Monday, March 22, 2010

Fashion Loves Controversy (Viewer Disgression Advised!)

Ok, so if there is one thing the fashion industry loves, it's pushing the limits. How much can you actually get away with before you cross the line between high fashion and just trashin? Well, we wanted to share with you some fashion editorials that will definitely had our jaws dropping.

1) "Dogging" Photographed by Steven Meisel.


Anyways, to help set the scene we will define for you what exactly the term "Dogging" means via the Urban Dictionary...

"Dogging" derives from the term 'walking the dog'. It is a pastime that has evolved from blokes taking their dogs for walks and stumbling across couples going at it in bushes etc. They originally only spied on these couples. The 'sport' has now become much more organized and seedy - with regular meeting places, and more or less a free-for-all spirit

So to put it blatantly..."dogging" basically means having orgies in the woods. Now there is a classy idea for a fashion editorial!!

Here are a few of the more "toned down" images from the story.


Originally, these photographs were meant to be published in Italian Vogue...but they were so shocking that Italian Vogue refused to publish them...and that says a lot considering it's Italian Vogue.

The night vision lighting adds a "home video" touch, don't you think? Steven obviously wanted to stir things up a bit and push the limits. He certainly did. This editorial was eventually picked up and published by American "V Magazine" in their November/December 2008 issue. Any thoughts?

2) "Colorox Blue," Photographed by Steven Klein.
Before we go any further, we would just like to mention that this edditorial was taken by Steven Klein, after all. If you've seen any sexy Dolce and Gabanna ads lately, you've seen an example of typical Klein magic. Starring supermodel Amber Valletta, things get pretty intense in this truck stop-esqu bathroom shoot for Italian Vogue.



Some have called this editorial "fashion porn"...any thoughts?

3) This next fashion editorial is so shocking to us that we had to re read the articleabout it several times to fully let it sink in. (read it here) At first glance you might not even see how it could be controversial...that is until you discover it was photographed at the Holocaust memorial. Yeahhh talk about insensitive.

Clearly low budget. What compelled these people to be so disrespectful is beyond us.

4) This last editorial for Vogue Paris by Mario Testino also sparked controversy when it literally gave Peta the finger....
Not only is flipping someone the bird offensive, but wearing real fur is also a sensitive topic to many people in and out of the fashion world. You know you've created a controversy when you make such a bold political statement in just one photograph.

So there you have it folks, fashion controversy at its best....did any of these editorials offend you at all? Let us know!

10 comments:

ZANAH said...

I think the first one is very shocking... whomever created it I assume ran out of creative ideas. The second one was okay until I saw the second set of pics.

I understand sex sells but when it's not done right, it just looks cheap. And I also think they are doing it for attention aka PR. Great post anyway :) Mon Mode Blog

BALLET NEWS said...

Ummmm - guess it's horses for courses really. You only have to look at my latest post to see that the boundaries are pushed in every field.

apparellel said...

i love meisel and i love seedy shoots, but i don't know about this.

i love the amber valetta shoot, it brings back memories of madonnas "jusfity my love" video and the controversy that was created when she did it.

the holocaust one is just downright tacky.

and i actually loved the fur editorial. but it is an extremely sensitive subject, that i would not want to approach with any animal rights activists.

thanks for the images. food for thought. love.

xxx
t

C said...

I guess some people try to hard to push the limits. Can be quite disrespectful but some may tell us to be more "open-minded"

Cafe Fashionista said...

I don't feel that I'm offended. Anyone who knows fashion knows that it is over the top at times - from the runway to editorials. Loving these features!! :)

Violet Dreams said...

Oh my god..
Yeah, definetely fashion loves controversy lol
I don't think the last one must be controversial...we've seen models doing worst things...
The one I actually find repugnant is the first one...you only have to take a look at the pics...

B.

monica said...

i think that fashion should push boundaries a little bit, although obviously sometimes it can get offensive but being appropriate and provocative are always at a contridiction

Pomeline said...

Initially, I'll find such things as the photograph at the Holocaust memorial offensive, but I always just end up feeling sorry for someone who's so brainless and insensitive as to not realize the consequences/meaning of their actions.

Iva Messy said...

GORGEOUS!!

iliketweet said...

Weird to think dogging can be used as a fashion editorial, I guess anything can really!

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