well as Mark Higgins, No Time to Die's stunt driver. While Stroll and Vettel might be skilled at whipping their AMR21 F1 cars around Silverstone, Higgins emphatically showed the two sportsmen up when it came to Bond-level DB5 driving.

Also seen at the track were some other Astons from the film, including a vintage V8 Vantage, a sleek DBS and the as-of-yet unreleased Valhalla, a street-focused variant of the Valkyrie track car. Sadly, we didn't see the Valhalla get taken out on the track – we would have loved to see Vettel put the hammer down in it...

Watch the full video of Vettel and Stroll driving the DB5 like 00-agents on YouTube here.

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The post Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone appeared first on DMARGE.

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Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone
Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone

It’s been a bit of an odyssey but finally, after a number of delays, No Time to Die – the hotly-anticipated 25th James Bond film and actor Daniel Craig’s last stint as the famous fictional spy – finally had its world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall earlier this week.Naturally, the world’s gripped in a bit of ‘Bond fever’, and it’s not hard to understand why: after the nightmare that’s been the last eighteen months, indulging in a bit of escapism into James Bond’s glamorous world is a tantalising prospect. The guns, the suits, the watches, the cars…Speaking of, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 – Bond’s most famous car and the vehicle most strongly associated with the character – makes its return in No Time to Die, and to celebrate, the Aston Martin team organised a rather exciting vehicular stunt with one of the greatest wheelmen of all time.Sebastian Vettel, four-time Formula One World Champion and Aston Martin F1 Team driver got behind the wheel of a specially track-modified DB5 for some rather spirited driving out at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix.Watch Sebastian Vettel drift an Aston Martin DB5 below.

Vettel clearly enjoyed his time behind the wheel of the vintage sports car, the German all smiles with his tongue out during his high-octane. He almost crashes the car during one stunt – seeing as most DB5s command a seven-figure price tag these days, we’re sure Aston Martin were gritting their teeth the entire time.RELATED: This Globetrotting $1.7 Million Aston Martin DB5 Is Immaculate… But There’s A CatchVettel was joined on track by his Aston Martin F1 teammate, Lance Stroll, as well as Mark Higgins, No Time to Die’s stunt driver. While Stroll and Vettel might be skilled at whipping their AMR21 F1 cars around Silverstone, Higgins emphatically showed the two sportsmen up when it came to Bond-level DB5 driving.Also seen at the track were some other Astons from the film, including a vintage V8 Vantage, a sleek DBS and the as-of-yet unreleased Valhalla, a street-focused variant of the Valkyrie track car. Sadly, we didn’t see the Valhalla get taken out on the track – we would have loved to see Vettel put the hammer down in it…Watch the full video of Vettel and Stroll driving the DB5 like 00-agents on YouTube here.

Read Next

The post Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Read more
Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone
Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone

It’s been a bit of an odyssey but finally, after a number of delays, No Time to Die – the hotly-anticipated 25th James Bond film and actor Daniel Craig’s last stint as the famous fictional spy – finally had its world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall earlier this week.

Naturally, the world’s gripped in a bit of ‘Bond fever’, and it’s not hard to understand why: after the nightmare that’s been the last eighteen months, indulging in a bit of escapism into James Bond’s glamorous world is a tantalising prospect. The guns, the suits, the watches, the cars…

Speaking of, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 – Bond’s most famous car and the vehicle most strongly associated with the character – makes its return in No Time to Die, and to celebrate, the Aston Martin team organised a rather exciting vehicular stunt with one of the greatest wheelmen of all time.

Sebastian Vettel, four-time Formula One World Champion and Aston Martin F1 Team driver got behind the wheel of a specially track-modified DB5 for some rather spirited driving out at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix.

Watch Sebastian Vettel drift an Aston Martin DB5 below.

Vettel clearly enjoyed his time behind the wheel of the vintage sports car, the German all smiles with his tongue out during his high-octane. He almost crashes the car during one stunt – seeing as most DB5s command a seven-figure price tag these days, we’re sure Aston Martin were gritting their teeth the entire time.

