Franc Fernandez and the Meat Dress

One of the most controversial fashion moments of the year occurred at the MTV VMA’s, where Lady Gaga wore a dress, boots, hat and purse created from raw meat.  Franc Fernandez, the designer of the outfit was commissioned a week prior to the event to assemble the 40 pounds of Argentinean meat into a dress-like silhouette.  The iconic outfit will be kept as long as possible in an archive with other controversial outfits.

While Lady Gaga is no stranger to dispute, this particular outfit has a story of its own.  What makes the dress even more provocative is the reason Gaga claims that she wore it.  In an interview after the VMA’s Gaga explained that the dress was meant to be a political statement.  The reason that she chose to wear raw meat was to represent governmental oppression for gay member of the US military discharged because of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

“...but for me this evening, it's if we don't stand up for what we believe in, we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're gonna have as much rights as the meat on our bones.'" –Lady Gaga

The outfit was not meant to disrespect anyone that’s vegan or vegetarian, but organizations such as PETA have spoken out against the choice of raw meat, and about animal rights.

Lady Gaga's dress was definitely jaw dropping, but for all the right reasons.  People do not normally wear meat as clothing and for this reason a lot of attention was on Gaga that night.  However, the attention she recieved from the dress was meant to be focused on a more important issue, rights of gay soldiers in the US.  We think that this is a great message to try to get across for someone who has so much power in the media, but don't necessarily think the message was recieved.  Instead of bringing attention to the real issue, everyone was left talking about the outfit itself and how outrageous it was.