'Vogue' Sparks Controversy: Page 2

'Vogue' Sparks Controversy: Page 2

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Continued from Vogue Sparks Controversy, Page 1.

Vogue's marketers created the campaign to increase 'brand awareness,' but it does so at the expense of many people. What was Vogue editor Priya Tanna's response to criticism the issue received? "Lighten up!" she says. "Vogue is about realizing the power of fashion and the shoot was saying that fashion is no longer a rich man's privilege. Anyone can carry it off and make it look beautiful."

Huh? Let's rewind: Most Indians live on $1.25 per day, yet designer garb is not a rich man's privilege? Forget having a healthy set of teeth, food and a shower--go for that designer bag? Is she also suggesting that she believes the subjects of the shoot will someday become couture fashion customers? That's especially interesting, since the "models" aren't even identified in the spread, they are simply called 'lady' or 'man.' One columnist for the daily newspaper Mail Today calls the editorial spread "an example of vulgarity, not just tacky but downright distasteful."

The question is this: What is light or fun or aspirational about capturing a poor person in a hut wearing a couture gown? It seems to only be saying: "Look at what you'll never ever have."

The only thing funny about this is that the marketers called it 'brand awareness.' Awareness--now that's a concept.

5 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

A little strange - I don’t get the fashion/art aspect of it. Lighten up - well I’m not worked up Vogue, but I am missing the meaning behind the shots.

- foxymama

Posted 09/03/08 05:01 PM

Yeah no shit. It’s ridiculous. It IS like dangling a carrot, or a big delicious meal, to a homeless person or something, knowing they can’t eat it. It’s disgusting to be honest. Just have a little compassion.

- jackie

Posted 09/03/08 06:24 PM

I think it’s vulgar…VULGAR! Not only piggish to spend fortunes for “fashion,” but now they want to rub it in the faces of not just middle class people—these are the poorest of the poor! “Look at me…the Vogue fashion pig…I spent hundreds of dollars on this itty bitty purse…oh wait..you don’t even have a dollar to feed your family! MY BAD.” Disgusting. Won’t be buying Vogue any time soon.

- Adriana

Posted 09/03/08 08:27 PM

This is disgusting I LOVE Vogue, but am sad to hear that Indian Vogue thought this was humerous. I wonder how much they paid “lady” and “man” after they dropped them back off at there hut. Sad

- Me!

Posted 09/04/08 12:02 AM

This has been done for years in fashion spreads, in Mexico, Guatamala, Ethiopia, impoverished urban and rural USA… It’s dehumanizing and objectifying, like using animals or farm implements (actual objects!) or the models themselves to “tell a story”. It’s using people as props to sell status in the form of apparel, the manufacture of which takes advantage of human and agricultural resources in developing countries for the lowest bids. Why are we surprized?

- Jezzie

Posted 09/04/08 11:42 AM