Why the Opera Ball?
HELGA: It’s a famous gala, a destination for the rich and famous from all over the world. And there are always demonstrators outside the Ball, protesting capitalism, globalism, and U.S. foreign policy. Both the ball-goers and protestors get dressed up for the event. It’s a chance for both sides to parade around in their own way. The funny thing is we know people who go to the demonstration and the Ball. HERMANN We wanted to play with the differences and the similarities between the protestors and the attendees. At our show, the models who played the ball-goers wore gray lipstick and red eyeshadow, while the demonstrators wore gray eyeshadow and red lipstick. We mixed high fashion with a little grunge to make the collection a bit chaotic, like the scene outside the Opera House. The show was staged at a small gallery that didn’t have enough space for a runway. We built a barricade from wooden pallets and installed the models on top of it. KATJA: Do you feel like the Parisians understand
