Fashion Spotlight: Emily Blunt Shines in the Produce Section
Celebrities are embracing fresh produce-inspired fashion trends, with Emily Blunt leading the way in style and sustainability.
Editor’s Note: ‘Look of the Week’ is a series that dives into the most talked about outfit of the past seven days, showcasing the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Turnips, radishes, potatoes… These are not items on Emily Blunt’s shopping list. They were actually the main features of her latest red carpet look. At the Paris premiere of “The Fall Guy,” where she stars, Blunt sported a Loewe Fall-Winter 2024 shirt paired with ballooning trousers covered in root vegetables. She looked healthy and vibrant in this unique ensemble.
Radishes may not typically steal the spotlight, but fashion has been embracing greenery lately. In 2022, Ganni introduced a "pop-up grow market" to celebrate their collaboration with Levi’s, showcasing fresh beetroot next to a mineral-dyed maxi dress. Collina Strada made a statement in Spring-Summer 2020 by featuring tomatoes on trousers and setting up a farmer's market stall at NYFW, inviting attendees to take home donated produce. Loewe took it a step further with a collection that included a potato-splattered two-piece and a hand-beaded purse shaped like asparagus.
Is this just a passing trend, like "greengrocer girl autumn," as suggested by the Guardian’s fashion editor Jess Cartner-Morley? Or could the recent surge in artichoke-printed apparel be part of a long-standing fashion tradition? Should we, as one food academic on TikTok argues, interpret these vegetable motifs as messages about the future of climate change and global food security?
A dress peppered in piquantés appeared on the Spring-Summer 2012 runway during Dolce & Gabbana's Milan show.
A dress peppered in piquantés appeared on the Spring-Summer 2012 runway during Dolce & Gabbana's Milan show.
As prices continue to rise globally, food, especially fresh produce that is out of season, is becoming a luxury for many people. A 2022 report from the food bank network Feeding America revealed that one in six individuals in the US relied on food banks in 2021. Just like pineapples were considered a luxury in the 17th century, certain fruits and vegetables are now seen as symbols of aspiration.
Influencers, who used to share clothing hauls, are now showcasing their grocery shopping trips on platforms like TikTok. Some of these videos have garnered millions of views. A researcher at Northwestern University, who focuses on food insecurity, has drawn parallels between the food crisis and the fashion industry's trend of incorporating food-related themes in their collections. According to master's student @kfesteryga, luxury fashion brands are including more food and grocery-related items in their designs because food has become a luxury category.
A model walks the runway at the Chanel Autumn Winter 2014 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week on March 4, 2014 in Paris, France.
A model walks the runway at the Chanel Autumn Winter 2014 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week on March 4, 2014 in Paris, France.
Catwalking/Getty Images
Related article
The worlds of food and fashion are colliding, leading to more food-themed fashion being showcased on runways and in retail stores. However, the concept of edible patterns is not a new one. In 1953, designer Hubert de Givenchy was one of the first to combine culinary elements with couture by creating a dress with sliced tomatoes embroidered on "salt white" fabric. Fast forward forty years, Cynthia Rowley printed a cornfield onto a mini-dress, and in 2004 Phoebe Philo incorporated bananas into her Spring-Summer collection at Céline, adorning dresses and leotards with the fruit. Dolce & Gabbana has also drawn inspiration from the fresh produce aisle, as seen in their presentation at Milan Fashion Week in 2011 where they showcased bustiers, maxi skirts, and tailored jackets covered in eggplants, onions, and peppers.
The turnip, potato and radish two piece is just one of Anderson's many food-themed fashion creations.
The turnip, potato and radish two piece is just one of Anderson's many food-themed fashion creations.
JW Anderson, known for incorporating food elements into his clothing designs like crocheted radishes and lemons, aims to bring laughter rather than hunger. In a 2021 interview with Vogue, he expressed his fondness for adding humor to clothing by featuring items like squashes on jeans or a peach on a sweater, creating pieces that bring a smile to your face.
Editor's P/S:
The convergence of food and fashion is a captivating trend that has sparked intrigue and sparked conversations about the intersection of art, sustainability, and societal issues. The use of vegetable motifs on the runway serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of fresh produce and the challenges faced by individuals experiencing food insecurity. The rise of food-themed apparel also reflects the growing awareness of the impact of climate change on global food security, inviting us to consider the symbolism behind these designs and their potential to raise awareness about these pressing issues.
Beyond its artistic appeal, this trend also underscores the role of influencers in shaping consumer behavior. The shift towards showcasing grocery shopping trips on social media platforms highlights the influence of these individuals in promoting healthy eating habits and raising awareness about food-related challenges. The parallels drawn between the food crisis and the incorporation of food-related themes in luxury fashion further underscore the complex relationship between food, consumption, and status in society.
