Voices

Fifty Shades of Failure: Why you should skip “Fifty Shades of Grey”

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It’s that time of year again. The time to buy your loved ones chocolate, flowers, and cards with romantic messages that could have been said better in another language.  It’s also, apparently, the time of year to go watch a movie that glorifies domestic violence and the complete and utter violation of Safe, Sane, and Consensual (SSC) rules.

That’s right.  It’s the time of year where apparently, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is the must-watch romantic movie. Due to the issues of partner stalking, domestic violence, and the lack of SSC–to name just three of the multitude of problems in the books–one must wonder why “Fifty Shades of Utter Failure” was chosen as the senior fundraiser trip when there are so many more options for a Valentine’s Day trip they could have done.

A simple Google search for the search string ‘everything wrong with 50 Shades of Grey’ nets a little over nine million results. The majority of those results are either lovingly created detailings of everything wrong with the BDSM aspects of the trilogy or terrifyingly on-point breakdowns of the abuse presented and excused in each of the three books (the best breakdown is the “50 Shades of Abuse” WordPress account, which also contains trigger warnings in the chapter-by-chapter listings, given the nature of the book being reviewed). Other results include absolutely nauseating discussions of how wonderful the trilogy is, the minutes of drinking games on various forums (‘divine goddess’, take a shot), and dramatic readings on YouTube (the best is the Nostalgia Team reading in various voices, including Mickey Mouse), to name a few.

As the movie is being released on Valentine’s Day (with an early release on Wednesday, February 11), one can only assume that the movie will be only slightly better than the books, given that it must be packaged for a wider audience (people are more likely to watch a movie than read a book in certain cases). Theoretically, this means that the movie could be better written and contain fewer problematic elements, and the cast interviews–especially the recent disastrous appearance from the co-stars of the movie–make it almost worth seeing, if only to view the utter lack of chemistry and the almost palpable (and somewhat murderous, if interviews are to be believed) hatred between the lovely Dakota Johnson and equally handsome Jamie Dornan.

The premiere of “Fifty Shades of Abusive Relationships” does make one wonder at the state of Hollywood, when this is the type of movie that they want to release for Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is meant to be shared by couples, or friends, or the people who spend the day counting down to the post-Valentine’s candy sale. Nowhere is February 14 supposed to be a celebration of domestic violence.

Except, apparently, in Hollywood.  There are no redeeming features in this trilogy. It is abuse apologism in the worst form and contains very misleading information about BDSM that can lead (and has lead) to hospitalizations and one-way trips to the morgue.

Instead of going to see “Fifty Shades of Domestic Violence,” consider donating the cost of your ticket to a women’s shelter, a food pantry, or an animal shelter, and watch something vaguely holiday-themed on Netflix.

The Emperor has no clothes: Eden Hall campus’ promise of sustainability as nothing more than an elaborate illusion

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Let’s not beat around the bush. Chatham University’s new addition of the Eden Hall campus is not fooling anyone. You can add all the fancy water filtration systems and solar panels you like–this new campus is not sustainable, nor will it ever be, so let’s stop pretending that it is.

In Fall 2015, the Eden Hall campus will be open for undergraduate and graduate residents and will be the new location for the majority of the Food Studies and Sustainability classes. Claimed to be, “the embodiment of a commitment Chatham makes every day to support sustainability and environmental education,” the campus sits on 388-acres of donated land in Gibsonia, PA which is a little more than 20 miles north of Chatham’s Shadyside campus.

Upon applying to the Masters of Sustainability program, I, like my fellow classmates, couldn’t help but feel impressed by the plans for Eden Hall. We were dazzled by promises of aquaculture, green infrastructure, gardens, solar panels, and, more importantly, the promise of an environment that would foster skills to promote societal change, which arguably is the main reason that many of us are here in the Falk School of Sustainability. However, these illusions fizzled as soon as the realities of this development became apparent.

At a recent town hall meeting on February 11, a slideshow of dorm arrangements and smiling “hypothetical” students was presented by the Dean of the Falk School of Sustainability Peter Walker to a group of undergraduate and graduate students from the Sustainability and Food Studies programs, followed by a discussion about some nitty-gritty details about what life would look like on this campus.

Quickly, it became apparent that this whole operation is geared towards undergraduate students, who fit neatly into the plans for residential life. Graduate students, however, do not seem to fit so neatly, stating concerns about transportation, housing, scheduling of classes, and the isolation from the rest of the campus and the city.

