Inside the Birdcage: another angle on women in society

The suppression of women in society is not a new topic; it has been stalking the media since women's suffrage really got going in late-18th century France. However, there remains a definite reluctance to publicly discuss it, even today, for fear of sounding like that feminist with the persecution mania and the bad haircut. But restriction by society, discussed by anyone, provides food for thought. 

A few days ago, I read an article in the New York Times' web archive (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/world/asia/06equal.html/ for those who are interested), explaining the situation of inequality in the workplace for women in modern-day Japan. To me, the most interesting statistic was that in 2005, only 10.1 percent of management jobs in Japan were held by women, compared to the 42.5 percent held in America. There is no denying that this is shamefully poor effort when Japan has been ranked one of the most developed countries in the world. 

The predicament was neatly summed up by Ms. Yukako Kurose (pictured above), whose story of a professional career perishing after having a baby introduces the article. In her words, “Japanese work customs make it almost impossible for women to have both a family and a career.” Women are left to choose between the two and in fact, in most cases, the choice is made for them by society or by their superiors. The trapped housewife has become far too common a specimen in Japanese culture.

This theme of the 'trapped housewife' has had its fair share of artistic coverage over the years, in books such as Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique (1963) or in films like The Happy Housewife (Dutch: De Gelukkige Huisvrouw)(2010). But the most recent portrayal of domestic dissatisfaction to come to my attention was the Young Vic's production of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House. I was in the audience about a fortnight ago and it was one of the most intense and claustrophobic plays I have ever seen. Aside from the impressive depiction of a marriage crumbling, what I found most chilling was the moment when you suddenly become aware that the husband's affectionate allusions to his wife as a 'little lark' are in fact of far deeper significance, implying that she is as much a diminutive little bird in a birdcage as she is a helpless doll in a doll's house.

Birdcage Dress by Kasey McMahon Copyright 2009

The 'trapped housewife' or, more melodramatically, the 'caged feminine', has also had a certain influence in the world of fashion, and it would be difficult for me to discuss a topic this big without considering it from an aesthetic angle. The Birdcage Dress by Kasey McMahon (above), is one of my favourite examples of cage couture - I love how it flows around the model, and how delicate it looks, despite being made from brass rods. I also quite like the dual personality of the dress i.e. how it's a trap for the stuffed birds perched within it, but is half trap, half pulpit for the woman who wears it.

http://georgiahardinge.blogspot.co.uk/

There is also this futuristic creation of the French designer Georgia Hardinge, for L'Oreal's AW2010 Colour Trophy. Possibly because only the shoulders and hips are covered, whilst the torso remains exposed, this dress has less blatant associations with entrapment. But since it is clearly structured along the lines of 19th century crinolines, there remains a distinct sense of restriction and containment. 

This third dress is also by Georgia Hardinge, and is also from 2010. Since it is so similar to the L'Oreal dress above, there is little to add about it, but I wanted to include it here because its just so... cool. Agreed? It would look at home with the most austere of 1800s underwear, but worn on its own on a catwalk, with those leather shoulder pads, it hints more towards S&M and the circus than Victoriana, and I think its beautiful.

This final dress comes from Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's fourth collection (A/W 2010) for Valentino. I thought this was a good piece to finish on because it is just about the best example of cages in couture that I could find. There is something sweetly pretty about it, and it almost entirely lacks a dark side, although her arms are trapped...

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So on reflection, in the world of contemporary couture, has the birdcage evolved from being a symbol of restriction into merely statement body-armour?