What Are they Selling? Did I Miss Something?

on December 08, 2014 / by

Fashion has never been timid, nor have fashion campaigns. Is going the bolder way a sure shot way to get the cash registers ringing? I don’t think so. Then why is Anna Ewers in her birthday suit for the latest Alexander Wang campaign?

Examples of Bad and Obscene Advertising

When the release popped into my inbox yesterday with a host of images, I didn't know which way to look. One of the sure shot ways to grab attention is to shock, but isn't this going a little too further? Oh, the image above is the least provocative in the series. Google and see for yourself what could be more shocking than a woman loosely lounging on an easy chair with her jeans practically at her feet.

Shot by veteran fashion photographer Steven Klein, the campaign is for the launch Alexander Wang’s denim wear range. Styled by Karl Templer, make-up by Diana Kendal and hair by Paul Hanlon the campaign no doubt gathers some eyeballs. In spite of his own admission that the jeans fashion segment had lived its life and is flooded with options, Wang jumped into the brand wagon. The line consists of three cuts in three different unique washes, and colours of light indigo, medium indigo and black. Manufactured in the US, a pair shall set you back by about 225 to 295 USD. The line shall retail in New York from today.

It has been speculated that the campaign has been inspired by Calvin Klein’s 1992 Kate Moss-Mark Wahlberg campaign.

There have been many campaigns that caused distress with their objectifying of the human element. Madonna’s controversial 2009 Louis Vuitton campaign, Terry Richardson’s 2007 Tom Ford Fragrance campaign and Eva Mendes’s 2008 Secret Obsession campaign were all a test of the time.

Examples of Bad and Obscene Advertising

Back home in India controversial adverts begin and end with the Miling Soman – Madhu Sapre campaign in 1955 for Tuff Shoes. Tuff did everything possible to draw the consumer’s attention with a series of print adverts where both models wore nothing but Tuff Shoes, with a strategically wrapped python around their bodies. 

Phew, that sure stressed me out. What do you think? Is this creative brilliance or a mere attempt to garner attention by any means? 

Leave me your thoughts,
~ Heena

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