German fashion duo Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Isik are going viral on social media after they used their Fall/Winter Menswear show on Paris Fashion Week to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The duo opened the show by shedding light on the current on-going atrocities in Palestine, where the death toll has now crossed 25,000 dead civilians. Huseby is Pakistani-Norwegian while Isik is of Turkish-German descent.
“We have called for a ceasefire, a release of all hostages, a free Palestine and an end to the occupation. All demands we think should be uncontroversial,” stated the duo. “As so many other we have had many sleepless nights after witnessing the most violent nightmarish images we have ever seen, for the first time ever live streamed to our phones. As a way of dealing with these intense emotions, helplessness…we have demonstrated weekly in the streets of Paris, London and Berlin”
GmbH closed Paris Men’s Fashion Week with a show to advocate for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a free Palestine.#FreePalestine #CeaseFireNow pic.twitter.com/pRtSfWYcuK
— Fashion MOEments (@FashionMOEments) January 22, 2024
Following the statement, the fashion brand’s runway presentation titled ‘Untitled Nations’ featured garments that expressed solidarity with the Palestinian movement with items like the keffiyeh scarf, which is a symbol used for the Palestine liberation movement, a shirt bearing the watermelon symbol, and hoodies with the united nations logo.
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The fashion brand shared an old interview on their Instagram page where Huseby and Isik spoke with the media about whether they had any doubts before taking such a strong political stance with their fashion show.
“Not at all,” responded Isik. “I think it’s very important especially in this moment not to remain neutral, you must give your opinion.”
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On Diet Prada, prominent Palestinian activists like influencer Alana Hadid and journalist Ahmed Eldin expressed their joy on this bold statement. Hadid wrote: “This was amazing. @gmbh_official 🇵🇸I feel seen. And I have to say shame on @wwd for taking down their profile on @gmbh_official because of pressure. An end to a genocide IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL!”
American-Kuwaiti journalist and professor Ahmed Eldin wrote: “Fashion has never made more sense or been sexier … thanks for speaking truth to power @gmbh_official and yes SHAME on @wwd for thinking demanding an end to occupation and genocide is controversial. It’s not. What’s controversial is supporting the dehumanizing rogue and racist state acting with impunity!”
