Trashy Clothing redefines authority and power in ‘Humiliation Rituals’ collection

Trashy Clothing’s AW25 collection, “Humiliation Rituals,” boldly confronts the paradoxes of power through a collection that reflects the inherent contradictions where dominance proves fragile, and control a disguise for vulnerability. Based in Jordan, this Palestinian brand merges distressed, sharp tailoring with militarised silhouettes and bureaucratic motifs, embodying a world where surveillance and censorship are but shallow performances of authority.

The collection is a poignant critique of the empty displays of power by collapsing regimes. Each piece, stamped and meticulously labelled, transforms bureaucratic processes into fashion statements that create tension between structure and destruction. The designs incorporate industrial metal armour and sword motifs that wrap around the body, symbolising both shield and defiance, thereby questioning the dual nature of protection and oppression.

The narrative extends beyond the fabric, as models carry books from Jerusalem’s Education Bookshop, recently targeted in a censorship raid, thereby enhancing the collection’s thematic focus on the potency of knowledge over force. The greatest threat to power is not violence, but knowledge.

Through “Humiliation Rituals,” Trashy Clothing not only offers a collection of garments but also a stark reminder of the dynamics of power and freedom. It is a declaration that freedom is not passively received; it is actively seized, echoing through each design with a call to challenge and overcome.