News

Woman who protested alone outside Chanel show labelled ‘a queen’

Daisy Jackson - 11th December 2023

A woman who staged a lone protest outside the Chanel show in Manchester last week has been inundated with praise from locals.

The woman was positioned on High Street, mere metres from where a-list celebrities and high-fashion models were parading for the fashion giant.

The fact that the exclusive event took place in Manchester has been considered a huge coup for the city, and one which will have had a significant economic impact.

But the woman outside the Chanel show chose the opportunity to highlight the stark contrast between the luxurious fashion show and the harsh reality of many living in poverty in our city.

She held a sign that read: “Over 250,000 children living in poverty in Manchester. Higher than UK average.

“Manchester has one of the highest level of homelessness. 1 in 74 people. 7407 and rising!

“Where have you hidden the homeless Andy??”

Speaking about Chanel, she told photographer Project Certi: “No one was consulted about this. It’s not for the people of Manchester. You can come here if you want a celebrity spot but that’s not for you.

“This sort of thing moves around the world, they’ll have it somewhere weird and wonderful every year, and this is kind of like, capitalising on the working class history of Manchester.

“The poster’s got, ironically, the suffragettes on it, you know, people fighting for rights. They’re using images from the Hacienda, they’re using music of Joy Division and New Order, all of that what made Manchester on the music map all came out working class struggle. It all came during Thatcher and the attack on the working class, which is exactly what we’re seeing now with 12 years of austerity.”

She also highlighted the man who died on the street in the Gay Village on a night where temperatures dropped, and the ‘cr*ppy B&Bs’ that homeless people find themselves housed in.

Speaking of the impact of Chanel on Manchester though, Deputy Leader Luthfur Rahman OBE said: “The impact of the decision by CHANEL to hold its prestigious Métiers d’Art show here in Manchester is something that is already resonating with people around the globe and is going to continue to be felt by the city for quite some time.

“It speaks volumes about the regard in which Manchester is already held across the world, but more importantly it also sends a clear signal to international businesses and the international visitor economy that Manchester is the place to be.

“It’s impossible at this stage to even begin to quantify the economic impact hosting the event has had on the city, or to put a figure on it. The true impact will involve not just the direct spend and income generated within the city over these last few weeks leading up to and during the event, but also the longer-term benefits that will come from the massive boost to Manchester’s profile that CHANEL has given the city, that in turn translates into more visitors coming to see what Manchester has to offer, and more businesses choosing to invest here.

“It has been without doubt quite a moment for Manchester, not least coming as it does off the back of many other significant moments for the city this year, that together place Manchester in absolute pole position on the world’s stage for the years ahead.”

In the comments on Project Certi’s video, one person wrote: “Thank you for giving this woman a platform.”

Another wrote: “Whoever this woman is, she’s a legend. As are you for capturing it.”

Someone else posted: “I have so much respect for this woman, I’d love to meet her and let her know she’s not alone in her feelings towards this.”

One comment said: “She is such a queen, bang on with everything she’s saying.”

And someone else called for ‘This lady for PM’.

Read more

• Watch – Chanel shares incredible video of Manchester’s Northern Quarter transformed into catwalk
• Chanel addresses why Manchester has been chosen for its prestigious fashion show
• Peter Kay performed three secret gigs in Bolton to raise funds for the Octagon theatre

Featured image: TikTok, Project Certi