The 60th anniversary issue of German mag Stern Fotografie features Karl Lagerfeld‘s comprehensive photography portfolio, specifically his shots of fellow German Claudia Schiffer. While we’re head over heels with most of Karl’s work, the six covers of the magazine are everything from crazy and sexy to mildly racist and altogether strange.
Styling Claudia in six wildly different ways for the cover, Karl banks on the viewer’s ability to recognize the pop culture references implied. While they’re meant to be iconic and kitschy, blackface is never a good idea.
Click through to see our take on each image.
Comments [15]
Leave a comment
Most Read
- 1
Jason Wu for Target Fallout: 11,000 Items Currently on eBay and Two Re-Sellers Buy Out the Entire Collection in a Miami Target (We've Got Video) - 2
Watch: Anna Wintour Defends Her 'Bitchiness' on 60 Minutes - 3
Karl Lagerfeld Thinks Adele Is 'A Little Too Fat' and More Highlights from His Unfiltered Interview in the Metro - 4
See All of Madonna's Givenchy Super Bowl Halftime Looks - 5
BB Creams Are the Hottest New Product to Hit the Beauty Aisle--Here's What They Can Do For You
- 1
Copyright © 2012 Breaking Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
Registration or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
I want Karl to retire. I want it to be spectacular, widely feted and a true recognition of his genius career, but I want it to be soon.
The magazine, Karl and Claudia are all German. The history of blackface is deeply rooted in racism only in the US. It really is a bit condescending of Americans to assume that the world must follow in its example.And of course, yellowface (or any other color for that matter,as long as its not blackface) is totally okay in the States! Well, not okay, but no one in the media seems to say a single word about it.
You are incorrect — blackface has a long, sordid tradition in Europe as well, and the Germans actively employed racial theory in the 19th and 20th century when eugenics was in vogue.
Considering that there are almost never any black models in Chanel shows, this is a bit rich.
Nothing new, nothing fresh.
I'm amazed how boring these seem, in a sense that they've all been done, there's nothing fresh about them and they could have been done by any kid in a photo class. I was expecting more from Lagerfeld.
In my openion the point of these “Stern Fotografie” portfolios is not to make something new or fresh.Like they did with other artists (Herb Ritts, Araki, Mario Testino…etc), Stern published a collection of their existing work in a very well presented coffe table magazine at a very affordable price.So it's like giving normal readers the chance to own these beautiful photos at an affordable price.I really like these photos and glad that I ordered the magazine.
I am mildly horrified at the racial stereotyping in these photos. Black Claudia just HAS to have an afro??I think the general public have moved beyond this (discriminatory) brand of stereotyping, and Karl needs to take notice and catch up fast!!
You are right about the racial theory/eugenics part, but I have heard anything concerning how blackface has a “long, sordid tradition” in Germany.
…and because you yourself have not heard of such a thing in Germany, therefore it must not exist? <http://afrospear.com/2008/07/31/more-blackface-...>
I am sorry for my poor choice of words. I meant that I have done some research into it and I STILL have not come across anything that indicates blackface being some “long, sordid tradition” in Germany.In fact, the link you sent me does nothing to support your argument. There isn't a reference to any sort of history; the article refers to an incident in 2008 where blackface was used in advertising and information about the watchdog group that was against it. I am very curious about this (not sarcastic) – please point me to an article or source that references this “long, sordid history” of blackface in Germany
A fashion designer photographed a model, perhaps not in the best of taste, but him, her and the magazine being German has no connection with this being considered German. The photographs are not too innovative- Lagerfeld is almost 80- but certainly not willingly racist!I am German and there is certainly not a “long, sordid tradition” in Germany, racial theory in the 19th and 20th century is most likely not involved in these 21st century unimaginative fashion photographs.I resent the implication that a whole country and its people are racist as opposed to possibly the slightly bizarre views of one 77-year old.
What I wrote was “long, sordid history of blackface in Europe as well” — as in Herge's depiction of Africans in the Tintin series and the British character Golliwog — but it applies to Germany too as it is a part of Europe and had colonies in Africa (though not to the extent of France and the UK):<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_ph.php?Module...>The second link pertains to eugenics, but some of the references at the end contain similar imagery that demonstrates German use of sambo/blackface imagery:<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhineland_bastard>Bottom line, the depiction of minstrel-like imagery of people of African descent (of which blackface is a part) was (and continues to be) a global phenomenon with its range being determined by the amount of blacks a nation had to put under psycho-social control.
Ew Karl. I know I should probably expect this much but it still makes me feel gross.
I am in looooveKarl is the ultimate full-artistgreat photosvisit http://www.iscariotteh.wordpress.com