When Valentino's fall/winter 2022 show arrived in Rome two years ago, it wasn't just then-creative director Pierpaulo Picolli's designs that caused a stir on the internet. In fact, it was a sheer, floor-length dress (PP Pink, of course—this was 2022, after all) worn by Florence Pugh that garnered the most attention. Why? Pugh had chosen to leave out the padding that was supposed to line the dress's chest and instead let her bare breasts show through. While some went online to praise Pugh for freeing her nipple, others chose to criticize her for a variety of reasons, with comments ranging from slut-shaming to body-shaming and everything in between.
In an interview with Elle UK, the Oppenheimer actress opened up about the controversy.
“When everything went wrong with the pink Valentino dress a year ago, my nipples were visible through a piece of fabric and that really upset people. It is freedom that people are afraid of; the fact that I feel comfortable and happy,” she said. “Keeping women in line by commenting on their bodies has worked for a long time. I think we're at a stage now where a lot of people are saying, 'I don't give a shit.'”
Pugh had also previously addressed the discourse. A week after the runway, she took to Instagram and wrote a heartfelt message to her critics.
“It's not the first time and certainly not the last time that a woman hears from a bunch of strangers what's wrong with her body. What's concerning is how vulgar some of you men can be,” she wrote, adding, “So many of you have wanted to aggressively tell me how disappointed you are with my 'small tits' or how embarrassed I should be for being so 'flat chested '.” Pugh ended her post by saying, “Grow up. Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect people. Life will be a lot easier, I promise. And all because of two cute little nipples #fuckingfreethefuckingnipple.”
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