Two women leap onto the catwalk, apparently protesting against the way the fashion industry treats models
NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Two topless female activists from the Ukrainian group FEMEN leapt onto the catwalk of the Nina Ricci show during Paris Fashion Week, briefly disrupting the presentation before they were hauled off by security guards, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
The women had painted slogans in English on their bare torsos that read, “Fashion dictaterror” and “Model don’t go to brothel.”
Models, presenting Ricci’s Spring-Summer 2014 collection, carried on as security guards grappled with the protesters and dragged them off the catwalk.
FEMEN, a feminist protest group founded in 2008 and based in Kiev and Paris, has become known for its topless protests around the world against sexism, religious institutions, lawlessness and other issues.
The group has taken on the fashion industry before, demonstrating in February 2012 against the use of extremely thin models outside the Versace show in Milan. The fashion industry has been struggling with the issue of creating guidelines for models on a minimum age and screening for eating disorders.
The bare-breasted protesters in Milan painted their chests and arms with slogans including “Fashion= Fascism” and “Anorexia” under a skull-and-crossbones version of Versace’s signature Roman coin motif. Italian police barred them from entering the fashion venue.
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