YSL04 Evening Part 1 Campaign
#YSL04
#EveningPart1
#FrejaBehaErichsen
(Figure 2)
Filmed and directed by Nathalie Canguilhem, this is Anthony Vaccarello’s second short feature film that was created in launch of Saint Laurent’s new evening wear line for Spring 2017. The video features models Freja Beha Erichsen, Cara Taylor, Jourdana Phillips, Sasha Kichigina, David, Josh, Hiandra and Mileshka, all seemingly dazed and intoxicated in the middle of a night in a dark club. The male and female models interact in a series of ‘sexy’, ‘steamy’ passionate kisses; connoting the theme of desire.
(Figure 3)
Still taken by Collier Schorr as one of the campaign billboard shots for YSL04.
This features an androgynous-looking female model facing away from camera,
kissing a male model on the staircase of the club.
(Figure 4)
Two stills from the YSL04 campaign showing same sex models in the promotional fashion-wear kissing in the same club scene as Figure 2. A very controversial set of images chosen by the brand continuing their theme of ‘desire’ and general rebellious nature to break boundaries.
(Figure 5)
One of the only official, black and white, billboard stills from YSL04 of a black female model in one of the outfits in the collection. Her shoulder and the centre of her chest are exposed and she is looking sensually, directly at the camera.
(Figure 6)
An Instagram image of model Freja Beha Erichsen, looking drowsy, slouched on the floor in between another female models legs. She is wearing the campaigns lingerie and an open tuxedo jacket. The image is a key example of the sexualisation of women in advertising.
(Figure 7)
These two photos were featured in an online post about the launch of the new campaign. The campaign is labelled ‘Saint Laurent’s monochrome nightclub’. The left image shows two short haired females, neither in tops, just leather jackets; one female has her breast and nipple exposed. The image on the right is of Freja; she is in underwear with her legs are open in a casually sexy pose and she looks spaced out with sunglasses on indoors.
(Figure 16)
Saint Laurent’s Instagram video posts working off of the #YSL04 campaign, forming the word ‘Desire’; each features a famous fashion face; Anja Rubik, Gaspar Noé, Diana Widmaier Picasso, Urs Fischer, Élodie Bouchez and Harmony Korine. They all give their own, unfiltered definitions of ‘Desire’, a prominent theme in the recent campaign.
(Figure 20)
This is a video taken from a public Instagram account. It is taken by a passenger on a hand-held camera who is driving around in New York. The passenger focuses on a Saint Laurent billboard, zooming in in shock at the campaign photo of two black models kissing.
(Figure 21)
These three photographs are promotion of YSL’s follow up campaign #YSL04: Evening Part 2. The centre image is very revealing with a model screaming in joy, in half a dress and a shiny nipple cover and the two either side are again of Freja; neither image shows her face. The third image shows Freja standing in a seemingly sexual stance, bending over with an open dress on. These seem to follow the brands rebellious tone; which still comes across as overly-sexualised as supposed to sophisticated and empowering to women.