Rich people wearing bad clothing.
fashion
Ruth La Ferla: “In deference perhaps to a growing disenchantment with the culture of blatant sexuality, marketers of the leading global luxury brands seem to have turned back the clock, unveiling advertising campaigns that recall the primness of the Kennedy era. Consider Prada, whose new ads in the February issues of fashion magazines showcase pale-skinned young men and postdebutantes dressed in rep ties and shirtwaist dresses. Or Dolce & Gabbana, which in recent months sought to titillate readers with pictures of sultry models lounging provocatively in a Sicilian setting. Compare these with the fashion house's latest ads, in which young women show off flowery frocks and dewy faces radiating a fairy tale naïveté.”
Karen Lehrman: “30 years into feminism, we have models who look not just weak and unsophisticated, but also dumb and victimized. Academic feminists haven’t complained because the models are supposedly playing a subversive role and subversion is inherently politically correct. Moreover, many of the young photographers are female. But now we’ve moved into “fashion vérité” and the models still look stupid. Is this how women in fashion see themselves?”
Part of a a selective—but still interesting—slideshow arguing that, while there are bright spots, fashion photography has declined. read more →
