The most controversial editorials

[jedmed]

Controversial or plain gimickry?

I see more gimmicks instead of real controversy triggers in many of the stories that were supposed to create shock during the decade. Lots of them only combined already played-out themes with only a timid dash of grotesqueness. Homosexuality, Catholicism, sex, the black and white racial theme.. they all seem like the recurrent, forbidden topics that must've culturally and morally challenged your grandparents in the 70s, 80s.. even if many survivor of these years are still alive now, I don't think fashion has truly had the guts to address topics that people are sensitive to NOW. I mean, have we seen a story of same-gender parents raising a kid in any of the publications that take pride on being 'radical'?, how about the current migration in Europe or the US, a topic that's even uncomfortable and hard to accept to all those self-proclaimed controversy lovers of fashion daring stories?.
I don't know.. maybe I expect too much but I think fashion's need for controversy can be interesting if it has some sort of mission, or real guts and if it touches a topic that people tend to shudder about.. controversy for the sake of a chuckle can hardly be that.. controversial.

Interesting observation. I agree with you, a lot of the samplings were more of gimmicks rather than bonafide exploration of controversies. Homosexuality, religious undertones (or overtones for that matter), racial issues are no longer as controversial as they used to be. Maybe because we have been using them as themes not only in fashion but in other areas as well.

When you speak of migration in Europe and in the US, that would involve illegal migration right? This is controversial because of the political, economic and social repercussions. Perhaps a fashion photographer such as Steven Meisel can explore the identities of these migrants and put them in a European setting. For instance, how do Africans behave and react once they reached Spain and have to deal with culture shock? I mean, they pay a fortune just to ride in a small 'ship' which is obviously accident prone.

Oh, is there anything fashionable about suicide bombers? That would be controversial, IMO.

I expect a lot from these famed fashion lensmen because they supposedly require manpower just to produce a few chosen shots and fashion glossies have too much adverts anyway.

 

[peachescream]

Oh, and I remember,
16 years old Zippora Seven topless in Rush Magazine
that was something...

that ed was hugely controversial in australia... she was 15 as well, which was the main cause of the ruckus - 15, topless in a bath with a male model surrounded by empty bottles of moet...

 

[beltedmaude]

A controversial editorial is not necessarily one that is offensive to everyone, or even most (and they are less likely to be shocking to the people who are posting here, I assume). It is simply one that managed to tick off or shock or interest enough people so that they are discussion worthy... somewhere. And this is much easier with an infinite number of blogs and op-ed forums on the internet.

That being said, most of the editorials posted here are not really shocking to me (I never saw the big deal about the Lara "blackface ed. as to me it was not blackface or racialist) - some are quite interesting; some are beautiful. A few are meh. But for nearly all I can recognize how they could be seen as controversial (if not necessarily originally so, as Mulletproof was touching on) or buzzworthy.

 

[khyrk]

I'm surprised no one else mentioned that "dogging" editorial of Meisel that didn't see the light of day because it was too racy they say.

 

[LUXXX]

This one?


source: ru_glamour

Yes, that's it, people said it promoted child-p*rn*gr*phy.

 

[MiaMe]

Steven Meisel's 'Make Love Not War' editorial for Vogue Italia Sep 2007 was pretty controversial and hard hitting. I think, for me, it takes the prize.

 

[xerq]

The Vagaries of Fashion-this was pretty controversial.

trendhunter

 

[ladyflash]

^ Oh fashion, you're so witty and clever. *tries not to roll eyes*

 

[FashionInsider]

the one of Lara Stone, in Vogue Paris!!
And I think all the personal work of Terry Richardson

Lara Fiction Noire, I was really shocked by this one....

Models

 

[LUXXX]

The Vagaries of Fashion-this was pretty controversial.

trendhunter

This is interesting...where did it originate?

 

[j'adorekapusta]

^ it was published in VI Couture supplement. not sure about the date though.

 

[BerlinRocks]

The Vagaries of Fashion-this was pretty controversial.

what is controversial about this ?
because the maid is black ?

 

[Karen0193]

I loove all the ed you guys posted, the only worthy of being controversial is the nun ones, but it was made to be controversial and me being a catholic, I dont find anything offensive about them, I know that its art.

 

[tocceve]

Some "controversial" Meisel stories I know:

A Sexual Revolution - W Magazine October 2010
Makeover Madness - Vogue Italia June 2005
State of Emergency - Vogue Italia September 2006
Models Enter Rehab - Vogue Italia July 2007
Make Love Not War - Vogue Italia September 2007
Dogging - V Magazine November/December 2008

The ones that were too controversial to be published in Italian Vogue winning.

 

[Fiercification]

^ Only the 'Dogging' one was deemed too explicit for VI...The 'A Sexual Revolution' ed was styled by Alex White...so it would've never been intended for use in Vogue Italia...and I'm sure if a more commercial American magazine published it, then an Italian mag would have no problem doing so

 

[xerq]

what is controversial about this ?
because the maid is black ?

i guess so. it was in the news here in the States.the portrayal of the black woman as nothing more than a maid irked people...even though the lady was a maid in real life.

 

[*Bianca*]

what is controversial about this ?
because the maid is black ?

Yeah, that was it.

But it turns out the maid was actually the real maid working at the hotel.

ETA: oops, 3 days late.

 

[zacatecas570]

New Interview Editorial Featuring Daria Werbowy Stirs Up Racist Allegations

A new Interview editorial from the magazine's May 2010 issue, "Let's Get Lost," photographed by Mikael Jansson and styled by Karl Templer, is described with the following tagline: "Let's get lost. The hour is late, the air is thick, and the evening is charged with a steamy sensuality. What works? Tone-on-tone swimsuits, slithers of silk, and plenty of skin, as flesh meets flesh, body meets soul, and Daria gets lost in the heat of the night."
But since being posted online, the editorial, which highlights Daria Werbowy among an all-black cast (save for Brazilian model Lisalla Montenegro), is eliciting adverse reactions around the web. Commenters on The Fashion Spot write: "I expect more from Interview than some stereotypical, white person enters into strange and exotic world of brown people editorial." And: "I can't believe that the editorial team got away with a story that overtly exposes and even promotes such racist stereotypes. The one time they chose to cast an amazing variety of black models they had to play with a tired concept; the only reason why they are honestly here in this story is to play up the stereotype of black people as anonymous, sexual, savage beings who here play back up dancer to Daria (the white person)."
Refinery29 agrees: "From the differences in their dress (Daria's in ethereal, angel-like gowns, the others are in knits and leathers) to their body language (A limp yet super-sexual Daria is the main focus, the others feel almost like props), the whole spread has a rather racist vibe that we can't get down with." As do commenters at the Livejournal community Fashin, one noting that the models surrounding Daria look like "blackcessories" and another adding that the models look like "they're just props."

 

[FRANCY ITALY]

amazing thread, thanks everyone who posted

 

[tocceve]

^^

modelinia

I think this could be a fantastic editorial by Mikael Janssen!