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| [via WWD] |
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| [via WWD] |
Hot on the heels of the IFB bloggers and body image fiasco (read about the entire shit show here and here) comes news of J.Crew's ad campaign featuring "real people." Instead of relying on models, the fall ads depict accomplished fashion and media professionals, including Le Figaro deputy editor Virginie Mouzat (above) and Joe Carlucci, contemporary art business director at Phillips de Pury & Co. (right).
Let's ignore for a second that these regular folk look good enough to be models in order to answer an important question: Are "real people" having a fashion moment?
Let me start off by saying that I understand that models are not made of plastic, because by using the phrase "real people," I'll inevitably hear from at least one person that skinny, beautiful women are real women too! I get it, I really do: Models are perfectly real, even if they happen to be genetically blessed freaks of nature. But from here on out, just let me refer to the non-model crowd as real people (sans quotation marks) for the sake of simplicity.
Now... according to a rule somebody once made up somewhere, trends come in threes, and the J.Crew campaign is indeed the third high-profile instance of real people in fashion this year. It began with the Dolce & Gabbana show during Milan Men's Fashion Week in June, which saw 70 Joe Schmoes (albeit good-looking ones) plucked from the island of Sicily to walk the runway. The show was declared a massive hit, praised for its authenticity.
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| Dolce & Gabbana S/S 2013 [via The Gloss] |
Next came Lanvin's fall 2012 ad campaign shot by Steven Meisel and featuring an octogenarian dancer, a drag queen and what appears to be a Viking fisherman, among others. All were cast on the street, and all are truly fascinating photographs of unique and unexpected beauty.
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| [photos by Steven Meisel for Lanvin] |
So, what exactly does the real-people-as-models phenomenon say about the fashion industry? Is it changing, swinging towards a more inclusive view of beauty? Or is it all just a lot of hullabaloo about nothing? Considering the fact that we've been talking about the comeback of "curvy" models for years to little effect, I'm skeptical. But I want to hear what you think!
"Real people" have been trending in fashion, but it always seems to be about the novelty - sometimes even shock factor - of using non-models. To me it almost reinforces the status quo more than it represents a shift toward a more inclusive beauty ideal.
ReplyDeleteI won't start on the IFB fiasco (and my disenchantment with them in general), but look at bloggers. At one point they were "real" people, they represented something "different," and it was a brilliant and daring PR move when brands chose to work with them. Now the novelty is beginning to wear off. Instead of the general atmosphere becoming more inclusive, we're seeing "bloggers" - at least as represented by mainstream media - morphing into the pre-existing standards of beauty.
Magazines pull the "real people" thing all the time - but why can't we open a fashion magazine and see a beautiful, happy if somewhat fuller/shorter/older/different-in-some-way woman in an article about the trends for fall or having great sex. Instead it's articles about dressing to "correct" these "flaws" in their figure, or the slightly better "how to accept yourself despite your flaws." Sure, they're in there, but it is always pointed out that they are not the ideal.
I know change doesn't happen overnight, and maybe all these things are small steps in the right direction, but until we can see an editorial or a campaign that uses these "real people" without, as a society, pointing at them shouting "non-models!" we still have a long way to go.
I'm not sure it will make a difference in the long run, there will always be certain standards of beauty. That said, I surely am more interested in seeing a striking person like the viking dude than some chiseled ken doll. Well, sure they are hot but the ads might be more interesting if they have more of a variety of appearances.
ReplyDeleteI think it's corporations co-opting a people's cultural movement...and that's part of the machine. But I like to see "real" I just wish it represented the diversity of beauty standards more, and more often! GREAT post!
ReplyDeleteHolly, I love you! Can you just write this post next time? I couldn't agree with you more about it reinforcing the status quo! I've thought the same thing about "curvy" models. What's the point of highlighting plus-size women if it's only to call them out as plus-size? Absolutely ridiculous! But you said it much more eloquently than I could.
ReplyDeleteThanks, lady! Make sure to read @holleighz:disqus comment below, because she gets my point across better than I could. I agree with you 100%. It's disheartening that the "real" people still look like models, but hey, fashion is fantasy, and I'm not confident that it will ever change.
ReplyDeleteBTW, think we can submit your latest post to LALM? ;) Totally deserves to be in there.
ReplyDeleteI agree with holleighz, "Real people" have been trending in fashion. The same is happening in Italy, 2 popular magazines are recruiting "good looking readers" to pose for photos and adverts. I just wait for the next trend...
ReplyDeletei love how we both wrote about the lanvin ads on the same day- but you really got into it! i don't really pay much attention to IFB, so i was astounded to read the article and agreed with it so much! thank you for introducing me to shamepuff- which seems to say everything i always complain about when it comes to the blog world. i really feel that although the internet world serves the public, that the standard of beauty is closing in on a smaller and narrower image, just as magazines, and one which i fear we will never be able to escape, despite all of our efforts. if you open up pinterest, its filled top to bottom with pictures of the same bloggers, images of the same idea of beauty, and if there is anything different- it's rarely looked at, especially not with the same amount of worship as the more popular/mainstream blogs. i hate it. how do we change it??
ReplyDeletexo
sami
I think everyone shares the same sentiment in that this is a merely a gesture just to appease the critics. I agree with the Citizen Rosebud highlighting the "diversity of beauty standards"; if these campaigns really contained "real people", then more people should be able to identify with these real models. Once in a while it would be nice to see a garment modeled in such a way that I know (from looking) relatively how it would fall on *my* frame. Anyways, like holleighz said, it's about the novelty and shock factor and will never be adopted as a mainstream practice. womp.
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic. Like you mentioned the brands are choosing "real people" that are beautiful and could pass as models. I think in order to take the next step... consumers have to encourage this and hopefully make them push the boundaries even further. American Eagle is doing something similar but one of the "real people" is from the show Pretty Little Liars and most actresses are not "real" people haha so I think it's a good idea but can definitely be taken further but we have to show brands that's what we want.
ReplyDeleteok, i'm toooootally out of the loop in all things fashion blogging related and it was kind of a conscious decision because i wanted to step away from this kind of discussions. do not judge me but this is totally the first time i'm reading about the ifb situation and it is completely deflating to read. that is a side comment.
ReplyDeletewhat i really think about this non-model trend or real people trend in advertising is the sway that has been created by reality television and the internet. more and more people are reading about real people and loving it and i think advertisers are being keen to it in not just fashion. the nfl did a series of commercials last year that were all user generated videos from candid fan moments and mercedes benz had a whole campaign on "my first mercedes" where real people took pictures with their cars. so i hope that what this sway will do is change a lot in media in general to be more honest about people, but i don't really know if that is changing the beauty ideal or just becoming more savvy to what is now. i mean i read an interesting article the other day that was saying you're not attractive someone thinks your attractive. so a lot of the ideals of beauty are on us too and i think to change the whole ideal of beauty is kind just going to be a long long process. i DO think that as this whole world is getting more interactive and more and more media is delving into real people worlds maaaaybe in time things will actually change, but who knows if i'll see it.
omg, longest comment ever. love you.