W Magazine Pulls A Zoolander Derelicte
Posted by: Zandile Blay
Filed in:
style
1:20PM, Wednesday August 26th 2009
Leave it to a fashion magazine. In any other medium, exploring homelessness would entail in-depth interviews, following up with local politicians and including a quote or two from national charity organizations. For W magazine, it meant draping model Sasha Pivovarova in tissue paper from Dior, paper bags from Prada and odds and ends from Chanel. W gets brownie points for an interesting concept and—per usual—beautiful imagery. But are we the only ones who think a chic twist on homelessness is in poor taste? More outrageous images after the jump, and um, you tell us.
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brandyalexander
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 12:23 pm: [report]
This is disgusting. It actually looks like something AdBusters would do as a joke… to see it put forth in earnest breaks my heart.
Erin Flaherty
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 12:56 pm: [report]
i have to say, i love fashion & craig mcdean & w & all of it, but i’m pretty shocked at how effed up this is. obviously this is a big bj to major advertisers, but i wonder if any of their pr teams have freaked? eh, they probably think it’s “fabulous.”
xifeng882
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 01:26 pm: [report]
Actually, I think its rather interesting.
spatula
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 01:30 pm: [report]
OK, I’m sorry, but what’s the big deal? (not trying to be cavalier, honestly asking for info)
I mean, unless accompanied by an article making fun of, or glamourizing, homelessness, I dont see these pictures as being terribly offensive. I don’t see them as much more than what Zandile described them as…beautiful, if startling, imagery. She DOES look pretty fabulous, and she is wearing things other than trash…can someone help me??!!
I Go To 11
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 01:32 pm: [report]
I’d feel better about this if it were more like a PSA, or at the very least they donated some of the mag’s sales to helping end homelessness. To do it purely for fashion reasons is kinda sad.
Kat
wrote on August 26 2009 @ 04:47 pm: [report]
The one second from the bottom is actually on my “lust list” now. WANT SO BAD.
I feel immune to the whole thing, since the fashion world does so many “look at me” offensive things in order to be noticed. I’ve seen worse, honestly.
Also, now I feel the need to re-watch Zoolander!
brandyalexander
wrote on August 31 2009 @ 03:06 pm: [report]
Because the juxtaposition of homelessness with luxury clothing items that only the extremely wealthy fringes of society can afford shows an extreme level of callousness towards people who cannot afford to keep a roof over their head or buy themselves a bowl of soup…
Things like this make me feel marxist.
charlek
wrote on September 12 2009 @ 08:48 am: [report]
I met a young girl who was begging on the streets of Nyc with her dog. She lived with a group of other homeless kids in a tenement building somewhere in brooklyn. We spoke for awhile and what struck me was how young she was to have given up and be reduced to sitting and begging. The fashion industry and fashion week cater to the rich, who spend huge sums of money on frivolous nonsense. These pictures are like lipgloss compared to the filth and degradation of life on the streets which is cold ugly filthy and dangerous.
Righteous Metal Broad
wrote on September 26 2009 @ 11:17 am: [report]
As a former homeless child, this pisses me off…