Sex, Nudity and Fashion

[Toccata]

The male figure is definitely as beautiful a form as the female.
It all depends on whether the photographer wants you to contemplate
the body as art or desire it sexually. It helps to think of the photograph
as though it were a sculpture and not a billboard. Is that not true beauty?

[http://dardel.info]

 

[CaitlinC]

The male figure is definitely as beautiful a form as the female.
It all depends on whether the photographer wants you to contemplate
the body as art or desire it sexually. It helps to think of the photograph
as though it were a sculpture and not a billboard. Is that not true beauty?]

I wish fashion would focus more on nudity as art, not in the sexual form.
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[models_vlada]

It all depends on whether the photographer wants you to contemplate
the body as art or desire it sexually.

I totally agree, the role of the photograoher is crussial on the directions that the work is taking, i think nude male models are harder to take to an artistic level than female.

 

[VersaceVixen009]

I agree with Toccata. I also think some photographers have different approaches to others. And as Terry Richardson's work was noted here, Terry's work is known to be very provocative.

 

[moss trey]

I'm still trying to understand the purpose of a nude model in a fashion editorial. How does her nudity sell us on the idea of the clothing/jewelry if she isn't wearing any?

What I want to know is in nude shoots, when there's a stylist, what exactly is she/he styling?

A dress makes no sense unless it inspires men to want to take it off you. ~Françoise Sagan

There is nothing I hate more than this kind of idealism!! I hate the thought that we as women simply dress to please the male's eye and fuel his desire or lust. It frustrates me when people dislike an outfit because it isn't "flattering or fitted to her figure." I believe fashion is so much more than trying to flaunt ones assets. In fact I enjoy clothing to hide them at times. I like clothes I can drown in for it adds another layer to protect yourself from the world.

 

[Crying Diamonds]

Revisiting this thread, it seems apparent to me that a naked, or semi-naked woman in a magazine might only cause admiration, jealousy or indifference for those that the magazine is designed to be seen by.. whereas a male naked body could spark a sexual interest for these same people which diverts from the clothing, though makes one hot for the models, and for the clothes.. hot under the Dolce & Gabbana collar.

As I think most of us are this type of consumer, I think we can all appreciate when a model is sexy in a campaign (without it being explicit) even without being sexually attracted to her. Getting hotter for her clutch than her cleavage, let's say.
Nude female models infuse the sort of sex that doesn't actually distract anyone, whereas nude male models distract a lot.

That YSL campaign... oh my.

 

[isabellegrape]

There's a very thin line between tasteful nudity and the sleazy stuff, i'm not bothered by nudity because honestly, we all look the same and I don't get how some people can be so triggered by say a female nipple popping up in an editorial.
Though I think that Terry crosses the line, I mean the fact that he photographs nude models for his own sexual pleasure is sick.
Nudity doesn't have to be discreet but it doesn't have to be all over the place either.
I have a question though, why is there not much male nudity? most of the time it's female nudity.

 

[ssgghh]

^ its a very complex issue but i think its like that because of the way society sees women and because women internalised that point of view on themselves so they allow it to happen alot. People see being sexy as prestigious and nudity is of course seen as something connected to sex or sexy in most situations.

What you mentioned at the beginning of your post I totaly can relate to, but I still think the time is yet to come for the majority to be desensibilized too, if that is possible at all because it is an issue for a lot of people, and for various reasons a nipple of a stranger in an editorial can can be very exciting for someone (be it that they havent seen many, they have some issues with sex or just dont think at all and the reaction to the nipple is conditioned...)

 

[eizhowa]

I think a lot of fashion editors forget that <15 year olds read their magazines... I know they are not the main audience, but I remember being very shocked when I was 14 to see a full frontal "fashion-shot" in a magazine. Definitly didn't want to read that on the buss. I blushed like mad

 

[ChristyLeReveur]

I have no problems with fashion nudity... with the exception of Terry Richardson's shots.

 

[lepetitcouturier]

I remember being twelve and having no problem with nudity when I got the September 2009 issue of W (one of my favorite magazine issues) and Kate Moss had nude pics. I think what Terry Richardson does is absolutely disgusting. He photographs women against a white background, most of them nude. Who cares? And I'd be afraid to know how many of these models he's forced to have sex with him. I'm sure some of them are underage.

