Fashion Advertisements & the Use of Bodies

The Fashion Advertisement that I want to talk about is Naomi Campbell for Yves Saint Laurent in 2008. This photo shoot was done by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. I found this add to be very compelling due to its unique presentation of the Body when it comes to a fashion add. I consider this image to depict a strong relationship between fashion and the body, which may seem contradictory because there is no clothing, and the viewer can only see a fraction of the body. This image illustrates our complex and fragmented understanding of how clothing can work with the body. As participants in the social fashion world, we don’t always need to see a whole body in order to under to recognize something as fashionable. Many times on the subway, I find myself appreciating someones style simply by looking at the shoes that they’re wearing. The same goes for this image. We understand that whoever these legs belong to must be quite a fashionable person yet the only things she is wearing are heels. Fragmented bodies in fashion is something that I am personally really interested in. Being able to express a sense of fashion without an entire outfit or without and entire body is something that I feel needs to be explored. I believe understanding how people digest smaller pieces of fashion is integral to learning more about fashion as a whole. What can be said with just a hand and a glove, what can be said with just legs and shoes etc. These smaller case studies must be valuable. I think this image also provides insight into how the beauty of the body and the beauty of fashion design often mirror each other(this further solidifies their intense connections). The beautiful soft curves and slick stage-like sheen are present in both Naomi’s legs and the Saint Laurent heels creating a soothing harmony.