Something that stood out strongly to me was that there seems to be very little for sustainability students to do on the this campus if their focus is on business, urban sustainability, or transportation issues, or if they are Food Studies students who are mainly interested in urban agriculture or urban food deserts. Regardless, all students will have to make the trek out to this campus for classes.

Apart from the apparent complete lack of considerations for the “real” students that are going to be living at Eden Hall, this new campus falls extremely short of its main promise of sustainability and is nothing more than glorified green-field sprawl that separates the sustainable community of Chatham from the rest of the university and from the city of Pittsburgh. Concerns about this isolation are centered on the general desire to reduce the siloing of knowledge, an issue that those in the field of sustainability identify as an impediment to societal change and a creator of false dichotomies between us. Physically separating the sustainable community from the larger Chatham community is reducing the opportunity for connections and intellectual growth for everyone.

Isolation is not the only impact this campus will have. The largest concern weighing on my mind is the increase in greenhouse gas emissions from the green-field development (as opposed to in-fill) of the campus and the fact that this development is outside of Pittsburgh. This distance equates to a lack of viable public transit options for students, who will instead have to depend on personal cars, university shuttles, a car-sharing program similar to Zip Car, or, if you wish to be carbon neutral, there is the feeble promise of a smattering of bicycle lanes. Walking–either to class or to run errands–is also no longer a viable option for transportation. But even if it was, to go where? To do what? Which points to the fact that this campus is located in an area that is arguably less attractive to the growing trend of city-loving millennials like myself. Students will now have to either stay on campus or drive off campus for any non-school activities–including trips to the local pub, which raises additional concerns about safety.

At the end of the town hall meeting, all of these voiced concerns were shrugged off by the Dean as mere fears of change. This is dismissive and insults us, the students who are becoming experts in issues of sustainability. While it may be too late for the development plans to be altered or halted, I urge those in the Sustainability program and the Food Studies program, as well as members of the community, to acknowledge what this really is, which is not the formation of a progressive sustainable campus, but mere greenwashing.

You just can’t help asking, why was this development pushed and then slapped with the sticker of sustainability? Who was pushing it? Couldn’t this plot of land have been used in a better way? How do the students in the Falk School of Sustainability move forward, particularly with the goal of remaining a part of the community at Chatham in Shadyside and in the city of Pittsburgh? These are questions that have yet to be answered.

Foodie on the Half Shell: Scrumptious seafood

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Seafood is a group of food that I love for many reasons. Not only is it low in fat and high in protein, but it is also very accessible. I think seafood has this connotation that it is either really expensive and good, or it is cheap and you are sitting at the Golden Corral. Seafood can be expensive, but there are some tricks to sneak it into your diet on a budget in Pittsburgh.

First, be smart about where you are buying your seafood. Whole Foods has very high prices, but the fish isn’t any better than the fish at Wholey’s Seafood Market down in the Strip District. The Market District also has some amazing sales on things like crab legs. On Valentines Day, I got a couple pounds of King Crab Legs for less than $20. By going to an actual seafood market or a grocery store where they have a seafood counter, you are able to pick exactly how much fish you want, which saves you money. I almost always buy my shrimp frozen. I think that the quality stays the same, and it is cheaper than fresh shrimp. You can buy frozen shrimp almost anywhere, including Aldi’s and Trader Joe’s.

The un-fun thing about eating animal product is the sustainability factor. A great way to know what and what not to eat is to check out The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. You will be able to look up every type of seafood in the world and see what kind is okay to buy. The recipe I am sharing today is based on shrimp. Shrimp is versatile and a lot of people love it, even if it is dipped in ketchup and fried…which is delicious. The best type of shrimp to buy is wild from Alaska or Canada.

This recipe is so easy that literally anyone with working hands can make it. It takes no skill at all! Baked shrimp may not sound typical, but it is probably my favorite way to eat them when the grill is put away for the winter. Impress anyone with your seafood “talents,” and serve this with some white wine and crusty bread.

What you will need for about a dozen shrimp:

12 shrimp, deveined and thawed if frozen

½ of a white onion, sliced into thin rings

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 lemons, sliced thin.

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of minced rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Place the slices of lemons, onion, and crushed garlic all over a cookie sheet creating a layer of those ingredients. Place your shrimp on top of this layer. Drizzle shrimp with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Cook for 15 minutes.

For the butter-wine sauce:

4 tablespoons of butter

Juice of half a lemon

¼ cup of white wine

Melt the butter and mix the other ingredients into it. Drizzle on top of the shrimp.

