"I am a maximalist," German designer Philipp Plein told The National in 2018, when he opened two stores in Dubai. "I can give you a big talk about positioning in fashion, but to cut a long story short, in this industry – where everything already exists – it's really hard to find a space. If you want to enter this saturated market, you have to create a niche. And this is my direction – being a maximalist."
It's an attitude that has brought with it both plaudits and controversy over the years. However, Plein may have taken it one step too far at his Milan Fashion Week show on Saturday night. A part-tribute to basketball player Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January along with his 13-year-old daughter, the show sent models, including Olivia Culpo and Jada Pinkett Smith, down the runway wearing jerseys and sweatshirts similar to the ones sported by the Los Angeles Lakers, and emblazoned with both Bryant's number, 24, along with Plein's own crystal-encrusted name. The clothes are priced between $2,000 and $3,150 (up to Dh11,500) a pop.
Most insensitive, however, was the decor that dominated the show: two life-sized gold helicopters. Given the cause of Bryant's death less than a month before the show, this touch – splayed out in a tribute show to the man, no less – felt thoughtless and demeaning.
Unsurprisingly, the backlash was swift and cutting. From labelling the show as "distasteful and tacky" to calling the designer an "uncreative culture vulture", Bryant's fans and fashion followers at large made their displeasure known in no uncertain terms.
Plein's defence
Never one to pipe down, the larger-than-life designer hit back at critics in a statement he made to Page Six Style. "The catwalk setup was already planned and designed in November 2019, way before this tragic accident occurred. This is the reason [the] gilded helicopters [were] on the runway. I would have clearly removed them if possible, but it was too late to replace them."
Pointing out that proceeds from the sale of the collection will be donated to Bryant's Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, the designer continued: "It is sad to see how something positive and constructive can be misinterpreted by people ... As a matter of fact, I am doing something to help and to support the foundation. Actions speak louder than words."
There is no doubt that brands spend tens of thousands of dollars in getting the look-feel of their fashion week shows just right, from the stage to the music to the models. However, Plein's declaration that he would have replaced the choppers are an acknowledgement that they were in bad taste. In this case, the flashy clothes could have spoken louder than a tacky decor.
