The most controversial editorials

[ladyflash]

Oh, make it stop!

 

[Guero]

Vogue Paris April 2010
Ph.: Terry Richardson
Eniko Mihalik

 

[fantastical]

very great thread. I totally agree with the Daria editorial. I mean, I'm happy that black models were cast, but at the same time it just felt so wrong - like they were being exploited...

 

[turnofflights]

i really love the contrast of those edits... I have so many scandalous ideas for controversial editorials

 

[TianSoFine]

If a white girl stands out, it's racist against black people. If a black girl stands out, it would probably be seen as racist against black people as well.

 

[clocked]

i HATE that Daria edit, i can't believe it got approved/someone didn't slap the editor in the face before it got published.

i do love that Terry ed however & don't see how it's controversial. the man's very dark skin & the light jewelry is the perfect contrast. he doesn't feel like a prop at all to me.

 

[kowie]

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

Yes, that would def be controversial.

 

[ladyflash]

If a white girl stands out, it's racist against black people. If a black girl stands out, it would probably be seen as racist against black people as well.

But that rarely happens. These "pretty white girl amongst exotic scary black people" editorials are much, much too common.

 

[ladyflash]

i do love that Terry ed however & don't see how it's controversial. the man's very dark skin & the light jewelry is the perfect contrast. he doesn't feel like a prop at all to me.

She's kind of just a prop there too, really. So it's not racist to me.

 

[MulletProof]

If a black girl stands out, it would probably be seen as racist against black people as well.

it would probably not.
while I may be erring on naivete by not finding Interview's story outrageous, since my immediate reaction to it was random rich girl goes to Barbados and gets to know the real Barbados (sorry, I can see why some people would be offended but the more I see it, the more I believe my own impression!), I do think it's pretty off-base to attempt to bring the reactions down to an unrealistic level such as 'anyone that stands out among anyone will be considered racist', which is pretty much what you're saying. The sensibility towards the way black+white/natives+white interactions are portrayed, especially in art, derives from a long history we're all (hopefully) familiar with.. especially if you live anywhere in the American continent, where these interactions have been the foundation of our current society. These 'portrayals' of how dangerous and dirty ending up in the 'ghetto' can be for someone white and rich and how the latter will naturally lay around in Nefertiti style for her own exotic entertainment (which is the general interpretation of the story) seem more than just oblivious to a conception of races some of us really want to live behind so we can hopefully move the hell on and slowly build an identity that integrates everyone and doesn't promote any more stupid stereotypes, misunderstandings and segregation. I'm not offended by the story, like I said, I keep thinking Barbados for the sake of a summer mood! but, if what I wrote is actually the (conscious or unconscious) intention behind it, then I find it really unnecessary and archaic. and it's definitely definitely not on the same level of 'black girl standing out among black people'.. it is racist, ordered by races, conceived by races... racist!, that simple, why acknowledging Interview's irresponsible caricature is suddenly as dumb and paranoid as claiming a black girl with black girls is racist?.. I don't know about you but I'm not interested in seeing that kind of 'promotional' art that invites you to press backward on your mental machinery.. when I open up a magazine, throw real and brave controversy if you want, but don't throw me ideas that make me think my grandma is the new editor-in-chief, I don't want to see racism or homophobia or classism or whatever was fashionable in 1952.. I still get to see that in some daily-life relics and I don't really feel like feeding myself that crap on my own.. the same way 60 year-olds now would probably feel unsettled about a fashion spread of women who look better when cooking cupcakes and moronic when casting a vote in the elections, the same way I feel about an oh-so-daring race-devoted spread.. I'm over that, it tells nothing.. except that whoever came up with the idea must be either too old and too hungry for some 'funkiness' or too much the guy that grew up in tiny town where time and history never caught up with them.

Having said all that.. considering the team.. I still think of Barbados.

 

[Phuel]

I am so sick of the PC police that has invaded even high fashion now. American Vogue has got to be the most boring and bland of all the "Vogues". Thank the high fashion gods for Italian and French Vogue for being unapologetically unpolitically-correct and still believe in pushing social and political concepts in high fashion. American "fashion" magazines are like airy catalogs, and bravo to Fabien Baron and Interview for going with strong concepts that may offend and upset some people. That's what I adore about high fashion-- that it does upset and offend some people.

