Contextual Studies Portfolio Olivia Watson C3496523
Contents
3. Visual Analysis and Critical Review ( 940 words) 5. Text Review (470 words) 6. Thirdspace (1835 words)
List of Illustrations Figures 1 and 2: Stella McCartney Winter 2017 campaign (2017) [Online image]. Available from: <https://www.stellamccartney.com/experience/en/discover-the-winter-2017campaign/> (Accessed 4th January 2018) Figure 3: Stella McCartney Falabella bag (2016) [Online image. Available from: <http:// www.sandrascloset.com/tag/falabella-bag/> (Accessed 4th January 2018) Figure 4: Run-D.M.C [Online image]. Available from: <https://www.fuse.tv/galleries/2013/05/ hip-hop-fashion-evolution-photo-gallery#2> (Accessed 7th January 2018) Figure 5: TLC [Online image]. Available from: <https://www.fuse.tv/galleries/2013/05/hip-hopfashion-evolution-photo-gallery#9> (Accessed 7th January 2018) Figure 6: Kate Moss for Calvin Klein Spring 95 (1994) [Online image]. Available from: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-1995-ready-to-wear/calvin-klein-collection/ slideshow/collection (Accessed 8th January 2018) Figure 7: Calvin Klein Spring 1999 Collection (1998) [Online image]. Available from: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-1999-ready-to-wear/calvin-klein-collection/ slideshow/collection#28 (Accessed 8th January 2018)
Figure 8: 1991 CK Jeans campaign (1990) [Online image]. Available from: <http:// en.vogue.fr/vogue-hommes/fashion/diaporama/fashion-flashback-calvin-klein-campaigns-of-
the-1980s-and-1990s/25690#carre-otis-et-marcus-schenkenberg-par-bruce-weber-pour-calvinklein-jeans-1991_image12> (Accessed 3rd January 2018)
Figure 9: Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg CK Jeans campaign 1993 (1993) [Online image]. Available from: <http://en.vogue.fr/vogue-hommes/fashion/diaporama/ fashion-flashback-calvin-klein-campaigns-of-the-1980s-and-1990s/25690#mark-wahlberg-etkate-moss-par-bruce-weber-pour-la-campagne-ck-calvin-klein-jeans-automne-hiver-1993_
image6> (Accessed 3rd January 2018)
Stella McCartney Winter 2017 Ad Campaign This review looks at the Stella McCartney Winter 2017 Ad Campaign, a film shot in the Scottish countryside and also featuring a Scottish landfill sight with three models wearing the new collection ranging from comfort wear to evening wear. The film also has three different print advertisements. Stella McCartney also shoots her new eyewear collection on the landfill sight with the same models and images, published on the 18th July 2017. The director and photographer was Harley Weir who collaborated with artist Urs Fischer for this campaign, the set design was by David White, hair by Gary Gill and make-up by Thomas de Kluyver. Styling was Stella McCartney with items from her upcoming Autumn/Winter 2017 collection.
Figure 1: Stella McCartney Winder 2017 Campaign “I design clothes that are meant to last. I believe in creating pieces that are not going to get burnt, that are not going to landfills and that are not going to damage the environment” – Stella McCartney (Lolli). The Stella McCartney Winter 2017 film campaign is set outdoors in the Scottish highlands near the Eastern coast of Scotland, throughout the film, director Harley Weir has captured the three models playing around in the fields, with close up shots of their facial features where you can notice that the models look fresh faced with make-up artist Kluyver going for a natural look which coincides with the campaigns outdoor nature theme. The film also presents close up shots of red and yellow flowers against the backdrop of the landfill, grass moving in the wind and clouds rolling through the sky. More interestingly though in this film is that the models are also shot in a landfill sight with one of the models, shown in figure 1,even lay down on the rubbish whilst
wearing the collection’s Grass Green Knit Dress layered with the Lace Tulle Dress which is embellished. “Stella’s fashion to me is about dignity, love and a beautiful attitude to all challenges. All while feeling good and looking great and we wanted to reflect that in the concept if this campaign” (Fishcer, 2017). Stella McCartney as a brand has been all about sustainability since it began in 2001, Farra (2017) explains how McCartney has made ethical fashion a priority and moral of her label and in this video campaign it is showing us the damage that ignoring sustainability has by contrasting the three models running through the grass covered countryside and playing in the fields to then showing them walk through a landfill, covered with plastic bags and bottles with a tractor following them, collecting the rubbish. Iredale (2017) explains how the concept of the campaign is an exploration of waste and consumption that are two of Stella McCartney’s key brand thesis.
