Fab Ad: Hermes Spring 2008

February 28, 2008

In a time when runways are hardly the picture of diversity, it's refreshing to see a well-known brand like Hermes herald a model of color — especially a gorgeous South Asian like Lakshmi Menon. The campaign is definitely a taste of something different: zillions of flower petals, brightly painted elephants holding luxurious handbags, and a very large foot trying to fit into a comparatively smaller shoe. I'm digging the label's efforts to try something new — are you?

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63 Comments

Sabyn 5 years 10 weeks

NOPE...what they are selling is too over powered by the elephans...obviously a beauiful horse would have worked much better..the model looks fabulous.

Rnicolew 5 years 11 weeks

Huummm interesting points..... however we do LOVE diversity!

demonkitty18 5 years 11 weeks

I like that they used an Indian model but again, why are models of colour always featured with animal prints or animals? and I'm opposed to animals being used for our entertainment- it might look cute to us but I doubt the elephants are loving their colored nails n trained poses.

psangel 5 years 11 weeks

Fab ad! Love the colors1!

psangel 5 years 11 weeks

Fab ad! Love the colors1!

girlfriday 5 years 11 weeks

Come on Fab Sugar! Can you look a little deeper here?I'd like to see a model of color who is not exoticised! It's just like shooting black models in a jungle with tigers, or worse, when they paint the models in tiger stripes. The underlying dialogue here is that "non-Western" women are "animalistic" and "primitive." So while it's nice that they're using a South Asian model, and she's gorgeous and the pictures are pretty, it just solidifies the objectification of women of color. And it's not like this is anything new. This has been happening since colonialism - check out bell hooks' "Black Looks" or similar books if you want to learn more. And like others said, I can't say I'm a huge fan of makeup on elephants. It looks cool for sure, but it seems cruel and can't be good for their skin. If I'm not mistaken, they don't only have eye makeup and "nail polish" on, but they look as though they were spray painted with a darker coal color. I can't tell for sure.

girlfriday 5 years 11 weeks

Come on Fab Sugar! Can you look a little deeper here? I'd like to see a model of color who is not exoticised! It's just like shooting black models in a jungle with tigers, or worse, when they paint the models in tiger stripes. The underlying dialogue here is that "non-Western" women are "animalistic" and "primitive." So while it's nice that they're using a South Asian model, and she's gorgeous and the pictures are pretty, it just solidifies the objectification of women of color. And it's not like this is anything new. This has been happening since colonialism - check out bell hooks' "Black Looks" or similar books if you want to learn more. And like others said, I can't say I'm a huge fan of makeup on elephants. It looks cool for sure, but it seems cruel and can't be good for their skin. If I'm not mistaken, they don't only have eye makeup and "nail polish" on, but they look as though they were spray painted with a darker coal color. I can't tell for sure.

breakbrooklyn 5 years 11 weeks

yay for diversity but nay for the ad

MzAquamarine 5 years 11 weeks

YAY!

MzAquamarine 5 years 11 weeks

YAY!

foxie 5 years 11 weeks

I hear you infernal. Have any of you read "American Psycho?" I swear you teamsugar girls sometimes seem like you stepped right out of that book...

foxie 5 years 11 weeks

I hear you infernal. Have any of you read "American Psycho?" I swear you teamsugar girls sometimes seem like you stepped right out of that book...

angelinemarie 5 years 11 weeks

elephants are so cute : )

angelinemarie 5 years 11 weeks

elephants are so cute : )

mifashion 5 years 11 weeks

It's very Hermes, but their not that exciting to me

DreaAST 5 years 11 weeks

I like it. It's something different.

InfernalMari 5 years 11 weeks

...I think elephants should be left alone to be elephanty, not having their nails painted so upperclass people across the world can go 'How quaint!'. 'Oh, and the locals are even wearing our fashions! What progress! Quite! Let us retire to the billiards room for port!'.