The Fashion of the AIDS Crisis
The current devastation that the coronavirus has wreaked upon the world harkens back to the tumult inflicted by the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Nearly four decades ago, communities and industries alike were torn asunder by another epidemic that claimed the lives of society’s most vulnerable members. One particular field that was forever changed by the AIDS crisis was fashion, in which the mourning of those lost to the disease inspired philanthropic collaborations that would become proud traditions.
The fashion world initially succumbed to the stigmatization of AIDS as “the gay plague”, especially since the prevalence of gay designers was an open secret that began to instill mistrust among heterosexual professionals. However, these misgivings were significantly dwarfed by the tragedy of witnessing AIDS debilitating cherished creatives before ultimately killing them. The deaths of renowned figures like model Joe McDonald and designer Halston were tragic, colossal losses that propelled the fashion industry to take action to support future victims.
Fashion had been intrinsic to the battle against AIDS since the inception of the gay community's ACT UP, or AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power. Avram Finkelstein was the visionary who designed the “Silence=Death” signs, which consisted of the slogan emblazoned across a black background and beneath a pink triangle. The terse but powerful statement was soon printed on t-shirts worn by protestors, and more nightclub patrons in New York City began wearing black and fuchsia in reference to the symbol’s color scheme.
The “Silence=Death” emblem elicited sympathy from a multitude of high-fashion brands that made various contributions to the cause. Barneys New York became the first store to host an AIDS fundraiser, which consisted of a fashion show attended by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. The Love Ball was made possible by Donna Karan, Armani and other fashion houses allying with New York City’s underground ballroom culture, and its success with raising $3 million for AIDS research spawned a Parisian variant titled “The Balade de L’Amour”. The Seventh on Sale was an even bigger success upon its launch in 1984, and has since become a recurring event hosted by Vogue’s Anna Wintour.
Photo Credits: Getty Images
Report: Nia Hunt