Figure 2 is another image of the campaign which shows one of the models lay on top of a burnt out, decaying car. In this picture the model is wearing the collection’s jersey tailored jumpsuit in the sand shade, which correlates with the colour of the car and the colour of the paint edit on the picture. Artist Urs Fischer, has used this paint edit on each of the three pictured for the campaign and outlined the model in each one. The idea of shooting this film and these pictures in an actual landfill makes the though very real to consumers, showing them the effects that their carelessness actually has on the planet. As well as having a sustainable attitude to its own brands collections, Stella McCartney has also influenced this look on fashion in its collaboration as as well. Malik Chua (2013) talking about Stella McCartney’s collaboration with Adidas and how for its Spring/Summer 2014 collection they have used organic cotton, recycled plastic and Adidas’s water-saving “DryDye” technology. Since the launch of the Stella McCartney brand in Figure 2: Stella McCartney 2001, it has taken sustainability as a real ethic in the brands work. Winter 2017 Campaign
Stella McCartney grew up as a vegetarian so it was Figure 3: Stella McCartney Falabella Bag only seen right that she continued this belief into her work, and to this day she continues to educate the fashion industry in how to become more sustainable in helping the planet. Miller (2016) speaks about the irony of how the fashion industry is behind the act of sustainability, it is meant to bee all about predicting future trends and being ahead of the times but Stella McCartney started this ‘trend’ and continues to be leading it. Many consumers wouldn’t believe that Stella McCartney’s products are actually faux leather and recycled materials, for example her Falabella bags, shown in figure 3. These bags are world renowned for their classy look and different styles and sizes, but what many consumers do not know is that they are 100% faux leather. This film focuses on the theme of sustainability and a zero waste policy pf producing collections, one that not all designers would have ever thought about but that many are now beginning to understand and introduce to their brands. For many, what Stella McCartney is trying to achieve as a brand seems very far fetched, for the entire brand to become a 100% sustainable fashion house with faux leathers, recycled fabrics and organic cottons but what little know is that 53% of the brands women’s clothing is made from sustainable materials (Iredale, 2017). This Winter 2017 film and pint campaign has shown consumers what the brand Stella McCartney focuses on and works towards avoiding, having their clothing thrown and disposed of into a landfill sight and destroying the beautiful countryside by filling it with plastic bags and unwanted rubbish. It shocks consumers by contrasting the harsh reality of beautiful clothing and nature, eventually, becoming a landfill that is taking over the planet.
The change and influence of Hip-Hop fashion. When people hear the words ‘hip hop’ they think guns, gangsters and rap music. What they do not think of is its culture and fashion and the impact it has had from its birth in the fashion industry. Hip hop first came onto the scenes of America in the 1980s, where groups like Run-D.M.C began to create hip hop’s own style of music and fashion. They, in a way, stuck their noses up at the high society, glitz and glamour of fashionistas and stuck to their roots of creating this urban street style where wearing brands was just not going to cut it for them or their ghetto-based image.Wilbekin (2007) in this text takes us through the decades of the early hip hop culture days. The 1980s saw hip hop create this ubiquitous B-boy style uniform of BVD tank tops, Lee’s jeans, Puma sneakers, Cazal glasses and Kangol hats (Moss, 2015). However after making a name for their hip hop nation and lifestyle, they soon began to see the finer things in lifeand were now seen sporting brands which soon led rapper such as Russell Simmons and Sean Combs, well know as P-Diddy, to begin their own clothing brands. By the late 80s groups like N.W.A had become a huge success, Wilbekin (2007) explains how these groups were still sporting Nike sweatshirts and Adidas trainers, however at the other end of the hip hop spectrum was sporting a more Afro-nouveau identity, Big Daddy Kane being a prime example of this new look of suits and faux fur coats. However there were also the rappers who opted for the Native Tongues movement that saw a more preppy, suburban look. ‘In the early-to-mid 80s, Polo Ralph Lauren was one of the most in-demand clothing labels in hip-hop’ (Sanchez 2016) and in the 1992 hit song ‘What’s the 411?’ by Grand Puba and Mary J.Blige name drops Tommy Hilfiger and the group explains that “Tommy was my new wears. In the industry, we always shout-out whatever’s fresh or whatever’s dope. At that time, I came upon Tommy Hilfiger, and I was rocking that for a little minute’
Figure 4: Run-D.M.C Figure 5: TLC This led other brands to become more involved in the hip hop world and in 1992 Calvin Klein made Marky Mark the poster child. Hip hop is definitely seen to of had a trickle across affect in society with designers like Versace and Giorgio Armani having their suits worn by the likes of Sean Combs and Andre Hall, but instead of wearing the Italian suits tailored, they would sport them much larger and baggier. Wilbekin (2007) expands on the 90s and how the hip hop look continued to inspire designers throughout the decade and this has continued into the millennium with artists like Pharrell and Jay-Z starting their own clothing brands.
