It is, for television–not to mention fashion–an amazingly egalitarian moment.
Maybe you’ve seen it.
I’m talking about the latest cK one (Calvin Klein’s unisex perfume) commercial, where a bunch of hipper-than-hip models dressed in hipper-than-hip clothes stand against a white background, chatting to themselves and to one another.
Sure, there’s Kate Moss, but there’s also Kiara, a Ugandan model waxing philosophic in her native tongue, an androgynous dude, an older model . . . and there’s a model–no, two models who flaunt figures much more Rubenesque than the average Superdiva.
And in case you didn’t get it, one plump young woman clad in denim overalls and obviously loving every inch of herself raps a message: “cK one. . . . It’s for me, It’s for you. It’s for everyone. . . .”
OK, so maybe the idea of a universal perfume is a tad hyperbolic, but I, for one, appreciate the effort to appeal to a wide range of folks. But then there are those who don’t agree.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column decrying the “blond collections,” where skinny, pale-haired models ruled the New York runways. As you may recall, I wrote about the glaring lack of ethnic and/or dark-haired models. One designer’s explanation of the runway whiteout: “Dusky skin doesn’t feel right this season.”
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One reader wrote to complain: “Ms. Wiltz apparently yearns for a free and uninhibited creative environment in which designers are able to maximize their creative potential–providing, of course, they fall within her politically correct parameters. Moral grandstanding in the coverage of such a vacuous and superficial industry not only minimizes true cases of racism but is comparable to a chauffeur saying the thing he hates most about his job is all the damn driving. . . .”
Hmmmm. I find it fascinating–and frustrating– that whenever anyone points out that this country isn’t the sole province of one group of folks, that some feel compelled to scream the “PC” words–politically correct. And just what’s so superficial about a multi-billion dollar, multinational industry that affects us all? We all wear clothes. Even nudists.
Is it unrealistic to expect to see our diverse selves reflected on the runways and in the pages of Vogue and Bazaar? I’m not talking quotas here; I’m talking fairness. Beauty comes in many guises. Fashion is merely a reflection of our changing times.
I’d like to hear from you. Let’s open up the debate, right here in Off the Cuff. Drop me a line, in care of the baiduhai, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill., 60611. Or e-mail me at [email protected].
Talk to you soon.