Comments on: More on Whiteness in Fashion

By: SpaceJools

SpaceJools — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 08:24:00 +0000

Angelina Jolie must be digging this so hard

By: What is Exploitation? | Two Americans in China

What is Exploitation? | Two Americans in China — Thu, 15 May 2014 03:05:03 +0000

[…] I was bothered by Jezebel lumping the Sports Illustrated photos with these images from a J. Crew catalog that came out last […]

By: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Goes to 7 Continents, Finds Exotic People to Use As Props |

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 07:25:38 +0000

[…] popular fashion trope, whether it’s Nylon magazine, the Free People catalog, British Vogue or J. Crew. But although it’s prevalent, it’s very […]

By: Vietnam And Its ‘Exotic People’ Are The New Black, According To Absurd Luxury Retailer Campaign | Peace and Freedom

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:24:51 +0000

[…] Editor Dodai Stewart pointed out that many examples came before—Free People, British Vogue and J.Crew, to name three […]

By: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Goes to 7 Continents, Finds Exotic People to Use as Props | BlackAthlete

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 13:10:38 +0000

[…] popular fashion trope, whether it’s Nylon magazine, the Free People catalog, British Vogue or J. Crew. But although it’s prevalent, it’s very […]

By: Jay

Jay — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 05:34:00 +0000

Uh, if you’re selling white clothes to white people, you’re probably going to want to use a white model.

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:07:00 +0000

It’s cliche because it works … most of JC’s customers simply don’t find black or Asian models “gorgeous” – maybe exotic, interesting to look at etc. but definitely not attractive in the traditional sense. This is a fact, not a judgment on whether this is unfortunate, racist or whatever. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. In any event, those customers don’t want to think of themselves as wearing or aspiring to wear “ethnic” styles.

Besides, the ads have to look somewhat plausible and realistic – supposedly gorgeous black or Asian models in the Alps or among European “peasants” strikes one as too contrived and moralistic – in a politically correct way that is patronizing enough in the media (oh, look at us – we think everything can be beautiful and Africans really do ski in the Alps quite often) and has no place in fashion. This is a fashion ad, not “I have a dream” style public service announcement meant to protect minorities’ sensibilities and pat ourselves on the back about how inclusive and non-judgmental we, the consumers, are ….

By: anonymous

anonymous — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 04:56:00 +0000

Y’all over here getting mad over a photo spread????????????????? Forreal????????????????????????????

By: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Sparks Controversy. Offensive or Overreaction? - F A S H I O N A T T I C S

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 04:07:34 +0000

[…] Sports Illustrated coverJezebel argues that the magazine is perpetuating racial stereotypes by drawing power and class lines between the Westernized models and the "primitive locals" and points to a long history of media using people of various ethnicities as "extras", citing Nylon magazine, the Free People catalog, British Vogue, and J-Crew. […]

By: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue: Finds Exotic People to Use as Props | Moda and Estilo

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:26:11 +0000

[…] fashion trope, whether it’s Nylon magazine, the Free People catalog, British Vogue or J. Crew. But although it’s prevalent, it’s very […]

By: Seymour Butz

Seymour Butz — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:34:00 +0000

Well, sure. It wouldn’t seem as exotic, and thus as desirable, to have a woman getting her palm read in, like, a parking lot. The ad wouldn’t work. I don’t think anyone who actually encounters a Romani is going to have trouble treating them as a real, modern person though. I’ve seen countless hours of interaction with the Amish, and this doesn’t seem to be a particular hangup.

By: Seymour Butz

Seymour Butz — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:23:00 +0000

‘It makes me want to be a fashion photographer just so I can do shoots of
gorgeous black or Asian models in designer clothes surrounded by Swiss
villagers in dirndls and lederhosen backdropped by snowy Alps, Provencal
peasants with geese and cows, etc.’

That … actually sounds like a very commercially viable idea.

By: Tusconian

Tusconian — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 18:11:00 +0000

It’s worth nothing that when the “others” are actually other models, they look quite happy, but when they seem to be random citizens pulled from the street, they tend to look very unhappy. Compare the first and second set of pictures. In the second set, the “dark bohemians” are clearly models and look like they’re having a fine time entertaining the blonde woman. In the first set of pictures, only two of the children are smiling, and one of them looks like he was instructed to smile, as opposed to smiling because he’s happy or because he enjoys being photographed. I always wonder, with these pictures, are the random people-props they use compensated monetarily? How do they find them and get them to agree to be in the picture?

By: Snuhfoo

Snuhfoo — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 02:14:00 +0000

Her hand is palm up. I think she’s having her palm read.

By: Alyssum

Alyssum — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 00:11:00 +0000

What really surprises me is that in an industry supposedly based on creativity and pushing the envelope, no one ever seems to realize how cliche this kind of thing is. It makes me want to be a fashion photographer just so I can do shoots of gorgeous black or Asian models in designer clothes surrounded by Swiss villagers in dirndls and lederhosen backdropped by snowy Alps, Provencal peasants with geese and cows, etc.