I was doing some research for ’60s fashion to be used in a psychological experiment illustration (don’t ask, don’t tell) and as usual I got sidelined by the internet. Enjoy these two four gems…
and this video:
Marc Jacobs Executive Sues Over Oppressively Gay Work Environment
Gawker: The recently fired chief operating officer of fashionl label Marc Jacobs International has sued his boss for, among other things, making employees look at gay porn and perform pole dances. If true, these allegations could rock the staid, buttoned-down world of fashion.
Patrice Lataillade has worked for LVHM, Marc Jacobs’ parent company, since 1996, and he was Marc Jacobs International’s chief financial officer from 2002—and CFO from 2006—to 2010, when he was fired. In a complaint he filed yesterday in New York Supreme Court, Lataillade claims he was unlawfully terminated for complaining about the hostile work environment created by Marc Jacobs’ president Robert Duffy (pictured at left above).
“Examples of Duffy’s conduct which created a hostile work environment include,” the complaint says, “his displaying gay pornography in the office and requiring employees to look at it; his production and dissemination of a book which included MJI staff in sexual positions or nude; [and] his requirement that an MJI store employee perform a pole dance for him.” Duffy married his boyfriend Alex Cespedes last year in a Provincetown, R.I., ceremony that featured naked models.
In my post about Jean Paul Gaultier’s new ad campaign last week, I made a mention of the transexual Brazilian model Lea T and her Kate Moss liplock on the cover of Love magazine. “I wouldn’t even know she is transexual, if it weren’t for all the other publications saying it,” I thought to myself. Then, I began to question why they were saying it, because no, it doesn’t really matter.
But, as it turns out, Lea T. herself wants everyone to know that she’s transsexual.
In fact, Lea’s friend and Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci apparently offered to tell the press she was a woman before her first ad campaign came out in magazines. Jezebel reports that Lea told him “absolutely not.” T. explained:
He told me, “Are you sure — can I ask you, because I have to speak about the campaign, I wanna know if you, if you wanna — what I have to say. You want I say you’re a girl?” I said, “No no no. The first thing I want you to say is that I’m a transsexual. That’s the most important thing.”
I realize that many transmen and women’s goal is to pass, but I admire Lea T. for wanting to be known as trans. She’s out and proud about it, which helps give visibility and normalcy to the trans community. After all, if everyone passes, how do trans people get the support and recognition they deserve?
AfterEllen: “Lesbian” fashion advertisements have become so ubiquitous in recent years. Of course, 90 percent of the time, these ads are actually featuring straight female models (as far as we know, anyway).
A couple of notable campaigns include Versace’s Winter 2009 ads that portrayed supermodels Isabeli Fontana and Natalia Vodianova as seemingly Sapphic lovers.
And Kate Moss recently locked lips with transsexual model Lea T. for the cover of Love magazine.
On one hand, these can be exciting and signs of visibility. Typically, though, that excitement is quickly overshadowed by the quick realization that, no, those aren’t actual lesbians.
I don’t know why it bothers me sometimes; plenty of actresses go gay for pay. I guess the thing with models doing the same thing is, well, they’re not doing the same thing. They’re not playing a character with a personality that could ultimately help further the idea that lesbians aren’t so bad. They’re selling clothes or perfume or bras, but, ultimately, sex. They’re exploiting every dudes fantasy of two hot chicks getting it on. (Because that makes women want to buy designer clothes?)
When Jean Paul Gaultier’s new faux-lesbian ads started popping up all over the place last week, I had the same reaction I always do: excitement quickly turning to disappointment, then disgust and a tinge of resentment. The ads feature what seems like two wildly attract blondes sharing a passionate lesbian kiss. Only, one of the women is not actually a woman at all.
The ads feature Karolina Kurkova (of Victoria Secret notoriety, on the left), currently the highest-paid female model in the world (I will refrain from a rant about equal rights and equal pay, for now) and Andrej Pejic, the highest paid male model in the world (on the right). But we wouldn’t know that if it weren’t for the internet and magazines discussing how that new lesbian ad isn’t really a lesbian ad, so what’s the point? It’s not like Jean Paul Gaultier isn’t supportive of actual lesbians. In fact, Beth Ditto recently walked in his Paris fashion show, and she wasn’t frenching anyone down the runway.
Maybe JPG is attempting a lesson in perception. Maybe it doesn’t matter that one of these “lesbians” is a man (but not that like man lesbian on The L Word) because people will see whatever it is they want to see. And no matter what they say, the fact that they are saying anything means the ad has done its job.
AfterEllen: Out model Jenny Shimizu was famously discovered while working as a mechanic in California. It’s been two decades since she’s become a well-known face, and she’s taken on major ad campaigns, acting, a judging role on reality TV and a fashion line. Now Shimizu is going behind-the-scenes to become an agent at Women Direct Modeling Agency.
Shimizu recently took the time to answer our questions about her new career path, which she happens to have a lot of experience in already.
Interview here: AfterEllen
