…And there is no turning back
‘Why does pop culture push us to the breaking points for recognition, attention, and some kind of belonging?’ is one of many questions Namilia asks for its SS25 ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ show that poignantly explores the toxic lifecycle of fame. The Berlin-born label – and a Glamcult Store babe – returns to its home for BFW, and announces a collaboration with the epitome of a Y2K icon, Ed Hardy. While the collection feels like a natural progression of Namilia’s fierce take on the 00s style imbedded in their DNA (think graphic baby tees, tight-skin racer leather sets, cut-up barely-there mesh, and trucker hats), the message extends beyond a mere glorification of the era. Namilia has been known for making (literal) statements with their rhinestoned or boldly printed slogans – like ‘SEX SYMBOL’ and ‘I LOVE JESUS’ in SS24, and this season, the brand goes even further. With their tongue in their cheek and a finger pressed closely on the pulse of pop culture, Namilia interweaves satire into social commentary on drug abuse, destructive competitiveness, and unattainable standards of skinniness – which all seem to have come back into the fashion world alongside the aesthetic of the early aughts. ‘We are obsessed with this cycle of rising and falling that turns stars into victims, especially for women’ Namilia states, in resistance of how the industry contributes to the shattering of one’s identity under immense pressure and scrutiny that comes with fame. ‘We worship the diva and shun the whore as the limelight inevitably wears down her decadence into decay…’
Images courtesy of Namilia