Is the Capitol fashion truly just a thing of fiction?
A little while ago, I saw a TikTok video from the user @turcelme to the haunting melody of ‘Money’ from the musical Cabaret. It was particularly poignant to me particularly because of the comparisons made between the unconventional and outlandish fashion we see at the Met Gala every year, and the fashion of the Capitol depicted in the Hunger Games films (based on the novel trilogy by Suzanne Collins). I found the similarities startling— near disturbing —especially since the fashion of the Capitol is supposed to send a message. This eccentricity is supposed to be an outward manifestation of their upper class capitalist ignorance. This is the society where it’s more common to have had some extreme plastic surgery than not, the society where the lives of the poor are “against the beauty standard” (an idea also reflected in @turcelme’s song choice, as in ‘Money’ the reaction to the mention of hunger is a disgusted ‘Ooh hunger’), the society where they throw up just to be able to eat more!
Every year, the world tunes in to watch A-list celebrities drag their equally eccentric outfits down a red carpet, criticising those who aren’t properly on theme or those wearing something “too normal” and it’s harmless! Most of these people have worked to be able to afford their place in those clothes on that carpet and it’s certainly fun to see all the different takes on the theme. Of course it’s harmless!
That is, until someone like TikToker Haley Baylee posts a video of her Met Gala look to the sound of Kirsten Dunst saying ‘let them eat cake’ as Marie Antionette (in the 2006 film of the same name) and suddenly the public become uncomfortably aware of how out of touch some of these celebrities really are, just like, perhaps, the folks of the Capitol.
Marie Antionette was the Queen of France in a time of great poverty, and her response to hearing of her people’s hunger was ‘let them eat cake’. Whilst there’s some historical debate as to whether Antionette ever actually said this, the general consensus is that she was all too happy to remain in her lavish life whilst the country she was responsible for suffered. This incident in itself shows the laissez-faire life of these celebrities in that they have every opportunity and luxury for ignorance in regards to issues such as poverty that do not affect them. Haley Baylee not only posted a video of her Met Gala look to this sound, but then claimed not to know what it was when rightfully criticised, which does give the impression that the Met Gala toes an ethical line between a harmless celebration of fashion and eccentricity and ignorant overconsumption wrapped in a pretty bow, unlike the Capitol which is, without a doubt, the latter. This dystopian city has no issue manipulating the impoverished Districts for their own gain, robbing them of materials and wealth in order to further feed the capitalist machine, let alone forcing them to suffer for their own entertainment.
Overconsumption is a constant contender in our capitalist society, a perfect example of which is the recent Labubu craze. These are toys that suddenly became an in demand item after two opinion leaders, Lisa from K-pop group BLACKPINK and pop singer Rihanna, were spotted sporting them. In my opinion, they’re not particularly nice to look at, but when opinion leaders and conglomerates tell our society that they ought to want something, a switch flicks and suddenly everyone wants it. I won’t say that no one out of the thousands of people who have bought these expensive little creatures secretly dislikes them… but I don’t have much faith in the fact that all of them do. It’s the same with “must-buy items” and micro trends, even people that don’t like these pieces can be tricked into thinking that they’re opinions are wrong instead of just… opinions. Individuality is sacrificed for the sake of popular fashion in a way that eerily echoes the Capitol that Collins illustrated.
In conclusion, am I saying that all the A-listers are as morally corrupt as the people of the Capitol? No! Many of these celebrities are genuine people that should be allowed to take part in an iconic celebration such as the Met Gala. However, it’s important to remember the privilege that they have to do so, the moment it’s forgotten is the moment our society truly becomes Suzanne Collins’ dystopia. In the case of this ethical dilemma, I feel there is no true way of winning. The only way to avoid capitalism, in the industry so rife with fast fashion especially, is to never buy anything. Never mind an individual's right to treat themselves to a nice new dress every so often, to be morally straight it must be avoided at all costs! I should really say there’s no logical way to win in this situation.