I'd also like to say that I think the reason it's harder to make male nudity artistic is because when they're nude they're just viewed as sexual objects. Nobody cares about the artistry in the shot, it's all about whether the guy is smoking hot and they just like his body and seeing his goo goo and/or butt.

 

[ssgghh]

I'd also like to say that I think the reason it's harder to make male nudity artistic is because when they're nude they're just viewed as sexual objects.

Imho it should be same with women nudes, theyre just more likely to be passed off as "art" because were used to "artistic" images of naked women but what they essentialy are on most of the photos is just a plain sexual object.

 

[ChristyLeReveur]

Terry's shots are not artistic at all, obscene more like.
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[chickadee]

He's a pig. A talentless pig. I'm sincerely confused as to who looked at one of his photographs and went, "This is so unique! This guy is a genius! Whoever thought putting a subject against a white wall with a penis in her face could be so artistic!" How did this guy get so popular and well-respected?

 

[Not Plain Jane]

^ And I can't believe what Charlotte Free had to say about him and models working under his "rule". It's despicable. I can't believe the fashion industry colludes with this person; I am offended each time I see celebrities posing with him. Is everyone OBLIVIOUS? I mean, what the hell? Gloria Steinem posed beside him recently. There should be a thread devoted just to the issues pertaining to him (or perhaps there is...)

 

[chickadee]

^ And I can't believe what Charlotte Free had to say about him and models working under his "rule". It's despicable. I can't believe the fashion industry colludes with this person; I am offended each time I see celebrities posing with him. Is everyone OBLIVIOUS? I mean, what the hell? Gloria Steinem posed beside him recently. There should be a thread devoted just to the issues pertaining to him (or perhaps there is...)

I know. I can't believe she posed with him with full knowledge of who he is. I think we may take for granted what people who aren't as interested in fashion think or know about certain celebs. Terry Richardson is as synonymous with sleaze bag as Kardashian is with famewhore. But I think--perhaps I'm wrong and he's a lot more famous than I'm willing to credit for--most people wouldn't know who Terry Richardson is. Lucky them.

 

[YoninahAliza]

^ And I can't believe what Charlotte Free had to say about him and models working under his "rule". It's despicable. I can't believe the fashion industry colludes with this person; I am offended each time I see celebrities posing with him. Is everyone OBLIVIOUS? I mean, what the hell? Gloria Steinem posed beside him recently. There should be a thread devoted just to the issues pertaining to him (or perhaps there is...)

I so agree with you, NPJ. I feel disgusted every time I see celebrities posing with him. Or even when they do photo shoots with Terry. It might sound silly to say, but hypothetically if I ever was famous in some sort of capacity I'd refuse to work with him (I feel the same way about John Galliano). I'm surprised more people don't do that. Morally I don't think I could work with Terry, his gross behavior is something I wouldn't want to be associated with. And I don't understand why people dismiss his behavior or how he even gets any work at all. His behavior is notorious within the industry. I was particularly shocked to see that photograph of Gloria Steinem with Terry, did she not know who he is? Maybe I'm taking for-granted the fact that as someone who follows the goings on in the fashion industry I know who Terry Richardson is. Others might not. In terms of his work, personally I don't find it that exciting since it's always shot for the male gaze (which if you think about it, it isn't that original, it's the bread and butter of fashion photography at this point).

 

[Vega Magnus]

In terms of his work, personally I don't find it that exciting since it's always shot for the male gaze (which if you think about it, it isn't that original, it's the bread and butter of fashion photography at this point).

I find that quite odd. Why does an industry aimed overwhelmingly at women utilize erotic female imagery so often?

 

[ssgghh]

Its a manual for women on how they should be when gazed at. Thats what attracts women in it. The option to put oneself in the mind of the other. To see what they desire about you. I find it degrading, but a lot of women dont and they feel attracted to it and i think its because of the above stated.

 

[Jinadaze]

I hate Richardson too. But want it or not, he IS an important part of the fashion photography as a whole, not in artistic way, but in commercial.
Sex sells and he made quite a lot of ad campaigns and editorial work which is sort of iconic nowadays and therefore his projects are important,
even though repulsive. Speaking of blurred boundaries between artistic and commercial work, his Repulsion editorial was exchibited in the galleries of London and New York.
And it reflects the spirit of the time without a doubt. His work is very much inspired by Bourdin, whose work made history too.


Crystal Renn by Terry Richardson for Vogue Paris / designscene

Guy Bourdin / digitalcamnetwork