RELATED: This Globetrotting $1.7 Million Aston Martin DB5 Is Immaculate… But There’s A Catch

Vettel was joined on track by his Aston Martin F1 teammate, Lance Stroll, as well as Mark Higgins, No Time to Die’s stunt driver. While Stroll and Vettel might be skilled at whipping their AMR21 F1 cars around Silverstone, Higgins emphatically showed the two sportsmen up when it came to Bond-level DB5 driving.

Also seen at the track were some other Astons from the film, including a vintage V8 Vantage, a sleek DBS and the as-of-yet unreleased Valhalla, a street-focused variant of the Valkyrie track car. Sadly, we didn’t see the Valhalla get taken out on the track – we would have loved to see Vettel put the hammer down in it…

Watch the full video of Vettel and Stroll driving the DB5 like 00-agents on YouTube here.

Read Next

The post Sebastian Vettel Takes James Bond’s Classic Aston Martin DB5 Drifting At Silverstone appeared first on DMARGE.

Read more
Sneaker Resellers Are Ransacking Lidl For These ‘Ugly’ Kicks
Sneaker Resellers Are Ransacking Lidl For These ‘Ugly’ Kicks

To the outside observer, sneaker culture in 2021 must be totally bizarre.Not only are the retail prices of many popular sneakers – Jordans, Yeezys, Nike Air Maxes – rather punchy, but then they’re blown up to insane levels thanks to the speculative buying of resellers and grifters trying to make a quick buck… And it works. Beyond that, the actual aesthetic du jour at the moment seems odd to many outsiders: 90s-era, chunky ‘dad shoe’ styles, once considered the epitome of anti-fashion, are now what’s hot.One recent controversy neatly encapsulates both these oddities: the Lidl sneaker reselling fiasco. Lidl, a German chain of budget supermarkets popular throughout Europe, recently released a ‘Lidl by Lidl’ clothing capsule in the United Kingdom featuring tote bags, shorts, socks and sneakers featuring the signature colours and multiple instances of the garish Lidl logo as a ‘Middle of Lidl’ promotion – a similar concept to rival chain Aldi’s ‘Special Buys’, which Australians are likely familiar with.These were immediately a big hit, especially the sneakers. It didn’t take long for the £13 (~US$18 / AU$24) sneakers, which visually resemble Nike Air Huaraches, to be sold out across the country – and for listings on Depop, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Grailed to pop up, slinging the shoes for double or triple the price, or even more. Similar dynamics were observed in other European markets where the sneakers also went on sale, such as Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden.

Listings for Lidl sneakers online, some of which are listed with four-figure price tags. While there’s a big difference between an asking price and a successful sale price, it demonstrates how people are trying to profiteer. Notice that one of the listings is from Germany. Image: screenshot
“Some sellers have sold dozens of pairs at £35 each while others have put together ‘packages’ of trainers, socks and board shorts… One customer complained they had visited five different stores on the day the trainers went on sale but left empty-handed as they were all sold out,” The Guardian reports.It’s a truly bonkers yet fascinating phenomenon that raises lots of questions. Are times so tough that people will try even flipping cheapo supermarket sneakers to try and make some extra coin? Has fashion become so kitsch that such an ugly shoe is worth paying 200%+ over the retail price for? Are supermarkets now the vanguard of ~fashion~?A significant part of what’s fuelling the whole 90s ‘dad shoe’ or ‘ugly shoe’ trend is ironic appreciation. With that in mind, a Lidl sneaker is, in many ways, the ultimate anti-fashion fashion statement: it’s so garish; so cheap; so gormless that it’s actually desirable. It’s also relatable: rich or poor, everyone shops at Lidl. It’s a brand with immense cultural cut-through and obvious ironic value – so it’s no wonder a Lidl sneaker was a sales success.RELATED: Nike Have Created Their Ugliest Sneaker Ever… And It’ll Sell Like HotcakesLidl isn’t the only brand of its type to try something like this. In Switzerland, local supermarket chain Migros’ M-Budget brand – the equivalent of Australia’s Black & Gold or Home Brand – is a veritable institution, with Migros selling everything from chewing gum to condoms (which, ironically, are basically the same word in German) in its iconic green and white branding. Beyond sneakers, Lidl in Germany sells Lidl-branded kimonos, for some reason.Closer to home, even American fast-food chain KFC sold an Australia-exclusive merch collection back in 2018, which included everything from budgie smugglers to fried chicken-fragranced surf wax. Talk about understanding the local market…
Finger-licking good? The aforementioned items from KFC’s merch collection. Image: Men’s Health
Even luxury brands have got in on this trend. Luxury fashion house Balenciaga made waves back in 2017 when it started selling calfskin versions of supermarket plastic bags, emblazoned in iconography evocative of supermarket logos, for over US$1,000. Balenciaga is a repeat offender when it comes to this sort of thing, having come out with other deliberately ironic products over the years such as luxury IKEA bags, jelly sandals and collaborations with Crocs.RELATED: $800 Balenciaga ‘Birkenstocks’ Enrage Social Media’s Luxury ConsumersIn essence, modern fashion is absolutely soaked to the bone in irony, and entrepreneurial kids want to make a bit of scratch buying up desirable clothes. It’s a mad, mad world we live in.Thankfully, there will always be a market for a nice suit and some snappy Oxfords.

