It’s no secret that sex sells, what’s even more obvious is that the fashion industry loves to shake things up when it comes to advertising. FIB has already looked at who are the top controversial fashion photographers at the top of the game, now let’s have a look at some of fashion’s most controversial and daring ad campaigns.
Eckhaus Latta Spring 2017
Coming in at number one is Eckhaus Latta’s newest campaign. For their Spring 2017 collection the duo teamed up with photographer Heji Shin to shoot real couples having sex. Aiming for “very clean, beautiful, and emotionally photographed” scenes of the teens showcasing different sex practices—a non-pornographic approach that Shin, whom Eckhaus Latta had been trying to work with for so long they actually scrapped another fully conceptualized spring 2017 campaign to make this one—then reinterpreted in a fashion context.
Calvin Klein
Next up we have none other than Calvin Klein. CK and sex kind of go hand in hand ever since the company launched nearly four decades ago, and the brand’s ad campaigns have been ruffling feathers ever since. From Brooke Shields not letting anything come between her and her Calvins (except maybe, I don’t know, controversy?), a very naked Kate Moss and Mark Walhberg who preferred to be called Marky Mark at the time grabbing his…Markness to Kendall Jenner modelling a very sexualised looking grapefruit. To say we’ve seen it all would be an understatement.
Gucci Spring 2013
Shot by photography heavy weight Mario Testino the campaign was a set of provocative, racy and overtly sexual images in which the theme became even more apparent when a shot of the model Carmen Kass surfaced. Kass was pictured with the iconic Gucci emblem shaved into her pubic hair. International press branded the shot degrading to women, and as a result, it became prohibited.
Tom Ford For Men 2007
In 2007 the designer came under fire again, this time for his provocative, steamy advert that was shot by Terry Richardson. Criticized for its pornographic approach the ad was consequently banned in several countries. The campaign featured a series of photographs of entirely naked woman resting the perfume bottles between their breasts or legs.
American Apparel
Over the years, American Apparel has constantly created controversy over their adverts. In 2008 the retailer shocked audiences when images surfaced of a near-naked model performing sexual acts on a man and although the identity of the man is not visible, people suspected it to be founder, Dov Charney. Although these images seem pretty tame now compared to those of Eckhaus Latta’s newest campaign, at the time the rumour mill went into over drive as there was much speculation that the male in the images, Dov Charney was subject to many lawsuits suggesting sexual harassment and violence against employees. Although the charges were routinely denied by American Apparel.
Dolce & Gabbana
The Italian fashion house’s 2007 advert was banned in Spain after it was thought to glorify rape. The controversial image pictures Alessandra Ambrosio pinned down by a man, whilst a group of three other men observe calmly. Designer Stefano Gabbana stated that the image was intended to show “an erotic dream, a sexual game”, however, the National Organisation of Women deemed the advert “beyond offensive, with a scene evoking a gang rape and reeking of violence against women.” We trust you can look at the above image and decide for yourself.
Yves Saint Laurent
YSL won massive media coverage with their print press campaign for the launch of its new masculine fragrance M7 which featured full-frontal nudity. The minimalist, black and white campaign was approved and lauded by YSL creative director Tom Ford and it depicts martial arts champion-turned-male model Samuel de Cubber reclining nude on a bare floor, with all his ‘assets’ on display. In the designer’s defence, Tom Fords statement “Perfume is worn on the skin, so why hide the body?” does kind of make sense.. Just sayin’
Sisley
This label is no stranger to playing with fire when it comes to controversial adverts. In 2007 the fashion label released a campaign featuring women snorting a shirt with the caption “Fashion Junkie.” This campaign later turned out to be a fake however in 2001 model Josie Maran posed with a cow’s utter and squirted some farm fresh milk into her mouth in a highly suggestive photograph shot by Terry Richardson (no surprise here!) that shocked anyone who saw the campaign. The advert was banned pretty quickly and for good reason, one of them being that you couldn’t even see the clothing of the label to begin with, so really, what was the point of the photograph?
Alexander Wang
And lastly but most definitely not the least, enter Alexander Wang’s 2014 denim adverts. The pair of images features a nude Anna Ewers with her jeans around her ankles; one image depicts the model touching herself. The image features a strategically placed “Denim x Alexander Wang” logo is the only indication that the images are intended to sell jeans. The adverts caused commotion as viewers called it an obvious attempt at shock value and yet another label using nudity to push a product. However, if anyone can get away with causing a stir, you know it’s Alexander Wang.
For more check out part one of FIB’s short feature film on the top ten controversial fashion photographers below! You can see part two here.
