02/02/2006
Dior 2006: Hedi Slimane Finds a Muse
For his Spring /Summer 2006 Dior advertising campaign, Hedi Slimane found a muse that followed his aesthetic perfectly. To shoot the following images, Slimane studied the work of Paul P., a Toronto-based artist who bases his "homoerotic and deeply romantic" images on young men in pre-70's porn.
Slimane and Paul P. have never met. The latter is notoriously reclusive. Aside from whether or not your into young or old, sleek or hairy, the images have a mysterious, seductive quality to them. I think this campaign is pretty brilliant.
According to an article in the Toronto Star, "for the current Dior Homme ad campaign Paul P. drew (graphite on paper) five renditions of a single live model."
From the Star: "Paul P. bases his art on pornographic materials from the '70s and '80s because for him, the time represents a less entangled pre-AIDS era, "before the massive shift in how gay porn looked," before magazine models buffed up to achieve a plasticized, super-healthy look to distance themselves from the disease."
Paul P. apparently xeroxes pages from gay porn and from those he bases his drawings.
Says Paul P.: "It's a different way of looking at young men that wasn't complicated by AIDS. It could simply be erotic."
Works for me.
Torontonian Gives Dior a New Look [toronto star]
Related
The Times Does Paul P. [james wagner]
Posted 8:59 AM EST by Andy in Art & Design, Fashion Men | Permalink
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I like the sixth main picture/drawing down. Reminds me of Interpol or something. That, and the whole hair/tie combonation is really cute together.
Le sigh. (Okay, last time I use that phrase.)
Posted by: matt f. | Feb 2, 2006 9:45:58 AM
For me too. It's probably the best spring ad campaign.
Posted by: Made In Brazil | Feb 2, 2006 9:50:45 AM
Wow, something different. Very refreshing...
Not sure about this line of thought though.
"Paul P. bases his art on pornographic materials from the '70s and '80s because for him, the time represents a less entangled pre-AIDS era, "before the massive shift in how gay porn looked," before magazine models buffed up to achieve a plasticized, super-healthy look to distance themselves from the disease."
Do others see the current gay male asthetic as resulting from a desire to distance oneself from AIDS?
Posted by: Greg | Feb 2, 2006 10:08:09 AM
Anorexic
Posted by: busytimmy | Feb 2, 2006 10:20:44 AM
Striking yes. Sexy? Not even.
Posted by: digger | Feb 2, 2006 11:24:27 AM
Brilliant, but you really really have to be stick thin (if not anorexic) to fit/look good in his clothes.
Posted by: max | Feb 2, 2006 12:07:54 PM
I'm headed to Subway, because charity starts at home...
Posted by: Jerry | Feb 2, 2006 12:18:34 PM
Dior's is one of the best fashion websites today, alongside alexander mcqueen's and yves saint laurent. i very much recommend having a look at www.dior.com to see that this campaing is only a tip of the iceberg.
Posted by: querelle | Feb 2, 2006 12:57:58 PM
Dior's is one of the best fashion websites today, alongside alexander mcqueen's and yves saint laurent. i very much recommend having a look at www.dior.com to see that this campaing is only a tip of the iceberg.
Posted by: querelle | Feb 2, 2006 1:02:17 PM
Yeah... I don't dig Slimane's stuff... he's doing clothes for anorexic pre-teens. Who are on drugs. And hustle. And what do I know what, most stuff just looks sick.
Posted by: Kiks | Feb 2, 2006 6:26:47 PM
Get over it queens, of course you have to be thin to look good in Dior, that's the aesthetic. Furthermore, being thin does not equate with being anorexic or a junkie. If you're fat, don't get revenge by bagging thin guys. I reckon most people would rather root that model than some princess who spends all his time in the gym. Love from Australia
Posted by: chaqers | Feb 2, 2006 8:22:10 PM
I believe that guy is hot. Much more so than that babyfaced Keira Knightly love interest bloke who did the Dior perfume stuff. What I don't understand however is: who buys this stuff anyway? It has the pricetag and name of something ueberbourgeois and is backed by big business (the kind of men who wear boring suits and rave about overpriced wine) and yet it looks like it was made for punks. It doesn't even appeal to most gays who are just too queeny to aprreciate this stuff. But who then buys this shit? Who? Who? Who?
