(CNN) — Over 8 million people on TikTok have watched Elizabeth Olsen share her family’s oft-repeated mantra: “‘No’ is a complete sentence.” Instilled in her by her older twin sisters, two showbiz veterans, Olsen insists that sometimes “you can just say no.”
And Shakira, who was spotted front row at the Viktor & Rolf haute couture show at Paris fashion week on Wednesday, clearly feels the same way. Her elegant white robe, from the brand’s Fall-Winter 2008 collection, was dominated by the word “No” emblazoned across her chest in three-dimensional letters.
The Colombian singer paired the outfit with gold platform sandals and a matching mini clutch from Italian brand Aquazzura. In the photos taken at the event, including one that Shakira posted on social media with Camila Cabello, she moves her finger, as if indicating “No.”
Camila Cabello and Shakira sit front row at the Viktor & Rolf Fall-Winter 2023 Haute Couture show. (Credit: Pierre Suu/Getty Images)
“’Sí’ is overrated,” Shakira said when asked about her stunning gaze, “I identify with ‘No’, it’s a very powerful word.”
Using clothing to communicate your inner world is nothing new. T-shirts with cheeky slogans, like the ‘Nepo Baby’ top Hailey Bieber wore earlier this year after facing criticism for her rise to fame, have long been used as a celebrity mouthpiece. Even politicians, presidents and members of the monarchy spread information through her wardrobe.
However, sometimes wearing your heart on your sleeve, or sewn on your chest, can be counterproductive. In 2018, Melania Trump drew widespread criticism when she chose to wear a khaki Zara jacket that read “I really don’t care. What about you?”, with letters painted white to tour a shelter for migrant children on the US-Mexico border in June 2018.
Shakira’s sartorial message was anything but subtle. (Credit: Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images)
While Shakira’s jacket lacked the soft-wear subtlety, there’s been some debate online as to what exactly her “No” refers to. Some media have been quick to interpret the fashion statement as a personalized public message to her ex-partner, soccer player Gerard Piqué (the couple ended their 12-year relationship last year).
Actually, Viktor & Rolf have long been inspired by internet culture and meme slang, in particular the word “No”. For the brand’s 2019 couture collection, candy-colored frothy tulle gowns were embroidered with tongue-in-cheek viral Internet catchphrases like “Sorry I was late, I didn’t want to come.”
The viral “No” dress at Viktor & Rolf’s Spring-Summer 2019 haute couture ruwnay. (Credit: WWD/Penske Media/Getty Images)
The words were pulled from Instagram and selected for their banality, which contrasted with romantic silhouettes, co-founder Rolf Snoeren told WWD. A tapered wrap dress featured “No” in letters so large they took up half the dress.
Fashion is as much about the feel as it is about what it’s made of. And sometimes, the feeling is just “No.”
(CNN) — Over 8 million people on TikTok have watched Elizabeth Olsen share her family’s oft-repeated mantra: “‘No’ is a complete sentence.” Instilled in her by her older twin sisters, two showbiz veterans, Olsen insists that sometimes “you can just say no.”
And Shakira, who was spotted front row at the Viktor & Rolf haute couture show at Paris fashion week on Wednesday, clearly feels the same way. Her elegant white robe, from the brand’s Fall-Winter 2008 collection, was dominated by the word “No” emblazoned across her chest in three-dimensional letters.
The Colombian singer paired the outfit with gold platform sandals and a matching mini clutch from Italian brand Aquazzura. In the photos taken at the event, including one that Shakira posted on social media with Camila Cabello, she moves her finger, as if indicating “No.”
Camila Cabello and Shakira sit front row at the Viktor & Rolf Fall-Winter 2023 Haute Couture show. (Credit: Pierre Suu/Getty Images)
“’Sí’ is overrated,” Shakira said when asked about her stunning gaze, “I identify with ‘No’, it’s a very powerful word.”
Using clothing to communicate your inner world is nothing new. T-shirts with cheeky slogans, like the ‘Nepo Baby’ top Hailey Bieber wore earlier this year after facing criticism for her rise to fame, have long been used as a celebrity mouthpiece. Even politicians, presidents and members of the monarchy spread information through her wardrobe.
However, sometimes wearing your heart on your sleeve, or sewn on your chest, can be counterproductive. In 2018, Melania Trump drew widespread criticism when she chose to wear a khaki Zara jacket that read “I really don’t care. What about you?”, with letters painted white to tour a shelter for migrant children on the US-Mexico border in June 2018.
Shakira’s sartorial message was anything but subtle. (Credit: Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images)
While Shakira’s jacket lacked the soft-wear subtlety, there’s been some debate online as to what exactly her “No” refers to. Some media have been quick to interpret the fashion statement as a personalized public message to her ex-partner, soccer player Gerard Piqué (the couple ended their 12-year relationship last year).
Actually, Viktor & Rolf have long been inspired by internet culture and meme slang, in particular the word “No”. For the brand’s 2019 couture collection, candy-colored frothy tulle gowns were embroidered with tongue-in-cheek viral Internet catchphrases like “Sorry I was late, I didn’t want to come.”
The viral “No” dress at Viktor & Rolf’s Spring-Summer 2019 haute couture ruwnay. (Credit: WWD/Penske Media/Getty Images)
The words were pulled from Instagram and selected for their banality, which contrasted with romantic silhouettes, co-founder Rolf Snoeren told WWD. A tapered wrap dress featured “No” in letters so large they took up half the dress.
Fashion is as much about the feel as it is about what it’s made of. And sometimes, the feeling is just “No.”
