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Models May 26, 2009 @ 12:31pm

Whose Reality?

by Britt Aboutaleb

mert and marcus take givenchy AW09.jpgGivenchy gave WWD a sneak peek of their new campaign and change abounds.

Inez and Vinoodh have shot for Ricardo Tisci for the past nine seasons, but Mert and Marcus did the honors for the AW09 collection. Their spreads - for glasses, bags and clothes - feature Mariacarla (duh), Iris Strubegger (who’s officially everywhere), Leonor Scherrer, Ranya Mordanova and Adriana Lima, who already surprised everyone just by walking in the show in March.

Tisci hailed the changes as steps toward a more realistic brand image, “It’s important to give reality to women.”

But aside from the fact that the above image represents reality to very few women, who wants reality in their luxury fashion ads? We appreciate acknowledgment of the economic times, but when the Givenchys and McQueens actually embrace reality, we’ll be devastated.

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(1) recommend this (10) Comments

Posted in Models, News, People We Like and Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Inez & Vinoodh, Iris Strubegger, Mariacarla Boscono, Mert & Marcus, Ricardo Tisci, WWD

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Comments

1

posted by Jean Voltaire

May 26, 2009 12:46PM

Givenchy is the new Lanvin (that's not to say Lanvin is done). :)

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2

posted by guest

May 26, 2009 2:21PM

LVMH wants sales so expect a lot more of presenting reality to women.

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3

posted by guest

May 27, 2009 2:16AM

No offence britney, but you can't expect fashion houses to be everyone's source of art and inspiration. You can't expect them to continue operating into the future if they are going to be doing really creative abstract things that may have the wow factor but can't generate any sales because its too theatrical and unwearable. I mean, look at alexander mcqueen, his recent show was creative, but do you think that anyone is going to wear his overexaggerated clothes? Not many, he is alientating his current target market. Who is going to follow the garbage chic movement? Who is going to paint lipstick all over their mouths like a clown? No one, and as his trends, or any other label's trends become more otherworldly and less realistic, you will see that they will drop out of many commercial magazines that drive alot of their sales, e.g. make up trends in beauty magazines, or hair trends, etc. If they cant get that exposure, then they wont get any sales, and just get into a spiral of lost profits, and you wont have any more mcqueens of givenchys.

plus, they are getting more realistic in terms of body image. i am sick of seeing sticky looking europeans in my magazines, who have no personality or anything interesting about them. What is interesting about a skinny alien? Nothing, they may look etheral, but that does not appeal to the masses. I am glad that adriana lima was cast, and that lara stone is getting more media attention, because it marks the move to a new look and a move away from heroin chic stick insects. even kate is adopting the new look, she is not as thin as before.

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4

posted by guest

May 27, 2009 10:32AM

kate's not embracing any "new look". she's old & bloated from all the booze. don't think she wouldn't turn her body's clock back to '98 if given the chance.

5

posted by darcykins

May 27, 2009 10:43AM

oh, i have so much to disagree about with guest 3, but i'm having a very busy day.
i love kate, but guest 4 is right she is getting older not trying to change her image to a more modern 'realistic' sensibility.
obviously alexander mcqueen does not expect his collection to be taken as literally as you have, you should also realize that what is shown on the runway is not always what is sold in stores. i don't think his target audience felt alienated by his latest collection so much as they were in awe of the retrospective look at his career that was but on display.
the thing that aggravates me most is the 'european sticks without personalities' part. why wouldn't skinny european's have personalities? its the american girls that are lacking in the personality department.

ummm, i need some coffee.
i still love fashionista.
but i would love to see DIY again,
even if it is putting granny panties on your head and saying its like a prada turban.

6

posted by RashomonRebel

May 27, 2009 10:48AM

#3 is such a Debbie Downer.

By "new look", you mean tall and skinny?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfOOtNxWPw4

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7

posted by guest

May 27, 2009 1:09PM

LOL....

What's funny is that even if they do say they're trying to be "realistic" (as in less stick figure types but still "model thin", they're so far from it it's kinda sad.

I'd chuckle less if they just said they were cutting back on costs or some other BS. If the ad above is their idea of "realism"...someone needs to either put the coke down, stop drinking or eat a sandwich...or two.

But I guess one person's realism is another's funhouse mirror eh?

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8

posted by guest

May 28, 2009 9:32AM

guest 4, you really think that kate is willing to give up thousands of dollars in modeling contracts? I think not, her exuberent lifestyle has to be supported by somewhere, and her "godfather" who sponsers her everyday activities is not likely to do so forever, he will die and leave his money to his real children. PLUS, do you think that she is that dumb? she has been in this industry for many years, and i am sure that she knows that when the look changes, she has to too.

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9

posted by guest

May 28, 2009 9:50AM

Oh come on, reality sucks, that's why the fashion industry is so succesful.

And I can tell you from first hand experience that most of the "sticky Europeans who have no personalities or anything interesting about them" are in College or University, and the vast majority are studying things like law and economics. So don't be ignorant, guest 4.

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10

posted by guest

May 28, 2009 9:52AM

Sorry, guest 3. lol.

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