#TAEMIN 's MOVE: fashion playing a symbolic role in a kpop release - a thread;

i still have a lot to learn about fashion n this is not concrete information its just interpretation/study i wanted to share (i would love to maybe make a discussion out of this and read some opinions!!) :]

ok lets go:we know that fashion is an element of statement inside the kpop dynamic, like, it can be instrumentalized for constructing a concept and an atmosphere of a comeback,,

it causes an impression, the styling and sometimes experimentalism throughout the years help artists fully establish a signature, as the clothing is of undeniable importance in the making of a memorable comeback or debut

this red velvet's dumb dumb outfit for example; the simple but clever combination of red dresses w the aprons and over the knee socks colored according to each member, along w the braided hair with a bow n etc etc, everything about it compose an iconic look!

so i wanna take a look at one moment where i think fashion and its history are present not only as a atmospheric support but, more specifically, as a symbolic agent: taemin's move

as said in a billboard interview; along with choreographer koharu sugawara and a team of female dancers, his intent was to defy prenotions of gender and present a powerful performance though nuanced dance movements.
well, he said it best himself

i rambled a lot, sorry, buT NOW THE FASHION PART

okay so we know what move represents; it challenges the listener to take other perspectives, and this energy takes form in the blurred lines between masculine & feminine, undertones of anonymity and the unfancy street ambiance & the underground

but heres what made me want to do this thread: in move era taemin wears shits backwards, deconstructed pieces of clothing as well as a mask +

and all of these make my thoughts travel one of the most influential fashion designers of the industry, martin margiela

in the 80s fashion started to see rebellion against its rules when designers like rei kawakubo(founder of comme des garçons) presented works w asymmetric silhouettes, unfinished edges and many other unexpected expressions in clothing, later inspiring others like martin margiela

since the first runway in 1989 margiela wanted to highlight what fashion brands wanted to hide and explore to the maximum alternative aspects of clothing design showing the insides of the clothes, recycling and deconstructing them, making pieces out of unconventional things

the brand was opposing the opulence that was so rooted in the fashion industry. his shows refused glamour, they were in far places like a playground or a abandoned parking garage while most of fashion week was at big places at the center of paris

and the runways would cause a fuss; the unconventional ambiance and the deconstructive approach in his clothing were defying conventions at the time, they provoked changes that are well established today

along with this, anonymity was a recurring theme for margiela. he’s basically known as the invisible fashion designer +

and in a time where the faces of supermodels were everywhere, some of martin's models had their faces covered by masks or even their own hair+

one reason for that was that he didn't have enough money to pay for a models image in the beginning, but also he wanted peoples attention to be on the work and the art only, not him. it was about the clothes regardless of who was wearing them

when the girls faces were shown, margiela wanted to portray the women of everyday in contrast to unapproachable supermodels (so some of the models were street cast)

overall, margiela explored numerous subjects and motifs in a innovative and new way of communicating ideas, and one characteristic of the brand, sometimes, were clothing being worn backwards, like as these blazers and the pants

so i think the choices made in taemin's styling shows a lot of similarities with margiela's signatures, not only that but taemin's move concept and margiela's ideas walk along the same path; both propose a break in deep-seated standards and *let the art talk*

the same way margielas clothes are not about who made them or the face that wears them, its about the clothes expression, move is about letting go of who you are and what you look like and letting the dance and movements speak

margiela shows different ways to make your clothes speak for you, that go beyond just wearing an outfit the way its supposed to be worn, taemin proposes different ways the body can represent you that are not predetermined by what is associated to your gender and appearance

because of this think move might be a great demonstration of how distinct forms of art can come together to shape expression and message, and it shows the weight that fashion and clothes can have in a concept

the styling and ambiance in move can adhere perfectly to both the concept and some of margiela’s themes.

at the end, i cant be sure if it was ever meant to directly point to margiela

maybe they refuse to show familiarity in a clear way, so its rather subtle

on the other hand, i cant help but think that the questioning is an intended result of these nuanced moves, kinda mirroring the concept all along (??) +

blurring lines; not having right answers is the right way bc in this case right answers dont rly matter, its not a black or white form of expression i guess

but anyway i think thats it!

(also im pretty sure taemins mask is from gucci but i still wanted to make a connection to margiela sjhfbdjhnkd)