Palestinian label Trashy Clothing (TC) has just marked its return to the collaborative realm with its latest drop, teaming up with Mexican brand Barragán. Together, the two fashion brands stitched a capsule collection that satirizes the United States, its culture, as well as the imperialistic values the North American country is infamously known for.
“We came across a tweet dissecting the similar takes on fashion we both feature in our works, and we thought it was time to join forces. Once the collaboration was announced, everyone said, ‘Well, of course!'” Trashy Clothing co-founder Shukri Lawrence said, revealing how the collaboration came to be.
Titled Arsenal For Democracy, the new offering—comprising two skirts, a dress, a top, and two T-shirts—takes a bold, unapologetic jab at what the United States represents to so many on the global stage: consumerism, cultural dominance and an unethical exercise of power. Coincidentally (or not) launched during the same week as the U.S. presidential elections, the collection seeks to re-establish some priorities, urging reflection on “the hypocrisies of modern empires and the games they play in crafting and re-crafting narratives,” Lawrence explained. “As a continuation of the previous Naji Al Ali-inspired collection, (this collection) shifts focus to world leaders, underscoring their ironies and complicity,” he continued.
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Through each item, each brand sees bits of its identity and respective intentions put front and center. The Wrap Maxi Skirt for example features a blood stained dollar bill that has George Washington replaced with Monica Lewinksy. On why the American actress was swapped with the former US president, the 26-year-old designer explained that “(she) represents how America twisted her story and subjected her to slut-shaming to protect her abuser.”
The Wrap Mesh Skirt, meanwhile, has a printed skyline with a clown-like face draped in an American flag, grinning naively at anyone bold enough to look its way. Then there’s the Psyop Diamond Top—a layered, shredded tee that reveals a tan torso underneath, with electronics peeking out. According to the designers, this was their way of exposing the subtle, non-military tactics the U.S. uses to assert its influence globally.
Already live on Trashy Clothing’s e-shop, with prices between $100 and $260, the collection invites prospective buyers and intrigued onlookers alike to make a statement—proving that fashion can challenge norms just as boldly as it sets trends.
