9/5/2023 0 Comments Gimp suit meaning![]() Added to a cultural climate wherein non-normative sexual practices and kink communities have more visibility and acceptance than ever before, the anonymity rendering qualities of the mask have been reframed from their original sadomasochistic connotations of degradation to represent that most rarefied of thrills- the pleasure of not being perceived. In our own times of Orwellian data surveillance, facial recognition software and the increasing blur of our IRL/URL selves, it’s no wonder that the potent symbol of the bondage hood has become the fashionable way to express our collective, existential angst – and further, no surprise that numerous cultural satirists, have cleverly recognised the garments potential to reflect the zeitgeist. By concealing and taking away the wearer’s most defining and characteristic features, rendering them anthropomorphic and not recognisably human, the mask’s anonymity becomes a blank slate to project the fears and anxieties of the age- particularly ones surrounding desire, identity, gender, power, and surveillance. The enduring appeal of the gimp mask seems to lie in the object’s very facelessness. A bondage suit, also commonly called a gimp suit, is a garment designed to cover the body completely, fitting it closely, and often including anchor points. Bierendonck’s love of face obscuring garb even saw him co-curate the exhibition The Power Of Masks – featuring work from Jean Paul Basquiat, Cindy Sherman, and Picasso- at the esteemed Wereldmuseum, Rotterdam in 2017. The other Belgian, Walter Van Bierendonck has explored the gimp masks’ many guises since the 1980sfrom homoerotic symbol, sci-fi fantasy characters and colourful latex, Mexican wrestler inspired creations. Martin Margiela first tapped into the Jungian possibilities of the identity concealing garment at his debut collection for spring/summer 89, the omnipresent motif reappearing again in the jewel toned decadence of autumn/winter 95, the sheer, skull like offerings of spring/summer 96, the Maison’s anniversary collection in spring/summer 09 and the bizarro-baroque ornamentations of spring/summer 2014- the same year John Galliano became head of the label. Further, harnessing and exploring some of the more nuanced and complicated psychological aspects that make the bondage hood so subversive (and dare we say it, unsettling). ![]() ![]() Underground Soundwave – Never Known Live MusicĪrguably, it is the work of two Belgian designers that have continually referenced the gimp mask most prolifically throughout their careers.Underground Soundwave – Video Interviews.Belts / Wristbands / Neckbands & Chokers. ![]()
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