Realism in Fashion Advertising?

Well, I supposed Dove did it with their Campaign For Real Beauty, however, that wasn't for a Fashion brand or advertising, they didn't use people with an eating disorder, and it wasn't during Milan's Fashion Week.

Isabelle Caro, 27, who has suffered from anorexia since the age of 13, has joined with Italian clothing company Flash & Partners to publicise a fashion brand for young women called Nolita and the photograph was taken by Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani.

Caro states: "I've hidden myself and covered myself for too long. Now I want to show myself fearlessly, even though I know my body arouses repugnance. I want to recover because I love life and the riches of the universe. I want to show young people how dangerous this illness is."

Other brands such at D&G and Armani have criticised the campaign, saying that it is a mental issue, and that "even people who take no notice of fashion get anorexic.

Flash & Partners said in a statement that Toscani's aim was "to use the naked body to show everyone the reality of this illness, caused in most cases by the stereotypes imposed by the world of fashion".

I think it will have an effect, it already has. Loads of world wide free publicity and getting people talking. Not allowing models below a certain size and age on the runway means that the models will now have to live healthier lifestyles, than on the verge of, even unintentional, anorexia.

Back in April I posted a commercial regarding eating disorders that made my jaw drop. Its very powerful, one of the most so of public information ads I've seen. See it again here [Anorexia Bulimia Contact 4/9/07].

The whole article can be read on the Daily Mail & thanks to A Socialites Life for bringing it to my attention.