Posted by: Riddle | Feb 4, 2006 2:17:54 PM
It seems odd to me that the comments here all make assumptions of anorexia and such. Just because this model, whose is extremely sexy, isnt the typical "fag" stereotype with a hyper reality muscled body doesnt mean that he is less than perfect. Has anyone ever seen anyone who is anorexic? I doubt the toned chest this model has is a side affect of not eating and destroying ones body. Furthermore, it also is quite sad that the media portrayalof gay men being body obsessed queens is proving to be true. Not all people live in the gym only to make themselves "more valuable" to others. There are those out there who view muscled queens as repulsive. I for one, do.
Posted by: j | Feb 4, 2006 2:38:14 PM
I'm one of those stick-thin queens (I blame genetics of course) and I honestly think that the model does work out a bit - not just the abs, but the chest and triceps are somewhat defined as well.
If people are concerned about unhealthy potrayal of anorexic-chic, I can assure you this is not quite the case here. If people are worried that they can't fit into Slimane's designs, they can surely fit into the other 99% of clothes designed for "normal" sized people (I mostly shop in children/teen department, and I'm 5'10" - but which queen doesn't?).
Other than those concerns, it's mostly personal prejudice and preference talking here.
Posted by: angeleto | Feb 6, 2006 4:02:33 AM
Girl, please. Hedi Slimane clearly read about teen scene Misshapes in V Magazine or something, not realizing Misshapes peaked 13 months ago. The whole fragile 15-year-old male waif thing is so last year.
I do think these photos are cool, but hardly fashion-forward. What I care about, though, is how boring the clothes are. The pseudo-punk moments are pathetic and desperate (such as the truly hideous jacket and jeans 4 images down), and the coats and jackets are just unimaginative. If Hedi had spent some time hanging out with the kids instead of jerking off to their images he might have been inspired by their street creativity.
This collection is boring, boring, boring.
Posted by: Chris | Feb 12, 2006 1:46:37 AM
Anorexic? No. Too fucking skinny? Yep.
Posted by: Jacko | Mar 14, 2006 10:34:28 AM
I think it's okay that this model, and therefore the person for whom these clothes are designed, is super skinny. There are lots of skinny guys out there who are just genetically like that (rather than twirled out meth heads who couldn't affor Dior anyway), who can't find ANYTHING that fits them. Everything in America is designed for bigger guys (either muscle-big or overweight-big). Variety is essential, no?
Posted by: Brian | Mar 14, 2006 10:47:55 AM
Personally I think the Dior designs are incredible. I'm a slim guy, 5'10" and 135#, not because I don't eat...I love food, it's just genetic. It's great to finally find a designer that appreciates slimmer guys and makes clothes that actually fit them. Yes the clothes are rather expensive but they are worth every cent to someone who has spent a great deal of his life wearing things that always look too big. The model is hot and refreshing, especially to someone who is attracted to skinny guys, has never stepped foot in a gym and is not attracted to the typical gay image.
Posted by: Michael | Mar 14, 2006 8:43:04 PM
i love Hedi Slimane's designs for Dior Homme.
it's not exactly true that only skinny guys can wear DH well. many "normal" or buff(ugh)guys wear DH too..and it doesnt make them look annorexic or a druggy punk from the indie/rock scenes. it's the fact that the clothes(especially balzers) make men look slimmer(not skinny)than they are..which in return means elongating the figure. and fyi, elongation is also one of my hedi's most importnat principals.
though this season's ad campaign isnt my fav DH ad campaign to date..but it has a more of artistic aproach to it than alot of other men's wear campaigns that just simply have a bunch of buff guys looking sexy with greasy abs.
if you never worn or know someone who wears/own DH and start commenting on how horrible the clothes are..shut up.
Posted by: clover | Apr 28, 2006 8:55:55 PM