Emily Ratajkowski’s Bold Fashion Evolution: Challenging Norms and Owning Identity
Emily Ratajkowski’s wardrobe choices frequently push the boundaries, each outfit attempting to outdo the previous one. Much like Kim Kardashian’s iconic flesh-toned shapewear or Victoria Beckham’s signature little black dresses paired with oversized sunglasses, having a well-known figure embrace a specific style becomes a signal of their identity and values.
For Emily Ratajkowski, a model who gained fame through bikini-clad appearances in music videos, her fashion choices appear to be a statement about reclaiming the objectified female body. In April 2021, she accused artist Richard Prince of appropriating one of her Instagram photos and selling it as a large canvas artwork priced at $90,000 without her consent. Subsequently, she transformed the same image into an NFT (non-fungible token) and released a best-selling book in which she candidly delves into the often discomforting ways in which her image has been exploited to promote heterosexual fantasies.”
On its release, she candidly admitted, ‘I’ve grappled with feeling objectified and confined by my image as a supposed sex symbol. I’m still coming to terms with my thoughts on sexuality and empowerment.’ This journey led from dental floss bikinis to midriff-baring two-piece ensembles, and eventually culminated in the emergence of a collection of nude-illusion dresses.
Last night, Ratajkowski took this trend to its most extreme, donning a gossamer slip dress paired with transparent, toe-revealing heels as she strolled through New York alongside her close friend Babs Jeanne. (You can view the photo here.)
While an outfit like this might appear to reinforce the very norms it seeks to challenge, it remains a potent symbol for women like her, much as it was for Florence Pugh. Emily Ratajkowski continues to traverse this complex terrain, existing in the tension between apprehension and desire.