I’ve posted on here in the past about a documentary called America the Beautiful. Filmmaker Darryl Roberts is heading up a campaign to boycott Ralph Lauren because of the severe photoshopping done for the company’s ads. Here is the backstory from the America the Beautiful web-site:
In late September, an ad by fashion giant Ralph Lauren surfaced in the United States showing an image of recently fired Filippa Hamilton that was so drastically retouched that the 120 lb 23 year old model looked sickly, emaciated, and almost alien.
The popular Blogsites photoshopdisasters.blogspot.com and boingboing.net commented on the image, and soon a lawsuit appeared, as well as nationwide criticism of the ad. Following the uproar, the 8 year model of Ralph Lauren, spoke out to reveal the shocking truth that she was fired from the company for being too fat to fit into their sample clothing. Ralph Lauren released a statement to the Daily News stating that Filippa is “a beautiful and healthy” woman, but their relationship ended “as a result of her inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us.”
After receiving tons of negative press, the company apologized for the photoshopped image saying, “We have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body.”
Unfortunately, we’ve learned that this apology was empty and insincere, as two more ads emerged; showing equally, if not even more drastically altered female models. No comments yet from Mr. Lauren and his “apologize as I get caught” policy on the two additional photoshopped models. There was simply not enough press.
On behalf of all the girls who feel ugly, overweight, and just not-good-enough;
On behalf of the parents who worry, cry, strive to help their daughters, and shell out $20,000 a month and above for eating disorder treatment centers;
On behalf of all the Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts, women everywhere who have ever been made to feel insecure by the magazines, billboards, ads, and television commercials;
We are calling for the Boycott of Ralph Lauren products.
No more insincere Apologies, no more tiptoeing around the seriousness of this matter, we need a FIRM COMMITMENT from Ralph Lauren and his company that he will put an end to this egregious type of advertising forever. Please join the Boycott and help stop the suffering of women everywhere!
And here is what Darryl needs right now (from an email he sent out today):
We MUST get 10,000 people signed up to the Facebook boycott page by Friday. The specific details as to why this is so important are below.
If you want to sign up before you read the rest of this newsletter, then sign up and come back. Thanks!
Sign up for the public boycott of Ralph Lauren here:
If that link doesn’t work – go to: www.facebook.com/boycottralph
This boycott isn’t about Ralph Lauren per se’, (even though his recent ads are the worse I’ve seen) it’s about the entire industry.
If Ralph Lauren buckles from all of the publicity and grassroots support that we mount, we’ll send a message to the entire industry that we’ve had enough.
I love Ralph Lauren, but blech, this makes me sick. I’ve signed up to boycott him. Thanks for the information. If you look at the facebook page photo, you will join. It’s gross and a TERRIBLE image for young girls.
First, I must admit I am a Graphic Designer working heavily in Photoshop for commercial work (although not with the fashion industry)..and its for THAT reason that I hate Photoshop for the overall artificial quality that has become the norm.!!
My personal response, has been to put together a book of my own “point-and-shoot” photography of inspirational moments, with NO Photoshop (other than some colour correction)
Keep up the interesting blog!!