Read Next

The post Sneaker Resellers Are Ransacking Lidl For These ‘Ugly’ Kicks appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Read more
Sneaker Resellers Are Ransacking Lidl For These ‘Ugly’ Kicks
Sneaker Resellers Are Ransacking Lidl For These ‘Ugly’ Kicks

To the outside observer, sneaker culture in 2021 must be totally bizarre.

Not only are the retail prices of many popular sneakers – Jordans, Yeezys, Nike Air Maxes – rather punchy, but then they’re blown up to insane levels thanks to the speculative buying of resellers and grifters trying to make a quick buck… And it works. Beyond that, the actual aesthetic du jour at the moment seems odd to many outsiders: 90s-era, chunky ‘dad shoe’ styles, once considered the epitome of anti-fashion, are now what’s hot.

One recent controversy neatly encapsulates both these oddities: the Lidl sneaker reselling fiasco. Lidl, a German chain of budget supermarkets popular throughout Europe, recently released a ‘Lidl by Lidl’ clothing capsule in the United Kingdom featuring tote bags, shorts, socks and sneakers featuring the signature colours and multiple instances of the garish Lidl logo as a ‘Middle of Lidl’ promotion – a similar concept to rival chain Aldi’s ‘Special Buys’, which Australians are likely familiar with.

These were immediately a big hit, especially the sneakers. It didn’t take long for the £13 (~US$18 / AU$24) sneakers, which visually resemble Nike Air Huaraches, to be sold out across the country – and for listings on Depop, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Grailed to pop up, slinging the shoes for double or triple the price, or even more. Similar dynamics were observed in other European markets where the sneakers also went on sale, such as Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden.

Listings for Lidl sneakers online, some of which are listed with four-figure price tags. While there’s a big difference between an asking price and a successful sale price, it demonstrates how people are trying to profiteer. Notice that one of the listings is from Germany. Image: screenshot

“Some sellers have sold dozens of pairs at £35 each while others have put together ‘packages’ of trainers, socks and board shorts… One customer complained they had visited five different stores on the day the trainers went on sale but left empty-handed as they were all sold out,” The Guardian reports.

It’s a truly bonkers yet fascinating phenomenon that raises lots of questions. Are times so tough that people will try even flipping cheapo supermarket sneakers to try and make some extra coin? Has fashion become so kitsch that such an ugly shoe is worth paying 200%+ over the retail price for? Are supermarkets now the vanguard of ~fashion~?

