Aerie Real unphotoshopped campaign #aeriereal
Why we love it:
I started this blog because I was tired of being surrounded by unrealistic images of fashion. I am not even talking about skinny perfect bodies, I am talking about clothes that do not follow the real shapes and challenges of women's bodies. I am talking about fashion items that do not keep in consideration women jobs, weather conditions, aging, or social events that require personal attention and some good flat shoes (not stripper shoes).
When I saw this campaign I was shocked by how influenced I had been by other fashion campaigns. I was shocked because I studied gender and marketing in school as a PhD student and I even taught my students about the power and consequences of adverting on women. But I guess you get used to it and blinded as you continue your life outside academia.
When I saw this campaign the first reaction was: "Oh look at that she has the same little extra fat on her hips that I do right there," followed by "Oh man she is just like me and those panties are cute." I think I felt connected in many levels. First, the campaign talked to me personally. Second, I was finally able to see how the clothes would look like me because I had 'me' in front of the screen. It was also to strange to see unphotoshopped pictures and became right away aware of where the picture could have been photoshopped. I know, it is terrible, but again a result of an unrealistic standard we are all accustomed to.
Now, the models are still skinny, don't get me wrong, they are probably 120 pounds, but you can tell they are just like us, at least like me. I would personally add some diversity, maybe a girl with no boobs, one with 38 DD (I could not find them as I surfed the site) and maybe some ethnicity (e.g. latin models). But after all this is a great step forward in reaching out to women, listening to their needs and their bodies, especially young girls.
There is one thing for sure in marketing these days: consumers will lead businesses' choices and companies need to start listening to them. Functional fashion or everyday fashion is about functionality, style, and pesonality: it is not about art, or expressing a designer/artist's inner soul. We can leave that to high couture or high design. Real women need real fashion and real representation of fashion clothes.
After all would you really want to see your clothing return at the speed of back in the Future?
I am looking forward to see who will come up with a new fashion campaign for real people, real fashion.
When I saw this campaign I was shocked by how influenced I had been by other fashion campaigns. I was shocked because I studied gender and marketing in school as a PhD student and I even taught my students about the power and consequences of adverting on women. But I guess you get used to it and blinded as you continue your life outside academia.
When I saw this campaign the first reaction was: "Oh look at that she has the same little extra fat on her hips that I do right there," followed by "Oh man she is just like me and those panties are cute." I think I felt connected in many levels. First, the campaign talked to me personally. Second, I was finally able to see how the clothes would look like me because I had 'me' in front of the screen. It was also to strange to see unphotoshopped pictures and became right away aware of where the picture could have been photoshopped. I know, it is terrible, but again a result of an unrealistic standard we are all accustomed to.
Check out the full campaign at http://www.ae.com/aerie/
Now, the models are still skinny, don't get me wrong, they are probably 120 pounds, but you can tell they are just like us, at least like me. I would personally add some diversity, maybe a girl with no boobs, one with 38 DD (I could not find them as I surfed the site) and maybe some ethnicity (e.g. latin models). But after all this is a great step forward in reaching out to women, listening to their needs and their bodies, especially young girls.
There is one thing for sure in marketing these days: consumers will lead businesses' choices and companies need to start listening to them. Functional fashion or everyday fashion is about functionality, style, and pesonality: it is not about art, or expressing a designer/artist's inner soul. We can leave that to high couture or high design. Real women need real fashion and real representation of fashion clothes.
After all would you really want to see your clothing return at the speed of back in the Future?
I am looking forward to see who will come up with a new fashion campaign for real people, real fashion.
soooooo awesome! these ladies are beautiful just how they are and people should see that! love this.
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Lady à la Mode