Jennifer Lawrence is the new face for Dior’s Miss Dior handbags. The “Hunger Games” actress has been hired to star the Spring campaign of the French fashion house and assures with an elegant look wearing a slicked back and red lips. The campaign was shot by for the Paris fashion house’s spring campaign photographed by Willy Vanderperre and styled by Olivier Rizzo.
British style icon Alexa Chung has returned to front French label Maje’s Spring 2013 campaign, as shot by British photographer Craig McDean. The campaign is said to be inspired by the Pop Art movement and Andy Warhol, but me, myself, I’m not exactly getting that vibe.
Alexander Wang launches his T by Alexander Wang Spring 2013 ad featuring Anjelah Johnson as Bon Qui Qui, a stereotype of the city female that I for one have seen a little too much of. The irony is that Bon Qui Qui is often the muse for many trends that have now gone mainstream and are viewed as praiseworthy from hair extensions to nail art, athletic wear, color streaks to name a few. High-end fashion loves to make fun of the world’s Bon Qui Qui, but those of us with eyes and ears on the streets know that in many ways she’s a trendsetter. As much I’ve liked Wang this one makes me pause. (The A$ap Rocky cameo was cute though).
Have a look at one of the ads for Alexander Wang’s campaign for Spring 2013. The image above features Polish model Malgosia Bela, striking an androgynous pose, a favorite look for Wang in general, but also quite popular as a trend in fashion these days.
Wang will continue designing his eponymous label even after he steps into his role as the creative director for Balenciaga, for whom it is rumored he will first present his first runway for the Autumn 2013 shows–exciting stuff!
Gucci has plans to team with Japanese manga artist Hirohiko Araki on a series of illustrations designed for store windows, a campaign that is planned to launch today. Titled “Joylne, Fly High With Gucci,” the illustrations (see two of them above) will tell the tale of a journey taken by character Jolyne Cujoh, whose travels feature fashion and other goods featuring many of Gucci’s rich design themes. Via Ffg.
Finally, the first ready-to-wear ad campaign images (above left) for Dior as guided by the brand’s new creative director, Raf Simons, have been released. The campaign brings a much lighter touch as compared with former Dior head, John Galliano (see images from the 2012 campaign he directed above right), who was known for his more dramatic viewpoint. Shot by Willy Vanderperre and featuring models Anna Martynova, Marie Piovesan, and Daria Strokous, the ads aim for a streamlined look, modernized with surrealist touches.
For all campaign images, click on the read more button to get to the next page.
In a clever marketing effort around Chanel No. 5 perfume, the French luxury label branded the exterior of one of the trolleys for which San Francisco is famous with the scent’s imagery and converted the interior into an exhibit space. Editor Gabriella Davi-Khorasanee of Lachanelphile took the above image and wrote about her experience touring the exhibit. You can find more images and details of what she discovered here.
As usual Prada comes up with a stellar campaign for Spring 2013. Beautiful product galvanized by simple, color crisp images and of course showcased by many of the industry’s top girls–Vanessa Axente, Saskia de Brauw, Irina Kravchenko, Eva Herzigova, Sung Hee, Irene Hiemstra, Kirsten Owen, Sasha Pivovarova, Amber Valletta, Maartje Verhoef, and Raquel Zimmermann. (And as good as all the product looks in images, it’s more delicious in real life–words cannot describe how this writer longs for a Prada bag!)
Except for Sung Hee, the girls are all white, a tendency for which Prada has repeatedly been criticized for, especially as it applies to its runways. In a way though, pointing out the color of models on runways is a shallow shot at brands. Modeling is an ephemeral job at best (career–implying as it does something with longevity/import–should never be used to describe the work of posing in clothing), with those landing jobs that set them for life about as rare as a Powerball lottery winner.
In reality you have to guess the bigger issue lies at the top of major fashion brands, which one has to bet are even less diverse than their runways. And if there is little to no diversity among decision makers, it would make sense that they are reluctant to represent the same in their ads and on their runways. After all, when one lacks everyday relationships with ethnically/religiously/racially different people, it’s easier to view them as exotics to be pulled out for special statement-making moments (or as tokens to appease the complaints) rather than as stellar beauties upon whom a brand can be built. I’ve said it before, fashion can do better and actually I believe it will in 2013….xox0
On another note, lol, more of those Prada ads on the next page.
Model Mariacarla Boscono as photographed with her baby girl, Marialucas, continues her duties as the face for Givenchy for Spring 2013, a campaign shot by Mert & Marcus and styled by Carine Roitfeld. The ad reveal comes on the heels of the brand’s “Le Rouge” lipstick campaign, also featuring Boscono. Look here for more Givenchy Spring ads soon to come featuring Kate Moss and Marina Abramovic.
The ad here by British cosmetics company Illmasqua is being described as racist, in that it features a model in blackface, which has been used in performance to create a stereotyped charicature of a black person. The tophat and bowtie further support the typical look of a blackface costume. Despite a barrage of criticism the company as of yesterday continued to defend the ad (though interestingly the blackface side is not longer on its Facebook page), and made the following statement:
We thank and acknowledge your comments regarding the above image. Obviously it was never our intention to cause offence; Illamasqua has always celebrated the right to self-expression and we continually push creative and artistic boundaries, priding ourselves on working with models of many ethnic backgrounds to reinforce this point.
In covering this industry over the years it’s been my observation that people/companies often react defensively to accusations of racist behavior–which is understandable, it’s a very heavy charge to bear, no one wants to be the uncool racist guy or gal. When pointed at they respond with statements like, oh, I don’t see people based on their color or no harm was meant or this is art. But systemic racism is much bigger, more subtle and ultimately more damaging than over the top hate speech. Big picture it’s about supporting and helping to maintain a system of power, aka white supremecy.
You see tribute to the system reflected on runways, in editorials, ads and in disdain for streetwear that gets turned on its head when the same looks are shown on a runway. The vitriolic response to Kanye West’s showing in Paris was in part based in racism. And of course it’s shown in power at the top, who runs the most monied fashion companies and then too, those in charge of the most storied–Europe’s Haute Couture houses.
At this point in history, waving racism away because it wasn’t intended is a feeble excuse, especially for well educated and cultured fashion industry bigwigs, who like to pride themselves for their progressive view points. We all make mistake and stumble, life is a learning process, but in general this industry could do a lot better.