Little Red Riding Vogue: Fashion plagiarism

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They taught you about it all through your academic career—if you’re going to take something from someone else, you have to cite it. Otherwise, it’s plagiarism. You can absolutely be inspired by someone’s work, but if you don’t give them credit for the inspiration, you’re in the wrong.

One upsetting thing in the fashion industry is fashion plagiarism. So often, I hear of small designers or makeup artists having their looks stolen by big designers. In some cases, when the original designers try to speak up and make a claim for their art, the big designers have them silenced. They ignore any messages, delete any comments—they do what they can to erase the small designer and hold onto the stolen design as their own.

Most recently, I saw a case of this with a favorite Instagrammer of mine. LA-based makeup artist Mykie (better known as Glam & Gore) creates incredible, fantastical looks with makeup. In my opinion, some of them are worthy of Syfy’s “Face Off.” Specifically, she did a look in December that blew me away. She did her makeup in a way to give her skin a reptilian look. But that wasn’t all. She also made a fake skin to go with the look—as if she was shedding her normal face for a snake one.

Her first posting of the look has over 19,900 likes on Instagram. On February 20, Mykie posted a collage on Instagram showing her look being replicated at New York Fashion Week. The problem is, she wasn’t credited at all. Mehron Makeup recreated the look for brother and sister designers Michael and Stephanie Costello without attributing Mykie as their inspiration.

Everyone was stunned by and smitten with a look they thought came from Mehron. Meanwhile, Mykie wasn’t getting any praise for the look she worked so hard to create. Granted, there were slight changes to the Costello makeup, but it was very clearly a copy of her work.

In Mykie’s post, she mentioned that she was grateful to be considered such a good artist that people would want to replicate her looks, but she felt it was unfair that the looks went unaccredited. Since then, both Mehron Makeup and the Costellos have posted apologies on their Instagrams, admitting that the look came from Mykie, and that they are sorry that they did not recognize her as the source originally.

Unfortunately, this is one of the best cases I’ve seen. One of the worst is the recurring theft of designer Jeremy Scott. I used to be a huge fan of his work until he presented his Barbie looks for Moschino in the fall. When I started looking up more information about them, I found that he was accused of stealing the look from independent designer Nikki Lipstick. When you look at the pictures comparing the two collections, it’s uncanny.

When she tried confronting Scott via his Facebook page, Lipstick’s comments were deleted. He even blocked her on all social media. And this isn’t the first time he’s been caught stealing art or phrases from other designers or artists. Most unfortunately, he hasn’t seen any huge repercussions for his latest actions. In the past, he did face a court trial for stealing art and had to pull the pieces that featured it—as the artist was well known and had very distinct illustrations. However, Nikki Lipstick is a smaller designer and more easily silenced. Apparently, if you’re the bigger guy in the fight, plagiarism is fine.

Foodie on the Half Shell: Fight the winter blues with warm food

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I try not to complain about the weather, because I feel like it is a waste of energy and time for us all. In these frigid last couple months of winter, though, I’ve begun to understand the winter blues.

A great way to beat the blues is to cook and eat warm food. Cooking by the stove and oven keeps you nice and toasty, and so will moving around the kitchen. Being sedentary with a big box of Cheez-Its sounds great until the last episode of your favorite show is over on Netflix and you are still cold…and hungry.

This recipe will keep you warm and full for a while. It is inspired by a dish at Girasole in Shadyside. It consists of cannellini beans cooked in a well seasoned tomato sauce over pasta with garlic kale on top. It is quite hearty, but full of protein and carbs to give you a lot of energy and to keep you strong during these treacherous sub zero days.

I take a lot of short cuts in this recipe, such as canned beans instead of dried beans and store bought tomato sauce instead of homemade. To my defense, though, my tomatoes did not turn out well this year and I am still trying to figure out how to soak and cook dried beans properly.

If anyone has good advice, please let me know. I am really trying to switch over and avoid the toxic BPA in the cans! But alas, cans are so very handy. Especially for people with jobs, children, or school-work–which means the majority of us.

Enjoy this recipe with a good glass of red wine, a mood candle, and someone you love. This recipe is for big portions because you will want a lot of this stuff!

