Butt & Better- Berlin’s Anti-Fashion Street Parade Returns (July 12, 5pm)
“Our catwalk: the asphalt between luxurious boutiques and cheap fashion chains. Show us your Trashion, 2nd hand and FairTrade clothes and costumes – or simply come naked!”
Publishing their latest manifesto for their upcoming street parade/ protest/ sound system party on Facebook, the Berlin activists behind Butt & Better are in typically feisty form.
“FUCK FASHION TERROR! YOUR BUTT IS BETTER!” they declare (with capitals compulsory), “DAMN RIGHT!!!”
Despite their fiery rhetoric, co-organiser Captain Trash emphasises that the five hour procession (which sees hundreds dancing to techno, punk and hip hop off a number of trucks trundling along some of Berlin’s highest fashion streets on Saturday afternoon) will be peaceful and fun- with protest more about fashion than aggressive statements.
“Berlin authorities are very relaxed regarding our protest, they know that we are a dancing crowd of enthusiastic people, presenting no threat towards civil peace,” he smiles.
“Butt and Better instead will be delivering just loud music, freaky shamanic performances and clear statements about encouraging the world to embrace fair fashion.”
Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): What’s the inspiration, point, purpose of Butt and Better?
Butt and Better (Captain Trash): “As consumers these days, we have little idea about how, where and by who are clothes are made, about whether or not workers’ basic human rights have been respected during the complex production process. The sad truth is that working conditions in the global textile Industry’s production hotspots, place like China, Bangladesh and elsewhere are, more often than not, appalling.
Fashion brands may like to paint a different picture but the reality is that the exploitation of workers is commonplace and child labour is far from being resigned to the history books. Forced overtime, little to no health and safety and wages so low you can’t even afford to feed your family are only the beginning of the story. With this principally happening in the so-called developing- and newly industrialised countries it’s easy for Head Offices in the west to look the other way. In our eyes, that amounts to a form of terror; ‘Fashion Terror’.
WE SAY: ENOUGH ALREADY!
A new era is dawning. We want the Fashion Industry to at long last, wake up! With this demo organised on the last day of Berlin Fashion Week, our message is for the Week’s organisers and all the industry visitors attending ‘Premium’, ‘Bread and Butter’ and the other trade shows. We will keep on demonstrating until all fashion industry players are playing fair.”
Skrufff; The parade text encourages upcycling; what are the rules for people wanting to attend?
Butt and Better (Captain Trash): “There are no rules, only invitations: We invite people to come in a ‘Trash Costume’ or fancy freaky fair wear. We want to give a colourful statement for fair fashion.”
Skrufff: what’s your take on Berlin hipsters? Fashion victims? Are they all welcome?
Butt and Better (Captain Trash): Everybody is welcome, as long as they are interested to start a journey in their head – I think everybody is free to be whatever he or she wants to be. And if he is a dedicated follower of fashion, if his clothes are loud, but never square (yes I like that 60s Kinks song, too) – that’s totally fine, but don’t do it on the back of others. Our message is simple: respect workers’ rights and nature worldwide. Keep your eyes open when you go shopping.”
Butt & Better starts off 5pm Saturday July 12 At U-Französische Straße, all the way through Friedrichstraße up to former Airport Tempelhof. Click here for Parade details: http://on.fb.me/1qQsOss and here for after-party details (including Fidelity Kastrow and Jonty Skrufff b2b: http://on.fb.me/1q3Gqmk (3-5am)
Jonty Skrufff: https://twitter.com/djjontyskrufff