It's a ridiculous accusation that black models are being exploited. All models-- regardless of race or ethnicity, are exploited in high fashion, if you want to be precise.

I once read a comment that Herb Ritts' portfolio "Africa" was outrageously racist and portrayed the natives as stereotypically barely-clad savages. But that's how the Masai tribe that he photographed dressed! My friend is a photographer that recently returned from Africa. He had shot the Mursi tribe there, and they were dressed in much the same way... What did some critics expect? That these native tribes be dressed as CEOs in suits???

The Interview editorial is a fantasy-- like any high fashion editorial ought to be. But I suppose most Americans are so used to their fashion editorials being bland and boring, with happy models-- one of each race represented like some awful High School Musical on white seemless, that anything daring and provocative is immediately condemned as racist.

I hope Interview doesn't back down from such strong editorials in the future, and will continues to inspire us not only creatively, but provoke their readers with concepts that may upset and offend some people.

Love love love the "Let's Get Lost" editorial!

 

[zacatecas570]

^I'm also agree with you, the "out of common" editorials are great, photograph is "art", so I respect that

She's kind of just a prop there too, really. So it's not racist to me.

I'm agree with you, I think that is more sexual than racist...

 

[Dkammern]

i think Rehab by Meisel has been mentioned but not posted

terra.es

that for me has to be THE controversial editorial of all... it touches on who knows... drugs, eating disorders, illness, just plain madness... certainly "risqué"
and the images are also so beautiful, which is puzzling being the subject so harsh and obvious

 

[ladyflash]

I am so sick of the PC police that has invaded even high fashion now. American Vogue has got to be the most boring and bland of all the "Vogues". Thank the high fashion gods for Italian and French Vogue for being unapologetically unpolitically-correct and still believe in pushing social and political concepts in high fashion. American "fashion" magazines are like airy catalogs, and bravo to Fabien Baron and Interview for going with strong concepts that may offend and upset some people. That's what I adore about high fashion-- that it does upset and offend some people.

It's a ridiculous accusation that black models are being exploited. All models-- regardless of race or ethnicity, are exploited in high fashion, if you want to be precise.

I once read a comment that Herb Ritts' portfolio "Africa" was outrageously racist and portrayed the natives as stereotypically barely-clad savages. But that's how the Masai tribe that he photographed dressed! My friend is a photographer that recently returned from Africa. He had shot the Mursi tribe there, and they were dressed in much the same way... What did some critics expect? That these native tribes be dressed as CEOs in suits???

The Interview editorial is a fantasy-- like any high fashion editorial ought to be. But I suppose most Americans are so used to their fashion editorials being bland and boring, with happy models-- one of each race represented like some awful High School Musical on white seemless, that anything daring and provocative is immediately condemned as racist.

I hope Interview doesn't back down from such strong editorials in the future, and will continues to inspire us not only creatively, but provoke their readers with concepts that may upset and offend some people.

Love love love the "Let's Get Lost" editorial!

Er... noone's saying that the tribes in the editorials don't actually dress like that. It's the message in putting white women in ridiculously expensive clothes in the middle of an "ethnic scene" that's so overdone and offensive. US Vogue and UK Vogue are actually the worst culprits at this.

And as for the PC Police (hello, Daily Mail journalism), I'm pretty much just sick to death of people in the fashion industry being in their own little world, where editorials and pictures of black people being used as props or being lesser than white people is just "art". They don't have a license to be ignorant.

 

[Erin]

I really enjoyed A Sexual Revolution... great stuff.

 

[turnofflights]

^ oh that's really one of my favorite edits ever!!

 

[Phuel]

Er... noone's saying that the tribes in the editorials don't actually dress like that. It's the message in putting white women in ridiculously expensive clothes in the middle of an "ethnic scene" that's so overdone and offensive. US Vogue and UK Vogue are actually the worst culprits at this.

And as for the PC Police (hello, Daily Mail journalism), I'm pretty much just sick to death of people in the fashion industry being in their own little world, where editorials and pictures of black people being used as props or being lesser than white people is just "art". They don't have a license to be ignorant.

I must be of the "ignorant" type since I enjoyed the editorial and not the slightest offended by it.

My point about the depiction of the Masai and Mursi tribes in Africa in relation to this editorial is that critics will always have something to complain about whenever indigenous people are portrayed. Of course, the Interview editorial is a fantastical, hyper-stylized concoction of high fashion version of a people.