What you will need for 2-4 people (depending)

1 large bunch of kale roughly chopped

2 cloves of minced garlic

8 ounces of al dente pasta

1 can of cannellini beans

½ of a medium onion chopped finely

2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

1 Tbs of hot chili flakes (less if you don’t like a lot of spice)

1 Tbs of fresh basil

A lot of Parmesan to grate on top

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil for cooking

For the kale, start the process by heating some garlic with some olive oil on low heat. When the garlic becomes fragrant, add in the kale in stages on medium heat. For each handful of kale, stir around and sprinkle a little salt so it will wilt. When all of the kale is added, be sure to stir it around the olive oil until it is all well coated. Add more olive oil, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the beans and tomato sauce, start by heating up olive oil and tossing in the onion and garlic. When that is fragrant and the onions are translucent, add in your tomato sauce, basil, and pepper flakes. Let the sauce come to a boil and then turn down the heat. Add the cannellini beans and salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture simmer for about 15-20 minutes so the flavors can marry.

To put the dish together, top the bean and tomato sauce mixture on some of the pasta, and then layer the kale on top of the beans. Finish with good parmesan grated on top of everything.

American Horror Story: Sniper

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In a perfect world, Chris Kyle would be alive and on trial for war crimes and mass murder. In this world, “Selma” would be the top-grossing film of the decade, and Clint Eastwood would have faded into obscurity after he stopped starring in Westerns.

Unfortunately, the world is far from perfect and a movie based on Chris Kyle’s life and war crimes is the top grossing film of January, while “Selma”–the movie based on Martin Luther King, Jr., a man that the FBI feared because he was a mover and shaker who threatened unfair power structures–is being largely ignored by the media.

“American Sniper” is based on the life of an Islamaphobic sniper with 160 confirmed kills and over 200 unconfirmed kills, who is also noted to have wished he could have killed more people.

“Selma” is based on the events that took place in Selma, Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and covers large portions of what made Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the greats of American history.

Guess which one the critics said was more patriotic.

At the beginning of “American Sniper”, there is a scene where Kyle (played by Bradley Cooper, who was so much better served as the voice of Rocket the raccoon in “Guardians of the Galaxy”) is on a mission and flashes back to hunting deer with his father in Texas.

This touching, all-American father-son moment is juxtaposed against the scene of Kyle casually murdering two Iraqi civilians–a woman who gave something to her young son, which (according to both the movie and Kyle’s biography) was a grenade.  This is one of the first problematic instances of the movie, and also the most dehumanizing: If the movie compares the murder of two Iraqi civilians to hunting deer, imagine the long-lasting real world impact that this is having on a community that is already at a high risk for hate crimes.

Without going into too much detail, this travesty of a film loves its animal metaphors. The average American–and most of the supporting characters in the film who are ‘good’–are portrayed (metaphorically speaking) as sheep. The ‘heroes’ like Chris Kyle–and I use this term with zero sincerity–are sheepdogs, protecting the dumb, unsuspecting sheep from the big bad wolves of the world, also known as anyone who is not American, Christian, or white.

Or at least that’s how ‘American Sniper’ has decided to portray the issue. The big bad wolves of the film are every Iraqi person who appears onscreen, whether they are innocent civilians or like the woman who picked up a grenade from her son’s corpse and tried to throw it at the soldiers who had killed him or the man who invited Kyle to his home for Eid, only to be revealed as “evil”  because he has a large stash of guns and bombs in his bedroom and is going to kill Kyle and lots of other ‘good’ guys.

In a perfect world, “American Sniper” would be seen for what it is: A film about a psychopathic mass-murderer who should have been on trial for war crimes. Instead, it is seen as a film about an All-American hero who is doing the world a favor by slaughtering Muslim people.

Do yourself a favor; watch “Selma” instead.

Foodie on the Half Shell: Have an eclectic meal at Zenith’s Cafe

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A hidden gem is amidst us, everyone. As a self proclaimed trendy foodie, I was disappointed in myself for not knowing about Zenith’s Vegetarian Café sooner.

Experience this with me…you are going to brunch on a Sunday morning with friends, expecting a little hole-in-the-wall of a café. Instead, you walk into what appears to be a huge antique store filled with only the best vintage clothes, decorations, paintings, statues, jewelry, light bulbs, and, of course, about 100 different Virgin Mary statuettes. It is a good thing that there is a large antique store chock full of goodies to look at because the wait for their café can be around an hour long. Don’t worry though, there is coffee available to tide you over and a funky sitting area to rest your legs after climbing through the mountains of antique glory.

