THE TIME’S UP GESTURE

The fashion industry still seems to be grappling with its response to the #Metoo movement, both in terms of whether it affects how we think about clothes (maybe it shouldn’t?) and how it prevents further abuse, particularly of models, from happening on its watch. One area where designers did deliver, though, was in the creation of beautiful pieces in black, the colour chosen by the Time’s Up campaign to create moments of sartorial symbolism at both the Golden Globes and this Sunday’s Bafta awards.

In New York, iterations of black velvet dresses appeared again and again in what began to feel like a sophisticatedly subtle, apolitical nod to Time’s Up. At Bottega Veneta, Gigi Hadid closed the show wearing a lace-trimmed, floor sweeping take, Tom Ford offered two mini-length versions, Rosetta Getty created a louche, layered crushed velvet dress and the Oscar de la Renta finale comprised three long black velvet gowns. There’s time yet for one of them to make it to the Baftas. Bottega Veneta AW18