As for the accusation that only black models are being used as props-- once again, all models are used as props; Daria is the main prop. To say that only black models are exploited is such an exaggeration.

I would love to see more Asian models featured-- especially with many prominent Japanese designers having such an influence in high fashion. But I would never condemn them for not hiring Asians for their shows or campaigns, etc. They deserve complete freedom for their creative output. And when they do include (more) Asian models in their presentation, it should be their choice to do it, not because they were pressured into it.

I enjoy the creative freedom high fashion can afford (despite the business aspect that seems to control more and more of the creative output), including all the provocative, controversial and sometimes, inappropriate concepts. High fashion is not the United Nation-- and I prefer it this way.

 

[nyc_art_style]

Having said all that.. considering the team.. I still think of Barbados.

As a Bajan, it amuses me that you instantly thought of Barbados.

 

[fantastical]

I must be of the "ignorant" type since I enjoyed the editorial and not the slightest offended by it.

My point about the depiction of the Masai and Mursi tribes in Africa in relation to this editorial is that critics will always have something to complain about whenever indigenous people are portrayed. Of course, the Interview editorial is a fantastical, hyper-stylized concoction of high fashion version of a people.

As for the accusation that only black models are being used as props-- once again, all models are used as props; Daria is the main prop. To say that only black models are exploited is such an exaggeration.

I would love to see more Asian models featured-- especially with many prominent Japanese designers having such an influence in high fashion. But I would never condemn them for not hiring Asians for their shows or campaigns, etc. They deserve complete freedom for their creative output. And when they do include (more) Asian models in their presentation, it should be their choice to do it, not because they were pressured into it.

I enjoy the creative freedom high fashion can afford (despite the business aspect that seems to control more and more of the creative output), including all the provocative, controversial and sometimes, inappropriate concepts. High fashion is not the United Nation-- and I prefer it this way.

I completely agree that people will always have something to say, I mean it's fashion, it's supposed to be objective. My problem is when they take a group of people and consistently put them into stereotypical versions of people and rarely consider their diverstity. How often do you see well dressed black models used in editorials? Proabably not that often. Why, because it won't sell that well please that is pure BS. I feel like the majority of the time black models are used it is in some form of primitive and exploitative manner. Supposably that's the reason that black models aren't cast in FW shows, because "they have bodies that are more suited for summer and swimwear" which is totally demeaning and ridiculous. I agree that editors designers should have some type of creative freedom in who they cast, but I feel like they are more pressured not to include certain types of people more than they are pressured to only include lighter skinned models.

 

[t-rex]

I am so sick of the PC police that has invaded even high fashion now. American Vogue has got to be the most boring and bland of all the "Vogues". Thank the high fashion gods for Italian and French Vogue for being unapologetically unpolitically-correct and still believe in pushing social and political concepts in high fashion. American "fashion" magazines are like airy catalogs, and bravo to Fabien Baron and Interview for going with strong concepts that may offend and upset some people. That's what I adore about high fashion-- that it does upset and offend some people.

It's a ridiculous accusation that black models are being exploited. All models-- regardless of race or ethnicity, are exploited in high fashion, if you want to be precise.

I once read a comment that Herb Ritts' portfolio "Africa" was outrageously racist and portrayed the natives as stereotypically barely-clad savages. But that's how the Masai tribe that he photographed dressed! My friend is a photographer that recently returned from Africa. He had shot the Mursi tribe there, and they were dressed in much the same way... What did some critics expect? That these native tribes be dressed as CEOs in suits???

The Interview editorial is a fantasy-- like any high fashion editorial ought to be. But I suppose most Americans are so used to their fashion editorials being bland and boring, with happy models-- one of each race represented like some awful High School Musical on white seemless, that anything daring and provocative is immediately condemned as racist.

I hope Interview doesn't back down from such strong editorials in the future, and will continues to inspire us not only creatively, but provoke their readers with concepts that may upset and offend some people.

Love love love the "Let's Get Lost" editorial!

Just as I'm sick of people complaining about the "PC police" who generally have every right to be upset. Often they're the same people who tend to also say things like "why isn't there a White History Month?" or "hey, America has a black President!" Demeaning people - who have to continually challenge and try to move their cause forward - down to being whiny "PC police" is ignorant and not as cool and cutting edge as you might think it is.