The Stackpile

Nolita, a high-fashion Italian clothes label, launched a new ad campaign this week. The campaign features an anorexic model (an oxymoron, if you ask me). This woman has been anorexic since age 13. Her name is Isabelle Caro and I’d love to tell you more about her disease but her blog site is in French (a language I don’t speak). Isabelle has peaked my interest because her story of anorexia is not one that began because of the modeling world. Rather, the modeling world embraced her despite her disease. And, now she is helping to leverage the controversy over too-thin models. Interesting, right? But to what extent is Nolita going to push the envelope on this issue? And, why did they decide to spend time and money on a campaign that lacks deliberate call to action? According to The Wall Street Journal, Nolita is running spreads in Italian newspapers and posting billboards in cities such as Milan. The copy that appears on these ads is, “No. Anorexia.” Ok, great. I agree, now what? Can I donate? Can I sign a petition? Can I ban a competitor’s clothes line who employs anorexic models? Is there a high fashion label out there that doesn’t employ anorexics (even if it is to raise awareness of the issue)? Seriously, how is Nolita moving the issue? What is this shock value worth? What’s the shock going to inspire people to do? Voice their feedback on Nolita’s website? Then what? What action will Nolita take? Purpose, people, purpose! We need purpose. But most of all – more important than anything – we need to get to the bottom of anorexia as a disease. Whether a by-product of the modeling industry or a by-product of a poisoned childhood, it doesn’t matter. What matters is how do we get the women of the world to love Twinkies the way I do?

Posted by Marrianne on September 27th, 2007
Filed under Advertising, Design, Media, Photography | No Comments »