The dining room is just as funkadelic, and it even had remainders of Christmas décor when I was there a couple of weeks ago. You sit down at your own unique table with interesting table cloths and pitchers of water that look like they belong in your great-aunt Gertrude’s house. You could be sitting with other people in a communal style (as you know I hate), but if you have a large enough group you won’t have to worry about that.

The brunch menu is small and mainly vegan unless you add the option of cheese on some dishes. You can order the usual brunch options such eggs and French toast or go for something a little more unique, like a tofu sandwich with Gouda cheese, Russian dressing, and cucumbers or a curry stew. Either way, for only $11.50 you can get an entrée of your choice, a tea or a coffee, and unlimited access to their buffet.

The buffet is very casual and made up of about a dozen different cold dishes such as spicy green beans, pasta in pesto, a green salad, hummus, dolma, and different types of bread. There is something for everyone there—even my sister who is a picky eater was totally happy with her eating experience. Another table full of delicious looking vegan desserts. My favorite item at the buffet was the spicy green beans that seemed to have an Asian-inspired flavor.

The entrees are just as yummy. Don’t expect anything fancy—it is all just simple home cooking. I had the red bean tacos which were simply docked up with some lettuce and pico del gallo. Every entrée came with some mushy curry rice thing that went perfectly with my tacos. The other entrees that I saw were the blueberry pancakes, the malkin melt, and the seitan burgundy, all of which were also served with the curry rice. All of the entrées are generous portions and seriously worth your buck.

The brunch is great option, but they are also open Thursday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Stop in for shopping, brunch, lunch, or dinner. All types of people show up at this joint including children, baby boomers, and, of course, a lot of hipsters. The prices are low, the food is plentiful and the ambiance is superior to any other trendy vintage café around here. Drag your grungy combat boots and worn out TOMS into this place and live your unique and oh-so-edgy dream in this eclectic yet quaint café. Go. Just go​.

 

Little Red Riding Vogue: Why Taylor Swift is impossibly fashionable

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Although this weather can be pretty discouraging, it’s no time to be dropping the ball on your outfits. That may sound a bit harsh and unrealistic, but look at Taylor Swift for example.

Taylor Swift is, without a doubt, a fashion icon. She never misses a beat with her outfits. They’re always flawless and well-executed. In fact, she’s even been criticized for looking so good.

Over the past year or so, people started commenting on how ridiculous it was that Swift would leave a workout at the gym looking better than ever. Her hair and makeup would be so on point that you would think she had just left a salon instead of a gym.

Also, she would often leave in a dress or skirt, and heels. People honestly couldn’t fathom how a human being could do this—even a celebrity. Many people brought up the fact that most of the paparazzi shots you see of celebrities leaving the gym look “normal”—they aren’t wearing makeup and they’re decked out in sweaty yoga pants and baggy t-shirts. So how could Taylor Swift be doing what Britney Spears could not?

But this isn’t the only thing people can’t wrap their heads around. Recently, Swift posted a picture on Instagram of her and her gal pals HAIM (the three-sister band from LA) hanging out in Hawaii. Sounds pretty normal, right? Well what threw people off was the fact that they were standing in a row on a rock path in a pond.  The HAIM girls are all wearing sensible flats, and Swift is wearing stilettos so insane she could probably use them to kill a man. Once again, Swift has proven to be almost more mythical than Regina George.

My last, and absolute favorite, part about Taylor Swift’s fashion endeavors is that it’s been said that the bags you see her carrying around in all of these iconic paparazzi post-workout shots are absolutely empty. That’s right. You heard me: empty. She doesn’t keep anything in them. She uses them for the sole purpose of accessorizing.

At this point you’re probably wondering where she actually keeps her stuff—unless she doesn’t have stuff at all and really is some sort of weird fashion alien that doesn’t need emergency lip-gloss or even a packet of tissues. Well make sure you sit down for this one, it’s a doozy.

Her bodyguards carry all of her necessities in a separate bag. And you better believe they hold onto that thing with the death grip of a Marvel superhero. No one in the world is getting their hands on that bag except for Taylor Swift herself.

Moral of the story: Taylor Swift is a celestial being whose fashion sensibilities straight up floor me. We should all aspire to be so jaw dropping.

Foodie on the Half Shell: Go easy on the Salt

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I don’t usually head over to the Garfield area in Pittsburgh unless I’m going to visit friends. It has all the potential in the world to be “with it,” with Spak Brothers and Verde as its food destinations that offer interesting foods with vegan options. Let’s get real though…most of the buildings are boarded up as if the big freeze is coming, and even Bottom Dollar is closing over there. Oh no! What will we do without a Bottom Dollar? No, seriously though…what will we do?

