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MANILA, Philippines – When it comes to the Marcoses, the Filipino people will #NeverForget.
On Monday, June 24, Filipinos online slammed Stail.PH, an emerging online fashion source for its June issue, which reimagined Imelda Marcos and her “love for beauty and eye for fashion.”
In an Instagram post, the fashion outfit uploaded the magazine cover modelled by teen star Bianca Umali featuring Imelda Marcos as a fashion icon.
“This issue is a reimagining of all things Imelda – her love for beauty and eye for fashion. Sure, you can say a bunch of things about her but you can’t deny her impeccable taste in style,” the post read.
The post gained traction on Twitter as netizens criticized the fashion outlet’s editorial choice, pointing to what the Marcoses did to the Philippines. (READ: Martial Law, the dark chapter in Philippine history)
Maybe you should review this one because this doesn’t only give a bad taste. This clearly gives an idea that Imelda Marcos is to be celebrated as someone who gave so much in the fashion industry when in fact all of those were because of their atrocities. Review and check.
— Bea Sacdalan (@sacdalanbea) June 24, 2019
‘Glorifying and romanticizing atrocities’
It has been 47 years since the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in the Philippines, a time characterized by authoritarian rule, human rights violations, a decline in the Philippine economy, embezzlement, and crony capitalism.
Netizens stressed that the issue is an ill-advised glorification and romanticization of human rights abuses and plunder in the guise of fashion.
Grabe ‘yung "What’s wrong is obsessing over wanting to be who we are not." Parang ‘yun pa ‘yung mali, not GLORIFYING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND PLUNDER??? Those are fine, just don’t be a poser, I guess????? @stail_ph https://t.co/MukTwQa3YJ
— Apa (@apaagbayani) June 24, 2019
This isn’t simply romanticizing “excess.” Nor is this a bold, boundary-pushing artistic risk to be lauded. This is the glorification of unconscionable and disgusting extravagance purchased with the lives and freedoms of the Filipino people. Y’all are idiots @stail_ph pic.twitter.com/BOJK5np5R1
— Patch Valeña (@patchvalena) June 24, 2019
Imelda Marcos is infamous for her extravagant lifestyle during the Marcos regime. Some netizens pointed out there was more to Marcos’ sense of style, especially if it cost taxpayers’ money or led to abuses.
Dear @stail_ph,
— Ash Presto (@sosyolohija) June 24, 2019
Imelda’s “impeccable taste in style” is made possible by spending money she OWES to the Filipino people.
To praise her style without condemning her billions worth of plunder is an ignorant act that promotes corruption and historical forgetting.
Shame. https://t.co/IgDlgsdyIE
Imelda is a plunderer and mass murderer along with her dicatator husband. Glorifying her sense of style while brushing off her atrocities is absolutely disgusting.
— Pterocarpus indicus (@diegomags) June 24, 2019
It’s equivalent to saying, "So what if the Nazis committed genocide and conquest? They had fashoinable uniforms!" https://t.co/3czM7nmwk8
“Sure, you can say a bunch of things about her but you can’t deny her impeccable taste in style.”
— Sofia Dara Medina (@phylumnidara) June 24, 2019
Oh I’m sorry, I wasn’t informed that plundering a country to the point of debt + orchestrating the murder of thousands is considered stylish. @stail_ph is stale. Pun intended. https://t.co/YKVsBaSely
Imelda Marcos’ direct involvement in, refusal to pay restitution for, and continued revisionism towards a regime that brutalized this country, butchered its people, and burgled its coffers and future is far more than "A bunch of things about her" and @stail_ph should know that.
— AJ ELICAÑO MICROBLOG (@ajejelicano) June 24, 2019
Meanwhile, other netizens called out Imelda Marcos’ refusal to atone or set up a means for restitution. People online argued Imelda was unworthy to be recognized for her fashion due to her unwillingness to take the first step in accounting for her family’s transgressions.
Art can relate to us on a personal level. It can become easy to forget about the person behind it, but art is an outlet of an artist’s soul. You can’t separate the artist from their art. If we were to now accept the artist Imelda, she must first atone for Iron Butterfly Imelda https://t.co/IhRILq5bO9
— Sabrina the Heffer (@NotBrigetteB) June 24, 2019
The 89-year-old Imelda was convicted of 7 counts of graft related to private organizations created in Switzerland while she was a government official from 1968 to 1986 for the “private benefit” of the former first family.
Until now, the former first lady has refused to compensate and even managed to avoid imprisonment after she was allowed to post bail worth P300,000 to enjoy temporary freedom post-conviction.
Netizens also called Stail.PH stale for its unpleasant choice. Others believe the fashion outlet should have known better. Instead, it has allegedly removed critical reactions and comments.
You do know that she has been convicted of plunder, right? Right? She should NEVER be an icon. And btw, you may have misspelled your name. https://t.co/6tLhCQfrS5 seems to be more apt.
— peachy natividad (@peachynatividad) June 24, 2019
They should change their name to stale ph
— Radon Targaryen (@s0rbetero) June 24, 2019
Stail_ph? More like Stale_ph https://t.co/QLDaAyTM6J
— socially awkward sarah (@lakwatsarah) June 25, 2019
So @stail_ph managed to report and temporarily lock @paolo_abad‘s account for this tweet so I guess I’m going to have to repost it. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/VuZR64uSIj
— Apa (@apaagbayani) June 25, 2019
They deleted my comment, fully unaware that I wouldn’t be the last. For once, the comments section is truly delicious. Hi, @stail_ph. Your move. https://t.co/8TeqMCVMN5
— Chino Cruz-Ratburn (@chnocruz) June 24, 2019
This is not the first time that personalities have been called out online for hailing Imelda Marcos as a style icon.
In 2017, Iza Calzado drew flak after after she said online that she was channeling the former First Lady. Maxine Medina also faced backlash after crediting the late dictator’s wife for “inventing” the terno.
Here are what others have to say:
STOP GLORIFYING EVIL PEOPLE @stail_ph pic.twitter.com/tGxw4OJw4S
— Andrei Venal (@andreivenalph) June 24, 2019
@stail_ph
— SubsTitot (@SubsTito) June 25, 2019
Reimagining Marcos should be:
1) clothed expensively with raped/dead/abused people strewn across the floor
2) behind bars
3) buying your company for publicity https://t.co/pHUKqasbi3
Say what you will but Imelda should be in prison @stail_ph
— Stream #OnARoll by Ashley O (@7thToPSPeeD) June 24, 2019
STAIL (@stail_ph). The Philippines’ one-stop source for murderous lifestyle, high fashion (from stolen government funds), and beauty. Cancelled before even setting off as a trustworthy brand. Sad.
— DARYL (@_darylramos) June 24, 2019
This is lazy work. They didn’t even get the look right. She’s supposed to be standing on top of the dismembered bodies in the Manila Film Center. C’mon @stail_ph
— Tata (@tatalizing) June 24, 2019
What do you think about the StailPH’s latest cover issue? – Rappler.com
Stanley Guevarra is a Rappler intern and an incoming AB Literature major at Ateneo de Manila University.
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