MAC, Rodarte and the Controversy

People are up in arms about MAC and Rodarte and jumping on the bandwagon of everyone who has something to say about MAC and Rodarte. But how many are actually doing their research. I am not taking MAC or Rodarte side of the issue or anyone else. What I am doing is my research on the issue. I have never believed in hearsay and too many people in my opinion are listening to hearsay and not doing research on their own. If you ask their followers how long has the problems in Juarez has been occurring many don't know. If you ask them about the issues the women in their communities face they probably don't know either.

I have been involved in community service, women issues, etc. for decades and hate when people “jump on the band wagon” when it becomes newsworthy, etc. But when the news, bloggers, etc. forget about this line of makeup and clothing will they also forget about Juarez? Will their followers also forget? Also how many gave Juarez or any other place like this a thought before MAC and Rodarte decided on this line? How many cared? How many blogged about the issues? How many donated and still are donating to organizations that fight to fix the issues? How many physically get involved by going to the shelters, serving food at the shelters, creating and providing pamphlets to let others know about the issues? How many really give a damn? That is the question we should be asking?!

I have seen comments like...
“This is the reason I have never purchased from MAC and never will!”
“I will never purchase from MAC again!”
“MAC will never get another dime from me, I plan to purchase from MUFE, etc.”

What I don't see a lot of is...
“I plan to give to Amnesty International X dollars because they have been trying to help Juarez for years.”
“I am going to stop purchasing goods from the companies that have the factories there until they make a change!”

Also what about the goods that you purchase from companies that have factories in Juarez and they know of the conditions and are doing nothing about it. Are you still going to support them? Are you still going to buy your favorite jeans or shoes knowing they come from a factory when the conditions and security are not the best, where people are paid less? Or are you going to blog and make YT videos to demand that these companies pay more, improve the conditions and security of the factory areas/transportation, etc before you buy or wear their products. Are you going to try to find out who these companies are and write them to let them know your feelings. If these conditions were occurring in a US city and where you work it would not be tolerated or allowed to continue. So why are these US companies, suppliers, etc. still allowing it to occur in Juarez. etc?  The money invested in these plants and products should also be invested in changing the conditions of the factories and adding more security, but hardly anyone is talking about that. The focus of most blogs, videos, etc have been on MAC and Rodarte. What they did right or wrong made more people aware of the issue but they didn't create the issue.

I am not saying you have to spend your money on MAC or stop spending money with these other companies. I don't advise people on how to spend their money. What I am saying is do your research. Find out where the bloggers, etc. are getting their information. I have written for a newspaper and also have worked in radio and know the facts are what is important. Do we have all the facts or we just listening to the emotions of everyone?

I know many are concerned with the images used also. After researching the line, I found out the images are based on Rodarte's Fall 2010 runway show where the models had a pale look with smokey eyes.

“They will be creating a limited-edition line with inspiration pulled straight from Rodarte's runway looks-- the fall 2010 collection, to be exact. ... we're going to see a lot of pale and nude- lipped combinations, and plenty of smokey eye builders.
MAC has a history with Rodarte, having teamed up backstage since 2006.”

'Rodarte Statement:

"Our makeup collaboration with M·A·C developed from inspirations on a road trip that we took in Texas last year, from El Paso to Marfa.  The ethereal nature of this landscape influenced the creative development and desert palette of the collection. We are truly saddened about injustice in Juarez and it is a very important issue to us. The M·A·C collaboration was intended as a celebration of the beauty of the landscape and people in the areas that we traveled."

Another piece of info I found while researching on the web about the Rodarte collection the MAC line was based on.

“The idea that someone could "be scarred and still beautiful" was the collection's leitmotif, and it was about as far from some banal notion of "tribal fashion" as you could get. ...Forced to scavenge for existence in a barren, war-torn landscape, she pieces together her attire from rags that, as Laura Mulleavy pointed out, only serve to expose her wounds. It's not exactly a good-night story—but it's a powerful one, and it was expertly told to a rapt and ever more adoring audience. “

After doing research and just using common sense I have found beauty in Juarez. There is beauty everywhere. It is not just what you see on the news, etc. I have never been to Juarez or any other city in Mexico but I do know that every city has it's bad and good areas.

Since I have never been to Mexico I can't assume what they did or did not see on their trip and neither can anyone else. I went to China and saw so many beautiful landscapes, buildings, people, etc. but I also saw some disturbing things that you see in most large cities. When I talk about my trip to China, 95% of what I talk about is the beauty of the country and that is what I mainly saw. The same may have been for these sisters who designed this line. When I have family and friends who visit, I don't take them to the worst places in my city. I show them the beauty and wonderful things in my city. We all do. Many of us go on cruises and to resorts on islands and never see the darker side of the place but it is there. When we don't see it is is fine until someone else opens are eyes to it. Until then we are fine at being ignorant to what goes on around us never to do our own research.

I also found this information from a website about Juarez:

"I cannot guarantee your safety in Juarez, Mexico, any more than I could guarantee your safety in Dallas, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois, or Tokyo, Japan. They are all big cities that undisputedly possess a criminal element. They are also all great cities full of good people and wonderful things to see and do. Use the same precautions you would use in any large metropolitan area.
All we seem to read regarding Ciudad Juárez in the American press, however, centers around crime. While these realities are tragic, especially that of young girls stricken down before their lives have even really begun, it should also be pointed out that this picture of Juárez, which should be the first priority of any journalist.

There is no shortage of serial killers and criminal behavior in any country, but coverage of other cities is more balanced. We get human interest stories, restauant and nightclub reviews, stories about civic events, and interviews with the city's leadership."

Also why do we as US citizens always assume everyone in other countries are so unhappy with their lives there and want to move here.  Like I said there is good and bad everywhere.  With that said it does not take from what has been going on in this town and others like it for years.

I still plan to purchase the items from this collection whether MAC puts them out now or waits 2 months, 3 months or a year because I like the products and MAC is making a donation to a organization to help.  For those who are complaining and plan to take their money to MUFE, NYX, etc. ... How about doing the same thing MAC is doing and donate.  I know I am. I am also in the process of finding out all the companies that use these factories and will be writing and boycotting their products until they make a change for the better.  Throwing money at this town is not going to make a change but getting the companies to improve the conditions of the factories and the surrounding area will be a start.