// doug abraham //

 

 

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Fashion marketing seems to have taken the simplistic approach to advertising as of late, which I believe is incredible.

Terry Richardson’s continuous collaborations with strong fashion brands, the coolest designers and models, has given fashion the youthful playful sense that also allows it to be more accessible.  Each picture gives you the feeling that they were taken whilst drinking at home with friends and one thing leads to another and guys end up naked playing dress up with the skimpiest outfits you have, channelling your inner porn star. Don’t pretend you haven’t done it. Everyone is playing around with the “Terry Richardson” style of over exposure.  

This is brilliant technic because it gives that element of the unpolished and the exposed in such a refined and over thought industry.

More campaigns are going this way to demonstrate that source bit of edge that everyone obsessed with fashion wants.

From commercial campaigns to experimental artists using fashion more and more as their subject matter in sculpture and other medias, I came across the brilliant Doug Abraham. His collages speak for themselves. Combining high fashion campaigns with cuts from x-rated images, cartoons, images of rioters, thieves the list goes on and on. Subtlety merging the two creating a sense of harmony between commerciality and how brutal and over sexed of the world may be. His work seems to be the balancing between reality and fashion.

Jesus, Mary & Joesph

Holy moly, praise Jesus and deliver us from evil. In correlation with the cuming, sorry I mean coming of the new pope, we have seen religious iconography appear on fashion attire. Givenchy obviously stole the show continuing their bold prints that are ever so well translated into men's fashion, darkening their mood in what can be seen as a Corrado Giaquinto painting battling between good and evil.

Having said that, there seems to be a design team that people seem to be too terrified to discuss in fear of the Vatican striking them down. Good thing I'm here. Dolce & Gabbana absolutely crucified this seasons menswear, in a good way, not the stigmata kinda way, that's just a bit horrid. No one really wants to think of getting their clothes bloody after some weird religious experience. They never mention that in the bible do they?

The pubescent models is what did it for me, and no, not in a sexual way. They all had a sense of innocence to them that has been completely misused, baring the burden of the religious imagery on their chest that I'm sure a few of us know the feeling of too well. Once joyed of the idea of being protected by a higher power, disheartened by the truth these alter boys walk down the catwalk with a sadness, fear and loneliness in their eyes. It is beautiful. Now this is a comment of society today via fashion like we haven't seen in a while. Pure brilliance.

Not to mention the choice proportion of the garments. Dolce & Gabbana forget their sheers and tight fits and seek the over powering over sized tops submerging their fragile models in an image they can not yet fathom. Love love LOVE the concept and the execution of the pieces and the whole show. Romantic, drastic, truthful and beautiful.

-A

here's looking at you, Kid