Weekend update: Billie Breaks the Internet

“Showing your body and showing your skin - or not - should not take any respect away from you.” Just a few days ago, Billie Eilish spoke these artful words in her British Vogue interview for her powerful June cover shoot. Embracing a “classic, old-timey pin-up” look, Eilish emanates strength in custom Alexander McQueen, Mugler, Gucci, and more. Paired with an interview, this photoshoot - however beautiful - goes beyond, as Eilish challenges and critiques systems of oppression and sexualization. 

Photo: Craig McDean

On May 2nd, Billie Eilish broke an Instagram record when her British Vogue cover post surpassed 1 million likes in only six minutes. Just two days later, Eilish broke her own record as she shared another portrait of herself, reaching 1 million likes in a reported five minutes. 

The photoshoot has garnered over 118 million likes on Eilish’s personal Instagram alone. Nothing short of groundbreaking, Eilish’s photos certainly sparked a lot of conversation- some healthy and some… not so healthy. 

Many call Eilish a hypocrite, claiming that her values have supposedly changed as she “sells out” after vowing to “hide her body.” This shoot is certainly a diversion from the baggy and oversized clothing that Eilish has donned throughout her unbridled career. However, Eilish is merely proof that women can change their minds, change their style, change whatever they want (or not)... women can reclaim autonomy over their own bodies for no other reason than their own. Other conversations surrounding the British Vogue shoot have been healthy, with mounting praise for Billie herself, along with criticisms for the music industry in championing the sexualization of the women who work within it. Despite this, there still remain comments that question Billie’s “authenticity” or her “willingness to play into the male gaze,” which are frankly ignorant misconceptions. 

Photo: Craig McDean

Eilish was very clear, throughout the shoot and in her interview, on her thoughts- thanking British Vogue “for respecting [her] vision and making this come to life.” Wearing latex, lingerie, and corsets, Eilish understood that this photoshoot would “stir the pot,” but as she stated, “it's all about what makes you feel good.” So why is it that wearing revealing clothes “stirs the pot?” Why are certain garments often seen solely as sexual? Fashion is so multifaceted that a single garment can represent different things for different people. When worn electively, corsets can instill empowerment in the wearer- contrasting the idea of past oppression. Even with lingerie, it is not intimate because it is hidden; it is intimate because it can represent your innermost self. 

Photo: Craig McDean

For those who sexualize Billie in these clothes, it's not her problem… it's theirs. The backlash surrounding this month’s British Vogue cover seems reminiscent of young women being told to cover up because it might be a “distraction” to boys. Instead of forcing women to appear a certain way, members of our society should learn to unpack their own contributions towards the very real notion of the male gaze. As Eilish changes and evolves like any other 19 year old, she uses her platform to challenge the misogynistic narratives surrounding women and the way they dress.

-Riley Kubaska