Yoko No-no
December 3, 2012
Exploiting the legacy of John Lennon is commonplace for Yoko Ono, but this time she’s taken it too far with her new fashion line inspired by her late husband’s naughty bits.
Ono launched her debut collection, “Fashions for Men: 1969–2012,” Nov. 27 in New York for global retailer Opening Ceremony. She told Women’s Wear Daily that her inspirations included Lennon’s “very sexy bod” and his most admired attributes, which based on the garments, seem to be his crotch, butt and nipples. While those man parts are certainly enjoyable, I find it offensive to reduce this beloved Beatle to only his manhood.
Ono said the designs came from a book of her sketches done in 1969 that reflect her passion for Lennon’s physique. The drawings were given to him as a wedding gift, and she said he “fell in love with [her] even more.” Clearly, there were some crazy drugs at the ceremony.
Some of the most notable items in the collection are the “Butt Hoodie,” which is—you guessed it—a hoodie with a butt drawn on its front, “Hand Trousers” that feature a handprint covering the crotch of the pant; and a “Lightbulb Bra” complete with LED lights that emphasize a man’s mammary glands.
I appreciate Ono’s outlandish sense of style, but she should keep her conceptual art on canvas. I find it hard to believe that any true Beatles fan would wear these designs, unless they happen to be male strippers, in which case a pant with a mesh cutout in the rear is perfect.
Though Ono’s art is probably what first sparked Lennon’s interest in her, I think it’s safe to say that even he would be turned off by the collection. It looks like a sophomoric attempt at designing clothes that are meant to be revolutionary. In a Nov. 28 interview with the Daily Beast, she said she designed the line because “people are scared of having sex” and that the clothes are meant for people with a sense of humor. Personally, I would stay far, far away from any guy wearing pants that put blatant emphasis on his crotch.
Luckily, the 18 styles in the collection only have 52 pieces available each. If this was available to the masses, I’m afraid generations less familiar with Lennon would associate him with a pair of assless chaps rather than musical genius.