Meghan Markle’s Baby Björn and Pope Rihanna: 14 Memes That Synthesized the Biggest Fashion Moments of 2018
Sometimes, fashion is really funny. In 2018, who didn’t crack a smirk at an ugly shoe or a balaclava as it came parading down the runway? Or laugh out loud at the memes that amplified and called them out?
This year gave us Kanye West’s orthopedic shower slide, Meghan Markle sporting a Baby Björn at Marine Serre’s Spring 2019 show, and Kendall Jenner in an absurdly large, cocoon-like puffer coat. Meme master Freddie Smithson of the account @freddiemade dressed POTUS in a pair of Off-White thigh-high boots, while Sidney Prawatyotin of @siduations put a Versace-clad Bella Hadid out in front of the New York Marathon’s elite runners.
Of course, Rihanna’s custom Maison Margiela Pope ensemble for the Met Gala in May inspired many holy memes, as did the #OldCeline hashtag after Hedi Slimane’s big debut at the helm of the French house this September. Gucci deserves the biggest meme props, though, solely based on designer Alessandro Michele’s ability to stage such theatrical shows that to leave them off of Instagram would be a travesty. Models carrying replicas of their own heads, embellished balaclavas . . . you name it, Gucci has made fashion go viral. Last year, Michele even recruited meme makers to help with his ad campaigns. All of this to say that the fashion meme is more powerful than ever right now.
Here are the 13 most memorable and hilarious fashion memes of the year.
Fashion sound director Michel Gaubert saw similarities between Cardi B (shoeless and post-spat with Nicki Minaj) and Jesus Christ. Il nome del padre, figlio, spirito santo amen.
Freddie Smithson gave a pantsless Donald Trump a pair of Off-White boots with the word President in place of the phrase on the original pair, For walking.
PVC was a major trend in 2018, but this meme reminded us that we might want to think twice about the environmental repercussions of buying and wearing the material.
This summer, Kanye West went to a wedding wearing Yeezy-branded orthopedic shower slides with socks. In response, @itsmaysmemes turned him into Big Foot.
Somewhere between a questionable sandal and an ugly sneaker sits this french fries box babouche by Balenciaga.
As if the balaclava wasn’t difficult enough to pull off, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele added tassels and jewels to the face coverings.
Run, Bella, run!
Kendall Jenner is a small human being, except when she puts on her Michelin Man puffer coat.
A must for Meghan Markle’s baby registry: a logo-bedecked Baby Björn designed by Marine Serre for her Spring 2019 collection.
At Gucci’s Fall 2018 runway show, models carried replicas of their own heads and nearly shut down the Internet. Decapitation is in.
@Heyreilly put his spin on the #OldCeline versus new Celine debate with a little help from Ms. Dion.
Pope Rihanna coming through the Met Gala red carpet in custom Maison Margiela.
Praise be to Jude Law and Lauren Alexis Fisher, who made this meme in honor of the 2018 Met Gala, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.”