A significant part of what’s fuelling the whole 90s ‘dad shoe’ or ‘ugly shoe’ trend is ironic appreciation. With that in mind, a Lidl sneaker is, in many ways, the ultimate anti-fashion fashion statement: it’s so garish; so cheap; so gormless that it’s actually desirable. It’s also relatable: rich or poor, everyone shops at Lidl. It’s a brand with immense cultural cut-through and obvious ironic value – so it’s no wonder a Lidl sneaker was a sales success.

RELATED: Nike Have Created Their Ugliest Sneaker Ever… And It’ll Sell Like Hotcakes

Lidl isn’t the only brand of its type to try something like this. In Switzerland, local supermarket chain Migros’ M-Budget brand – the equivalent of Australia’s Black & Gold or Home Brand – is a veritable institution, with Migros selling everything from chewing gum to condoms (which, ironically, are basically the same word in German) in its iconic green and white branding. Beyond sneakers, Lidl in Germany sells Lidl-branded kimonos, for some reason.

Closer to home, even American fast-food chain KFC sold an Australia-exclusive merch collection back in 2018, which included everything from budgie smugglers to fried chicken-fragranced surf wax. Talk about understanding the local market…

Finger-licking good? The aforementioned items from KFC’s merch collection. Image: Men’s Health

Even luxury brands have got in on this trend. Luxury fashion house Balenciaga made waves back in 2017 when it started selling calfskin versions of supermarket plastic bags, emblazoned in iconography evocative of supermarket logos, for over US$1,000. Balenciaga is a repeat offender when it comes to this sort of thing, having come out with other deliberately ironic products over the years such as luxury IKEA bags, jelly sandals and collaborations with Crocs.

RELATED: $800 Balenciaga ‘Birkenstocks’ Enrage Social Media’s Luxury Consumers

In essence, modern fashion is absolutely soaked to the bone in irony, and entrepreneurial kids want to make a bit of scratch buying up desirable clothes. It’s a mad, mad world we live in.

Thankfully, there will always be a market for a nice suit and some snappy Oxfords.

Read Next

The post Sneaker Resellers Are Ransacking Lidl For These ‘Ugly’ Kicks appeared first on DMARGE.

Read more
JetBlue ‘Scuffle’ Shows Why Flight Attendants Need Self Defence Training
JetBlue ‘Scuffle’ Shows Why Flight Attendants Need Self Defence Training

America has seen a surge in unruly passenger behaviour over the last twelve months, much of it centred around a minority of passengers who have been reluctant to wear masks, and then becoming agitated when they are asked to comply with airline rules.There have also been some other, more off-piste incidents. One woman, for instance decided to spark up on a Spirit Airlines flight, causing uproar in the process. Another story for the books is the man who had a (verbal) sparring match with the woman behind him over the territorial status of a window shade.Last week news broke of an even scarier incident, involving a man trying to storm the cockpit on a JetBlue flight, as well as allegedly strangling and kicking a flight attendant.The incident occurred last Wednesday evening. ABC News reports that a flight attendant told the FBI that with just over an hour left in the flight from Boston to San Juan, Puerto Rico, the man tried to place a phone call and “became angry about the call’s unsuccess.”According to the FBI affidavit, half an hour later the man moved towards the cockpit, shouting in Spanish and Arabic to be shot.

JetBlue interior. Image Credit: CNN
A flight attendant managed to usher the man back into the passenger seating area during which point the unruly passenger allegedly grabbed the flight attendant by the collar and tried to kick them in the chest.Eventually, he was subdued (with the help of other crew members) and put in flex cuffs. The plane then safely landed at its destination. The man was then taken into custody by authorities.A sad story – and also one that illustrates why flight attendants live by the maxim ‘if it can happen on the ground, it can happen at 40,000ft‘. This is something flight attendant Kat Kamalani talks about in the below video, where she explains the real reason airline staff always greet you at the door of the plane.

Why flight attendants always greet you when you are entering a plane

It also illustrates why many flight attendants are now receiving self-defence training.

Read Next

The post JetBlue ‘Scuffle’ Shows Why Flight Attendants Need Self Defence Training appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Read more