Well, instead of spending $50 dollars on food that will last you a week at Bottom Dollar, try going down the street a bit and spend $50 on a meal that will last you one night at Salt of the Earth. Well, that doesn’t sound exactly economical, but it’s fun!

Step into an open floor plan with long communal tables, where you can see your food being cooked up against one wall and your drinks being made up against the other. The building is small, but the design opens up the restaurant to feel larger.

I personally hate communal sitting. I know it’s the new thing, but I enjoy a sense of privacy, and I think it’s just an excuse for the wait staff to be lazy. I got lucky, and I came with a large party of ten and we took up an entire table. I was comfortable sitting with my family and friends, and I didn’t have to worry about awkward elbow- room or someone asking me to pass the salt. Like no, I will not pass you anything—I’d actually prefer pretending you are not sitting right next to me.

Aside from the seating design, Salt has a lot going for them, but a few things holding them back.

Their menu is impressive looking and everything sounds trendy and delicious, like fish with grapes and foie gras. After reading that most of the chefs that I respect around Pittsburgh enjoy Salt, I was prepared for a “wow” reaction. The fireworks did go off for the sashimi starter that was made of unidentified fish. It was small—made for just one person, but the flavor was impressively large. With curried florets of al dente cauliflower and tart grapes, a lullaby of soft and crunchy and sweet and spicy all came together nicely.

Skip the romaine starter–it is just a boring Caesar salad.  Instead, try the fried Brussels sprouts if you are in the mood. They are nothing fancy, just delicious and greasy.

As for the “mids,” I was not impressed. I could have been trying the wrong dishes, though. I had the risotto as my entrée, which sounded promising. I imagined layers of flavors with the sweet potatoes, the lemon, and the roasted garlic. Unfortunately, it was a one-ton bowl of mush.

Don’t even bother with the mussels—you can make them better at home. When it comes to their entrees, stay safe and try their cheeseburger. It is simple yet divine, with handmade American cheese and tons of pickles all on a brioche bun. Simple is best.

What are really important, though, are their desserts. Salt redeems themselves with their sweets. They worked with different layers of flavors and textures. I had their brownie dessert, which came with ice cream that tasted like you picked a banana off of the tree itself, and peanut brittle. The concoction worked and I am happy I had it…although I am nervous that the dessert tasted amazing just because I was so bummed out by the other courses.

I think the take home about Salt is that they are truly a comfort food restaurant trying to be a contemporary American restaurant. Their hamburgers and fried Brussels sprouts are fantastic. What they should also be serving is rustic mac and cheese and modern meatloaf. I bet they would knock that stuff out of the park. Even though I feel strongly, my family would disagree…mainly because they all ordered the burger, I think.

A perfect dinner there would be a medium rare cheeseburger with a side of fried Brussels sprouts, ended with a brownie dessert. Stick to the simple stuff at Salt. They are still figuring it out.

Little Red Riding Vogue: Rick Owens shocks Paris Fashion Week with nudity

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If you aren’t already familiar with the designer Rick Owens, you will be now. Owens, a California native, has had a label since 1994 and showed his first runway collection in September of 2002 at New York Fashion Week. Most recently, he showed his work during Paris Fashion Week.

On Thursday, January 22, Owens sent pantless male models down the runway. I know what you’re thinking. Pantless? Really? Yes, really. In fact, some of the pieces had holes cut out in the crotch area. It wasn’t some slip up; Rick Owens just really wanted Paris Fashion Week to see some male genitalia.

Whether he wanted to shock the crowd or if it was really just the design he liked remains to be seen. Either way, the Internet is going crazy over it and I can’t blame them.

Owens has always been known for his grunge-glamour approach to fashion and the pieces he showcased at Paris Fashion Week maintain that style. For those who aren’t familiar with his work, think Alexander Wang.

Overall, the look was intriguing, but of course, this collection has now been made unforgettable by the addition of the publicity.

Some of the pieces featured chest cut outs as well—although we live in a society where male chests are acceptable in public. This does, however, raise the question of acceptable nudity?

The fashion world is one of the few places where nudity can be respected as art. Plenty of designers showcase pieces where women’s chests are visible. Maybe Owens is trying to take another step forward with nudity in fashion. The real proof will be if female models in fashion start flaunting dresses with crotch holes, too.