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*W24 has been directed by the Press Ombudsman to publish an appropriate and
prominent warning, together with an apology for not doing so of our own accord after a complaint was lodged with the Press Council. By failing to include a prominent warning in this article, we were in breach of Section 9.2 of the Press Code. W24 apologises unequivocally for this oversight. Please note the article below contains images of a graphic sexual nature. Visit www.presscouncil.org.za for the full finding.
What is fashion without a bit of controversy? And now one brand is unapologetically and literally employing the 'sex-sells' strategy.
Unconventional fashion design duo Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta has sparked conversation around their new Spring/Summer 2017 fashion ad campaign as it features models having actual sex.
No simulation, only funny business.
WMagazine reports that the designers said they never even considered simulating the sex. To them, it had to be authentic.
To shoot the ad they employed Korean-German photographer Heji Shin who is known for his eye-catching work for magazine fashion editorials but also for photographing a sex education textbook for teenagers.
However, it took about 6 months for the campaign to come together due to the difficulties involved in such a risqué undertaking:
a) First, finding the models that suit the aesthetic, b) then finding models willing to have sex with each other and c) finding models willing to be photographed doing so.
READ: African model recreates fashion ads to show lack of diversity in fashion
The ad campaign shows couples of all sexual orientations engaging in intercourse and other sexual acts - but the genitals involved are blurred in the final image.
The pair said that they wanted to show sex as something that's not taboo but natural. To them it had to be "sex-positive, body-positive, sexuality-positive".
Since sexulity is so often hyper-sexualised and pornofied, our relationship with sex become completely twisted. This campaign, I would argue, celebrates sex between pairs of all sexual orientations in a way that is not meant to objectify, but rather to normalise.
