Welcome to the 185th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we celebrate 4/20 with a deep dive into drug culture, exploring fashion’s rooted history with substance use, glamourization and countless controversies.
Drugs and fashion are about as synonymous as Timbs and Girbaud denim. Since the first model stepped foot on a runway, it seems as if substance use (and often abuse) have gone hand in hand with the creative industry. From Coco Chanel’s morphine scandal that predates the founding of Christian Dior, to Moschino’s recent run-in with cancel culture, the two appear inseparable but are often unspoken.
In such a deeply artistic and competitive industry that widely revolves around appearance, it’s no wonder that drugs make their way into inner circles. Heroine Chic, for example, dominated the 90s through skimpy looks and critically underweight silhouettes, spearheaded by none other than Kate Moss. While glamourized as the face of countless advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Dior, Burberry etc., she became the same person who, after drawing millions in revenue, was cancelled for snorting coke in a club.
Speaking of cocaine, our first authentic visual of drug use on the runway (other than strung-out models) came in the form of Andrew Groves’ highly praised 1999 show titled ‘Cocaine Nights’. Sprinkling the catwalk with a thin white powder, he’d make highly advantageous dresses composed entirely of razorblades and psychedelic prints, putting fashion’s worst-kept secret on display for all to see.
This shadowed parallel between after-party drug use and career-ending controversy is an article in itself, but the reality is that fashion’s alternative culture is riddled with depressants and stimulants. As journalists fight to tarnish reputations, especially inside the beauty industry, many designers are models are forced to keep quiet about their addictions in fear of a career-ending scandal. Perhaps instead of critiquing collections, we should be pointing the finger at pharmaceutical companies, who continue to prescribe without remorse.
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