Let me just say off the bat that I am that guy in the group who is always defending aa. From a responsible sourcing angle, from a design angle, from a product angle… whatever, I like the business and what they do. Anyway, I was suprised to see this ad. I know they are always in hot water over pushing the envelope (which I am also defending them for!) but this just seems… I dont know… stupid… unnecessary… and, dare I say (especially when we are looking at a company whose main target are upper-middle class white kids), racist? I don’t know… to me this screams mammy.
So… aa, you are stupid, and maybe racist. But you make great clothing… the moral dilemma of wealthy white kids…
Update 1: Not actually an aa ad? An ID ad? Not sure and don’t have time to look into it. Though the first time I saw it was in an e-mail update that aa sent around. Also they are still posting it on their site… hmmm…
Update 2: I also think it’s funny that of the maybe two aa ads I have seen featuring black models this is one of them. Maybe I wouldn’t have thought it so strange if there were more black models employed by aa, but because they get so little representation in the modeling ranks of this company, highlighting such a racially provocative ad just seems strange, no?
Update 3: See our new aa post HERE.
you’re making good points, but remember that this is probably not technically AA, it’s ID magazine. they are the ones who put the spread together and i doubt AA had much, if any, input into how their clothing was presented.
not that tasteless ads aren’t their forte, normally.
This is not an AA ad. It’s a high fashion editorial spread from a British fashion magazine. The fashion editors, art directors, and photographers are in charge of the image they present - not the company’s whose clothes are featured. And the model is black. I doubt she’s been painted even “blacker.”
It’s pretty obvious to me that the dulled skin detail and exaggerated lip color were digitally modified to aesthetically blend with the bold colored shirts…not to make any racial statement. In my opinion, the only racist here is the viewer that interprets the art as such.
Is she a black woman? Yes.
Is the ad still racist? Oh yes.
First of all, this is not “high fashion”. That’s like saying featuring new H&M clothing in a spread is high fashion. Furthermore, too, too many fashion spreads are styled with ads in mind- i.e. aa buys ad space in ID. ID features some clothes in their mag. It’s called advertorials. It’s done all of the time. The more space a company buys (outer cover means $$$) the more likely they’ll be featured. Thanks.
Hmmm.. Being a woman of colour I guess I’m confused on why this would be black face? She isn’t white and she’s not wearing “black” makeup. The colours look lovely on her, but her expression is what makes me sad. She looks like she was forced to be put in front of the camera and doesn’t look happy. I guess that makes it “High Fashion.” Maybe if they had her do a different pose or something we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Not sure. What bothers me though is why when we finally see someone of coulor in AA clothes do we start picking it apart? Cuz really at least the Brit mag had her wear AA clothes cuz you know they don’t really have a lot of people of colour in their ads, that is what you should get pissed aobut. Especially since it’s “American Apparel” shouldn’t we see more diversity and maybe we can give the models of AA some samwiches and a milk shake. Just sayin.
You can still be black and be in blackface.
How about you pick up a copy of bamboozled.
BOOO AA BOOO
OH MY GOD THEY’RE SHOWING A BLACK PERSON! IT MUST BE RACIST.
You fucking idiot.
It’s racist. Get over your denial and accept your inner bigot.
You know you wanna.Or have already. What’s the difference.
AA/ID special edition Klan hoodies on sale now!
I also think it’s funny that of the maybe two aa ads I have seen featuring black models this is one of them. Maybe I wouldn’t have thought it so strange if there were more black models employed by aa, but because they get so little representation in the modeling ranks of this company, highlighting such a racially provocative ad just seems strange, no?
whether or not she’s in blackface (and it does seem that that’s the effect desired by either makeup or photo editing), the fact that
(a) her expression leads us to believe that she is forced against her will into this photo (not an uncommon model pose),
(b) and that she is furthermore being advertised as edible, tasty, for the desired use of the viewer,
recalls a kind of slave block/prostitution/consumption scenario. which means that - whether or not she is actually a woman of color - this image is based on a racist history that is palpable for most people who view this spread. many people find this ad unsettling because that history is unsettling, and because we are meant to question the model’s actual race.
I’m digging it. I’m a “black” woman and I like it. I think it’s pretty. It’s amazing that people assume that this is racist. I’m digging the leggings worn on the head as I am growing my hair out naturally and wear a lot of head scarves. Obviously the people that do not like the ad and says it’s a negative portrayal are basically saying dark skin is ugly. I don’t see anything minstrel about this. THe chic isn’t shucking and jiving. My question is “what would they have to gain in trying to be racist?”
I’m sorry, call me an “Uncle Tom” but I don’t get it. I thought black was suppose to be beautiful. We are acting like our own dark skin is negative. Like I said above, I wear my hair with the headdress am I being racist?
Are you assuming that black people automatically have big lips and big noses? I don’t have either of those. THe world is too global to say white or black features.
And to the person that said we are meant to question the model’s actual race…you have a point there…you just missed it. THat’s a good thing right? TO have to question what race someone is so much until we stop caring? What if she isn’t a race but a person?
U dont have to be white to potray Blackface.
Anyways on their site AA acknowledged taht ppl had negative feelings but did not issue an apology, showing they are not bothered, but instead they said they’ll relay teh comments to i-D
& to those who do not think she was made darker. or made into Blackface please do ure background.
1) look at the model: http://www.selectmodelmanagement.co.uk/site/select.aspx
go to Verve, then click Sasha
2) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Zwartepiet2.JPG
or
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Minstrel_PosterBillyVanWare.jpg
3) dont forget u can be black & still play the racist blackface.
4) THESE COMPANIES HAVE PPL THEY RUN THEIR ADS BY TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO PROBLEM, THEY HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES & THEY NO BETTER. basically it just proves they dont care so far.
Thank you for sharing!
I.D must be scared to lose the AA account. Amazing all the fake niceties on all the sites from the magazine. hideous racist image. sort it out ID and stop hiring idiots.
companies do have some say in how they are placed into magazines.(it’s interesting a BRITISH magazine would present its audiences with this image…can anyone say white slavers?)
the fact that american apparel is flaunting this ad on its website , informs viewers that this is an american apparel supported image.
more importantly this image comes from a history of white supremacist ideas of what black female identity is….. the white imagination’s degrading charcoal darkened,
always already available, black jezebel.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://theangryblackwoman.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/foxxyminstrel.jpg&imgrefurl=http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-id-magazine/&h=375&w=472&sz=117&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=I67EFfcrA3oS6M:&tbnh=102&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dminstrel%2Bmammy%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN
this reused image comes from slavery and jim crow rationale for black bondage and dehumanization.
to those supporting this image,
please look up blackface, mammy & black jezebel to
educate yourself.
so racist i can feel the noose…
Yep - I would agree with that.. Thanks for the line.
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