The centuries-old French saying "Il faut souffrir pour être belle" - one must suffer to be beautiful - has taken an unexpected turn. Today's beauty industry isn't just acknowledging pain - it's showcasing it.
Musicians, designers, and makeup artists are incorporating elements of injury into their work. Musician Charli XCX features accident scenes in her videos. Models at Natasha Zinko's shows display artificial bruises and cuts. Makeup artist La Maskarade creates looks with prosthetic scars and metal piercings, while Avavav's runway presentations include models with staged wounds and bandages.
This aesthetic shift reflects broader cultural patterns, particularly among younger audiences who came of age online. Makeup artist Porsche Poon, who created the effects for Charli XCX's "Von Dutch" video, notes the appeal: "A scar or bloody makeup combined with conventional attractiveness creates contrast we rarely encounter". The trend has extended beyond temporary effects - in Korea, some tattoo artists now specialize in permanent designs resembling bruises and scars.
However, this trend raises questions about representation and responsibility. While artists throughout history - from Francisco Goya to Frida Kahlo - have depicted pain and violence, the current social media environment presents unique challenges. Photographer Alice Zoo describes how Instagram creates a "collapse of contexts" where staged injuries appear alongside documentation of actual conflicts in places like Gaza and Ukraine.
Art critic Jennifer Good notes that images never exist in isolation, though social media's rapid flow of content can blur distinctions between artistic expression and real trauma. In "Regarding the Pain of Others", Susan Sontag examined how repeated exposure to images of suffering can create emotional distance from actual pain.
The fashion industry's adoption of these themes has sparked debate. Mowalola's Spring/Summer 2024 show "Crash", featuring models with prosthetic injuries, drew criticism from organizations including Refuge and Women's Aid. The designer responded on social media: "We run from pain but we need pain to survive", explaining the collection explored human resilience rather than glorifying violence.
The intersection of aesthetics and injury presents complex questions about artistic expression and social responsibility. While some injuries - like piercing marks or temporary bruises - carry different connotations, the broader trend risks trivializing serious trauma. As these looks gain popularity, the fashion and beauty industries face the challenge of balancing creative expression with awareness of their work's wider implications.
Kristin Kaye
Insatiably curious about human expression, she immerses herself in literature, theater, art, and dance. Her academic journey led to degrees in Modern Literature, where she delved into The Furioso, and Historical Sciences with a focus on Contemporary History. Her studies took her to the prestigious Erasmus University Rotterdam, broadening her international perspective.
Her passion for culture isn't confined to personal enjoyment—it spills onto the pages of various publications. There, she explores not only artistic endeavors but also civil rights issues and the myriad ways human culture manifests itself. For her, writing about these topics isn't just a profession; it's an irresistible calling that stems from her deep-seated fascination with the human experience.