The Ooooooo '00s: Best Fashion Ad

I'm gonna give out some end of the decade awards over the next few days because that's what people with blogs do when a decade ends, right? Although, did anyone have a blog the last time a decade ended? Hmmm, I don't think so. No matter; let the awarding begin!

My award for Best Fashion Ad goes to the team at Marc Jacobs for bagging Victoria Beckham.

The brilliance of this ad is like a million fold. Shot by Juergen Teller for a 2008 campaign, the stark ad threw out the celebrity obsession, literally. The industry's over hyped infatuation and exploitation of the idea of celebrity was at a fever pitch in '08, and Marc was at its flaming hot center. With show delays hitting the two hour mark because of tardy flashbulb seeking fashionistas, Marc caught tons of fed-up flack from editors, writers, and buyers who said "Enough with the celeb ass-kissing, we have a business to run here!" So, in a brilliant message to the masses, Marc took one of his greatest offenders, the preening, pouting, designer-wanabe Victoria Beckham and friggin' bagged her. Those are her over-bronzed legs hanging out of that large shopping bag in those phenomenally quirky sideways heels. Not long after he published this ad, Jacobs took on a new role: as the task master of fashion shows that started at the moment they were called for, and no later. In fact, in his most recent run of shows, Jacobs disinvited any non-essentials--meaning no special celeb guests (well, except for Madonna of course) leaving all the prime seats for the buyers and the business folk. And, in taking these anti-celeb measures Marc garnered even more press. He's smart, that one.

Wow! Congrats Marc, you also win the door prize for most insane tattoos!

You can share it with the M&Ms and Spongs Bob and Cartman and your dog. I know that's a lot of sharing, but that's a lot of tattoos.

CC'd

I was waiting for a friend near Wall Street the other day and I saw a guy (hip, late twenties, skinny) with a double C Chanel logo tattooed on his hand. Now, I'm gearing up to start a photography project where I take more photos of people, and I thought you guys might like to see his fashion devotee perma-stamp, so I politely asked him if I could take a pic of his couture ink. He looked at me and said, "No. I can't do that. It's private." Now, I'm all good when it comes to respecting the wishes of possible subjects for my photographs (I've learned my lesson), but I couldn't for the life of me understand how an inch x inch Chanel logo tattooed and on clear display on the upside of this guy's hand was "private". I walked away determined to investigate the matter. Is a Chanel tattoo the mark of some kind of underground cult? A political statement so radical that it could get this man deported if his hand were ever identified by a peruser of my blog? So far I haven't found any good evidence for a Chanel cult, outside of the cult of advertising. But, if the guy is in some radical underground fashion logo movement, then he's got company. I cannot believe how many CC tattoos there are on the Internets.

Now, we actually may be able to blame the house of Chanel and Kaiser Karl himself for this trend taking off. A recent ad campaign for the brand's eyeglass collection prominently featured a model decked in nothing but specs and a CC tat. And, this season's runway show saw models sporting logo and chain tattoos. The difference? Those are FAKE! Probably a good idea.

The eyewear ads.

Models at the SS2010 Chanel show sported RUB ON logo tattoos. Probably a smarter idea than those permanent ones...

Karl, your power over the masses is quite something.

All photos found in a Google Image search for Chanel tattoos.

Skin (surface) Deep.

I'm a lover of tattoos. They are hot. Hot. Hot. Did I say hot? Well, only if they are good. I mean there are so many baaaadddddd tattoos out there. But, when they are good, they are glorious. And hot. I am a commitmentphobe so I don't have any, but if I did get one? It would be hot, and by hot I mean gorgeous, meaningful, well executed, and flatteringly located. Years and years ago I saw a television spot on tattoo genius Anil Gupta. His work is insane. Every genre of tattoo, from the portrait to the sci-fi scene, becomes serious skin art under Gupta's skilled needle. The most incredible examples of his work are tiny little miniature inked versions of artistic masterpieces. His stamp-sized recreations of Renaissance masterworks and Van Gogh canvases are truly pinned-in re-works of art.

My art history dork meter goes way past the red line looking at these. Imagine the possibilities. I'd perhaps have a Hopper on my shoulder, a Monet on the back of the neck? Imagine the amazing things Gupta could do with some of art's best photographs. Now, if I could only wrap my brain around the concept of forever. Until then, I've found a great subsititute.

Dover Publications produces a series of temporary fine art tattoos. For $1.50 you can get a collection of four tiny, commitmentphobic-friendly, press-on tattoo versions of renowned works of art by your favorite artists. I am the proud owner of the Kahlo set, and I tell you they are super-gorgeous.

They are perfect in their impermanence, and they are remarkably well drawn. Now I just need to decide where I want little Frida. How funny would it be to have a Kahlo tramp stamp? See, this is why they shouldn't let me near the real ones...

Click any of the images above for more information. Visit AnilGupta.com; DoverPublications.com

Model's Ink

More and more models are dipping into the ink well. With the days of nameless, faceless, blank-canvas-clothes-hangers way in the past, model citizens are more apt to express their wild sides without fear. Model Freja Beha has some of my favorite tattoos in the fashion biz. She's made quite the permanent mark.

"This Too Shall Pass" on Freja's right arm.

Her neck will Float on.

"This World Today" wrapped around her right wrist.

She actually has quite a few more tats. Soon enough it will be radical to not have tattoos. Until then, let your freak flag fly and get some ink. Just be sure to follow Freja's lead and make it pretty.

Click images above for source information.

All Marc-ed Up

It seems Mr. Marc Jacobs has a bit of a twisted Peter Pan complex going on. I had no idea he was so inked up, and with cartoon characters of all things. He has 28 tats in all, including a Sponge Bob, a Simpson's caricature of himself, Cartman's stuffed South Park buddies, M&M characters, and colorful stars. I guess he balances the kids' stuff out with the "Shameless" scripted over his heart and the "Bros Before Hos" on his wrist.

These photos were recently taken by Terry Richardson for a portfolio of Jacobs' tattoo artist Scott Campbell's colorful clients. But, as Fashionolgie pointed out in an October post photos from just a year ago show Marc with a lot less ink.

So that's about 27 tattoos in a year. That's a lot of time under the buzzing needle. He must have Campbell on speed dial. Or maybe they have a standing bi-weekly date to watch the Saturday morning cartoons and ink another one.

I happen to love tattoos--well, most tattoos. I guess even the bad ones are worth their ink in laughter. But, 27 mostly cartoon-oriented pieces (and one random couch above his hip) in a year seems a tad OCD. I just hope he doesn't creep above the collar bone. Neck and face tattoos are a whole other world. I'm sure his fashionista friends would stage an intervention before he got too carried away.

Who started this inky craziness? I think it's safe to point the finger at Marc's former 25-year-old flame Jason Preston who had a penchant for ink on a pin and a questionable understanding of the word "permanent".



That is very unfortunate. I wonder if he's put a thick black line through it yet. And, as an aside, check out pre-fab Marc. There's a hottie with a body (and a future tattoo junkie) hiding out behind those geek chic glasses.

Click any of the above images for source information.