Fake Beauty

Well, Ralph Lauren admitted the photo above was doctored:

A spokesman for Ralph Lauren said last night: ‘For over 42 years, we have built a brand based on quality and integrity.

“After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body.
We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the calibre of our artwork represents our brand appropriately.”

But, that designer didn’t act in a vacuum. They need to also address the culture that encouraged a designer to drastically alter a woman’s body. And allowed the rest of the Ralph Lauren staff to pretend like the photo was acceptable.

Notice anything odd about this ad from Ralph Lauren?

As a blogger on Boing Boing noted, “Dude, her head’s bigger than her pelvis.” I hope for her sake that this image has been Photoshopped.

Apparently, Ralph Lauren doesn’t appreciate the criticism. They demanded Boing Boing remove the image, calling the reproduction a violation of copyright law. Here is the Web site’s response:

Copyright law doesn’t give you the right to threaten your critics for pointing out the problems with your offerings. You should know better. And every time you threaten to sue us over stuff like this, we will:

a) Reproduce the original criticism, making damned sure that all our readers get a good, long look at it, and;

b) Publish your spurious legal threat along with copious mockery, so that it becomes highly ranked in search engines where other people you threaten can find it and take heart; and

c) Offer nourishing soup and sandwiches to your models.

Hilarious!

They’re right, of course. The legal precedents on the “fair use” copyright exception as well as fair comment and criticism provide plenty of cover.

I stand beside their right to publish and criticize this ridiculous ad, and I’ve sent a link of this post to Ralph Lauren to let them know how I feel.

Interesting Christian Science Monitor article on Lizzi Miller, a “plus-size” model featured in Glamour magazine:

In their September issue, Glamour magazine printed a small photo of model Lizzi Miller, prompting other media to broadcast the remarkable news that a fashion magazine had actually printed a picture of a woman representative of the majority of women in America, between a Size 12 and Size 14.

That the photo was printed in a small format (3″ X 3″) deep in the magazine seems evidence that the editors weren’t prepared to risk upsetting fashion convention too much, but were only willing to tiptoe into a new realm of the more honest depiction of women.

Even so, they have done American women a favor. Although there have been advertising campaigns, like Dove’s “campaign for real beauty,” that depict women of various shapes and sizes, such images are almost unprecedented in the editorial pages of high fashion magazines. The fashion magazines are known for their airbrushing, touch-ups, and Photoshopping. This can leave an impossible standard of beauty for women to try to attain.

Good for them. To call this woman “plus sized” shows the obtuse nature of our beauty culture.

Here’s some more examples of our fake beauty culture. On the left is Jessica Alba as she really looks. She looks fantastic, especially considering that she’s recently had a baby. On the right is how Photoshop artists made her look for a Campari ad. Quite disturbing. Notice that they actually added some collar bones, because you can’t be sexy if you don’t see any bones.

Click here for more before and after shots.

Wow! Another highly effective video from Dove regarding the beauty industry. (I know, they’re trying to sell stuff too — but I don’t think that dilutes the efficacy of this message.)