Alter-Ego: Superhero

[Photography by Craig Mc Dean]

I must admit I’m not a fan of comic books, but perhaps that’s due to my ignorance. I do, however, find the illustrations and the whole mythology surrounding the ‘superhero’ truly fascinating; how each and every one of us [to an extent] has or carries a somewhat ‘double-life’, a second personality; an alter ego that yearns to be unveiled. I suppose fashion is not the most obvious issue when we think of comics and superheroes, but did anyone else find the ‘superhero’ conversation at the end of Kill Bill 2 quite fascinating? Well, on a whole...Bill compares Superman and his perception of civilisation to Beatrix, he says: “An essential characteristic of the super hero mythology is, there is the superhero and, there’s the alter ego...Spiderman is actually Peter Parker. When he wakes up in the morning, he’s Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become superman”. Fashion and clothes help us make sense of the world: they articulate and construct modes of behaviour, expressions, desires and beliefs.

All clothes are worn for different reasons: to protect, to conceal, reveal or maybe it’s to be part of a social group. Nevertheless, the real bond between fashion and alter-ego- superhero is how it’s centred upon a state of ‘becoming’ someone else, whether it be to conform or disguise. Take Peter Parker from Spiderman: his role, when in costume is to protect his identity but to save his family and friends from his enemies. Another example is X- Men; they wear their costumes to draw attention to team unity. Carrie Bradshaw, on the other hand prides herself on clothes, particularly shoes. When she puts on those Jimmy Choo’s, her alter ego is unleashed: her threads and stamps take over New York’s metropolis- she’s ultra cool, feminine, sexy and invincible. Men love her and women want to be her.
These are symptoms that remain in the heart of fashion and superheroes; it’s a simplified projection of desire: To be powerful and sexy; to be good and honest. The clothes often make the self. Every superman found his cape in his rocket from Krypton and every lady will find their ‘cape’ tucked away in her fashionable wardrobe.