DALLAS, Apr 12, 2008 / FW/ — Thanks to Marc Jacobs and photographer Juergen Teller, including Cathy Horyn who wrote a very long article, ‘When is a fashion ad not a fashion ad’, Victoria Beckham’s 15 minutes of fame had been extended another few minutes because ‘the product had been re-packaged’ without showing her face, nor any identification that it was her.
The former Spice Girl and now Mrs. David Beckham, who belong to the list of celebrities who are ‘famous for having been famous’, Victoria Beckham’s longevity in the fashion / celebrity world is not because she has any bankable talent at all. Except that she has a knack of keeping herself on the tabloids and now, even the New York Times, Victoria Beckham is a fashion piñata and a fashion holy cow at the same time.
Fashion bigwigs like Roberto Cavalli and Marc Jacobs hire Victoria Beckham to put spice (no pun intended) in their campaigns. Because Ms. Beckham is always ‘talked about,’ having her headline an ad campaign automatically puts the campaign in the public eye, without even trying.
Case in point: Ms. Horyn’s article, plus the blogosphere’s reactions to the New York Times article, including this one.
Still, Juergen Teller said it best in the New York Times article, in describing his collaboration with Ms. Beckham. “Shamelessness is a feature of contemporary life; it visibly afflicts the celebrity and the wannabe celebrity, but it also informs and liberates the artist. I told her [Victoria Beckham], ‘You’re the most photographed woman in the world. And fashion nowadays is all about product — bags and shoes — and you’re kind of a product yourself, aren’t you?’ She was, like, ‘Uh, yeah.’ ”
[MARI DAVIS]
Photo by Tawny Kate-aen
