Fashion Week Ambassador Lukas Svirplys to Present Performance at Lukiškės Prison

Lukas Svirplys, an ambassador for Vilnius Fashion Week, is set to present a unique performance titled "Surprise" during the event's "Vilnius Fashion Week" at the Lukiškės Prison 2.0 venue on September 5. Co-created with director Akvilė Gelžinytė, the performance aims to engage the audience as active participants rather than passive observers.

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Vilnius Fashion Week is a celebration of fashion and an opportunity to further unite the fashion community, creators, enthusiasts, and lovers.

Svirplys views Vilnius Fashion Week as a celebration of fashion and a platform to unite the community of designers, enthusiasts, and lovers. He believes fashion extends beyond clothing, encompassing a broader cultural field and capable of addressing various themes through diverse formats. "I think fashion can happen in various spaces, in different formats, and talk not only about aesthetics," he stated.

The chosen venue, Lukiškės Prison 2.0, is described as a space that has become a second home for over 700 creators, hosting concerts, exhibitions, and community events, making it a significant tourist attraction in the capital. Svirplys believes this unconventional location will enhance the performance's impact and its connection with the audience.

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I think fashion can happen in various spaces, in different formats, and talk not only about aesthetics.

Reflecting on societal pressures, Svirplys highlighted how environmental influences from childhood can shape unhealthy attitudes towards eating. He shared personal experiences of being called "shredded" or "stick" due to his thinness, which became part of his identity. He criticizes the common practice of commenting on others' bodies, especially from older generations, who often pressure individuals to eat more, overriding their natural hunger and satiety cues.

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We comment too sensitively and too often on other people's bodies.

Svirplys clarified that his battle with anorexia was not a planned diet but a consequence of not feeling the need to eat. He stressed that such comments, though seemingly innocent, can toxically distort one's natural relationship with their body and food. The fashion world's standards, he suggests, often exacerbate these issues, contributing to a complex environment where body image is constantly scrutinized.

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My anorexia was not intentionally planned to be thinner, to lose weight, not to eat. I just didn't eat because I didn't have the need for it.