The Minimalist Approach of the 1990s The 1990s fashion industry saw an array of trends come and go with hip hop still having a huge effect on street style and the grunge era coming into play, but there was also the minimalist approach that took over designers collections such as Calvin Klein and Helmut Lang as well as in photographers work with the likes of Steven Meisel and Bruce Weber. For some the 1990s fashion era was all about gingham, oversized shirts and Chuck Taylor converse high tops, others it was baby doll dresses and platform trainers but for the majority, less was being seen as more. Vogue Italia’s Oliva (2017) explains how The Mies van der Rohe quote ‘less is more’ was put into practice in the 90s fashion like in no other era, with simplistic silhouette designs and monotone colours, minimalism was seen as the “it” trend of the 1990s and was approaching fast and hard. By the 1990s there were household designer names that everyone who was anyone knew or who had at least heard of. So it wasn’t much surprise when we began to see some of these famous fashion houses take this minimalist approach to their designs, Calvin Klein being a huge fan of the approach. From his Spring/ Summer 94 collection to his Spring/Summer 99 collection, there is a significant look that Klein has showcased and throughout the collections he has stuck to a minimalistic, monochrome of whites, blacks, silvers but in his last two collections, we begin to see some colour being used in some of the designs. Oliva (2017) describes Klein’s collections as ‘understated’ having a major role in the comeback of basic, linear style in the 1990s. Since officially starting his brand in 1967, Calvin Klein has had a ‘less is more’ approach to his collections and advertisements, working with photographers Brian Weber and Peter Linbergh for Calvin Klein Jeans, fragrance and underwear campaigns with all never having an overpowering look or message to them, the simplicity is what gives the brand its uniqueness.
Figure 6: Kate Moss for Calvin Klein Spring 95
suit dress which Borrelli-Persson (1994) describes as Jackie-worthy suiting with the show then progressing onto to LBDs, that novella star Holly Golightly would have loved, Borrelli-Persson for Vogue US went back in time and the show ending with molten sex symbol Jean Harlow-esque satin. The collection to Calvin Klein’s ‘95 to ‘99 collections for both Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter and when ranged from variable length dresses, skirt and looking through the Spring/Summer collections, jacket two-pieces woth all models having either their hair down and over one shoulder, or there is definitely a minimalist approach to the pinned back showing off their face. All in all it catwalks. The shows begin with the Spring/ Summer 95 collection where a young, fresh faced is a very minimalistic show with the collection speaking for itself. Kate Moss opens the show in a slim fit, black
“I love colour, but I want it in flowers, not clothes” the words of Calvin Klein himself as he showcases his Spring/Summer 96 collection but to viewers of the catwalks surprise has sherbet-colour pastels mixed in with the black and white colour block neutral ensembles. Borrelli-Persson (1995) viewed the show as having two, separate audiences; the first being those who are appropriated to ‘California Dreaming’ with scoop-neck tank dresses with racy backs borrowed from swimming costumes. On the other part, the slim-cut suedes, work-appropriate suiting and “streetwise” checks (Borrelli-Persson, 1995) are for more suited to Klein’s ‘city-slick customers. Another year, another collection and this time Calvin Klein has added even more colour into his Spring/Summer ’97 show only this time the models are seen sporting rich burgundies, Yves Klein blues and saffron yellows (BorrelliPerrson, 1996). Not only were the colours of the catwalk new to the Calvin Klein minimalist look, the models walked down the catwalk in flip-slops, men’s-style oxfords and strappy high-heeled sandals. Although this variety of colours and footwear was something to surprise the audience with, Borrelli-Persson (1995) believes it was draped and asymmetric pieces that were the strongest of the collection, VOGUE US mentioned that the silver slashed strapless dress was “adding an Eastern flavor to his (Klein’s) minimalistic chic. So far Calvin Klein has lived up to its brand’s minimalist approach, nothing too over-the-top, proving that less really is more, in his Spring/ Summer 98 collection, Calvin Klein showcases sportswear giving it an ethereal spin for Spring (Borrelli-Persson, 1997). This is Calvin Klein so you would not have expected your everyday tennis skirt and polo combo, this collection included delicate ‘Peds like shoes and semi transparent looks’, some of which were gathered with drawstring and others that were accented with balloon hems. Borrelli-Perrson (199) saw these collection pieces as being more substantial and very American, and not only was there a difference in the style of clothing but there were also some pieces in khaki which added ballast to the collection.
