Inspiration and Research, Steven Meisel: Libby
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During my initial research into various campaigns I was drawn to the aesthetic of the Miu Miu Autumn/Winter 2015 campaign shot by Steven Meisel as I thought the washed out lighting signified old 35mm photographs which mirror the vintage aesthetic of our Recycle and Reuse clothing.
Although I’m still drawn to this fashion campaign we agreed as a team that we should move away from styling the shoot to match a single decade as this would draw focus away from our campaign idea - which is to create imagery which is akin to high fashion advertisements seen today but uses second hand clothing instead of extremely expensive new clothing which is unattainable for many young people.
Through the Miu Miu campaign I researched more of Meisel’s work and discovered the Balenciaga campaign he shot for the Autumn/Winter 2012 season. I think the aesthetic of this shoot more closely matches the final look that as a group we are wanting to achieve.
Steven Meisel successfully casts models that are able to represent the story the fashion house wishes to portray through their current seasonal clothing. These stories not only reflect the brands vision but are also reflect current culture. I think this is an important element of creating a successful advertising campaign as viewers and consumers have to be able to see themselves wearing the clothing that is presented. We will take this into consideration when choosing locations for our final shoots.
Meisel has also created campaigns which have been highly controversial by juxtaposing fashion and politics. In the September 2006 issue of Italian Vogue Meisel experimented with the idea of restricted liberties in a post 9/11 America. The models portrayed terrorists and policemen. This caused a lot of controversy as the models were presented in violent poses where many saw them as being victimised. This caused a negative response from many feminists who was the role of the female models being undermined by a male.
He again pushed the boundaries of fashion photography in another issue of Italian Vogue in July 2008 where only black models were featured throughout the publications and the whole issue was shot by Meisel. The issue was a response to increasing criticism of racism within the fashion industry. When later asked about the issue Meisel said: "Obviously I feel that fashion is totally racist. The one thing that taking pictures allows you to do is occasionally make a larger statement. After seeing all the shows though I feel it was totally ineffective. I was curious—because it received a lot of publicity—whether it would have any effect on New York, London, Paris, or Milan, and I found that it did not. They still only had one token black girl, maybe two. It’s the same as it always was and that’s the sad thing for me.”
Through discovering Meisel’s work I have found a new appreciation for fashion and advertising photography as he is able to portray larger issues and comment on todays society while also creating beautiful and successful advertising campaigns for some of the most prestigious fashion brands in the world. Although I do not think it is appropriate for us to comment on social issues through this campaign I believe my new appreciation for the medium will help me be able to better contribute to a successful fashion advertising campaign.
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