Fashion designers Rick Owens, Michèle Lamy and Fecal Matter kicked out of Forbidden City, told to ‘return in ordinary attire’

BEIJING, Oct 19 — Fashion designers in husband and wife team Rick Owens and Michèle Lamy as well as founders of Canadian avant-garde brand Matières Fécales (Fecal Matter), Hannah Rose Dalton and Steven Raj Bhaskaran were turned away at the Forbidden City and told to “return in ordinary attire”.

Owens and Lamy were in Beijing to participate in a series of activities.

After a book signing of More Rick Owens, the designers decided to get explore the Forbidden City, bringing along the Fecal Matter duo.

The Montreal-based designers took to Instagram to vent about the incident.

“This moment when we got kicked out of forbidden city was really intense for us. They asked us to remove our makeup and change to normal clothes and then we could get in.”

Screenshot of Fecal Matter's InstaStory. — Picture from Instagram/matieresfecales

The four had refused to do so.

The Fecal Matter designers stated that, “what we take away from the experience is more determination to keep doing what we do to fight for more acceptance and tolerance for difference around the world.”

The Fecal Matter duo. — Picture from Instagram/matieresfecales

An InstaStory stated that they were having a wonderful time with Owens and Lamy at the Forbidden City in Beijing... “until we were kicked out.”

“I feel humiliated and very inhumane, because this is not just a dress for us, but a symbol of self-identity.”