Finally, Spring/Summer ’99, the last Spring/ Summer collection of the 1990s for Calvin Klein and it did not disappoint, in fact it may of left many catwalk viewers pleasantly surprised. Following his Fall/Winter ‘98 collection in which Calvin Klein used bursts of bright colours; orange, gold, red and chartreuse, his Spring/ Summer ’99 was a ‘blasting fiesta’ of these same colours. Having had collection after collection follow a monochrome, minimalistic trend, it was almost a breath of fresh air to see Calvin Klein pair a teal cami top with a mid-length dark grey skirt, to see a female model wearing a vest top, trousers and a blazer with each one being a different shade of pink or red. BorrelliPersson (1998) refers to one target audience as “city clicker” with day options in black and white such as snug jersey dresses, blouson jackets and suiting with sport zip closures. By the end of the 1990s, Calvin Klein had made his own idea of the minimalist approach, by starting off with monochrome, simplistic pieces to using almost every shade of the rainbow along with collections for both audiences; the “city slickers” and the “California dreamers” (Borrelli-Persson, 1995).
Figure 7: Calvin Klein Spring 1999 Collection
Yes, his designs and collections are timeless, and they definitely had an impact on the fashion industry in the 1990s. However, it was not just Klein’s catwalks that had the attention of the 90s. There are memorable advertisement campaigns for the brand Calvin Klein including ones for its fragrances, underwear and jeans, those of which were photographed and captured by American photographer Bruce Weber. Weber is a well known photographer who has captured photographs for many brand advertisement campaigns from Calvin Klein to Tommy Hilfiger and is said to have reinvented the modern American hunk (Adams, 2002). In the years 1991 and 1993, Weber shot for the Calvin Klein Jeans campaigns, in the 1991 Calvin Klein Jeans campaign there were models Carré Otis and Marcus Schenkenberg simply walking through the street, both wearing a pair of Calvin’s with the logo printed onto the bottom of the print. 1993 saw a young, teenage Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg, known as Marky Mark the, in the Calvin Klein CK Jeans Fall/Winter 1993 campaign. Both Wahlberg and Moss are sporting a pair of the CK Jeans and a plain, black vest top with only the logo and themselves on the print. Both these advertisement campaigns are very minimalistic, Weber shows the product and makes the brand logo visible. Weber does not mess around with ridiculous locations or backgrounds, bright scenery or a lot of writing on the print. Weber does exactly what the print campaign aims to do, he has photographed the model, he has photographed the piece of clothing and he has made the logo and brand visible. In an interview for the Guardian in 2002, Weber quotes “I have always been attracted to the innocence in people because I feel like it’s the thing that most reveals them. But I don’t look at innocence as something unhealthy, something that should be corrupted. I’m pretty protective of the people I photograph.” Nowadays if you see an advertisement whether it be on the television or in a magazine, it is hard to miss with the vibrant colours and number of models and products they are trying to fit into one campaign. The campaigns of today compared to Bruce Weber’s show the difference in the times, shows the minimalistic approach of the 90s with how his photographs are monochrome, effortless where the models seem so relaxed and casual, Figure 8: 1991 CK Jeans campaign not posing with their body’s in unusual and ‘artistic’ positions to show off the product by a better angle.
Figure 9: Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg Ck Jeans campaign 1993 Although Calvin Klein had the fashion industry hooked onto his every creational move, there was another icon of the 1990s minimalist trend, Helmut Lang. ‘What he achieved in the 90s is so little written about, so far beyond the existing reach of the Internet – and was so elusive, even at the time – it is hard to capture its enormity” (Mower, 2015). Lang is the soul reason that today, New York Fashion Week is the first stop of the fashion show spectaculars, as he showed his Spring/Summer ’97 collection prior to any other designer which can be seen photographed in the Vogue January 1997 issue by photographer Steven Meisel. Mower (2015) praises Lang for his styling into adulthood for the kids that once wore nothing but big parkas, baggy t shirts, jeans and converse as their ‘tribal badge of honor’ but by the mid-nineties these were the adults that were striving through life creatively as an artist, photographer, actor. With these being photographed by Steven Meisel, he rocketed through the 1990s having shot every cover of VOGUE Italia since 1988, Meisel had quite the portfolio. Having shot for Calvin Klein as well as Helmut Lang campaigns, Meisel’s photography
is seen of that of minimalistic work. With the majority being shot in black and white, Meisel follows the monochrome, minimalistic approach of the 1990s but it does not mean that his shots are all quite literally just ‘black and white’, he had a boyhood fascination with fashion (Just The Design). Black and white is classic, I can never go wrong and it is timeless, exactly what Meisel’s photographs showcase his work as, his covers for VOGUE Italia portray the magazine as elegant, something that wants to be looked at and admired. Looking back through the 1990s, it is evident to see that it was a decade of minimalism but by no means boring. With the designing genii of Calvin Klein and Helmut Lang, to these designs being photographed and showcased by Bruce Weber and Steven Meisel. Its simplistic, infatuating classiness then paired with the racy sex appeal of its campaigns such as Calvin Klein’s underwear print advertisement. Shear material, strappy sandals, and suit dresses together all showcase the 1990s fashion era to a T, that it is still influencing collections today.
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