The 10 Fashion Campaigns that Matter
It’s no secret that advertising and fashion are joined at the hip. For better or for worse, the relationship is robust and has proven so for decades. With countless advertisements in sight, it can be difficult to understand the impact they truly have. Explore our take on the 10 most influential fashion campaigns of all time.
In a world plagued with advertisements, only a handful (or two handfuls for this article’s sake) prove themselves worthy of recognition. These aren’t the ads you’re itching to skip before and during a YouTube video. Instead, these are the adverts that evoke feelings of aspiration, curiosity, and even disgust. Overall, though, the following advertisement campaigns have earned their spot on this list for innovating how the general public perceives and interacts with fashion.
1. One – Calvin Klein (1994)
Ironically enough, One by Calvin Klein finds its way at the top of our non-sequential list. Not only did this campaign result in Calvin Klein’s first fragrance earning a spot on many dressers, but it was also recognized as the initial unisex fragrance in the United States. Citrusy at first whiff, the fragrance also blends floral and woody elements to distinguish itself. While this might not seem like a big deal in today’s age, masculinity and femininity were clearly defined in fragrances up until that time. Alternatively, the ad enabled gendered scent stereotypes to be broken and expanded, which contributed to the exploration of androgyny as an aesthetic.
2. Gucci Spring/Summer (2003)
The Year 2003 “brought sexy back” a little too abruptly for those who weren’t ready for Tom Ford’s supposedly inadvertent “Trimming” ad. Many were shocked and appalled by Carmen Kass’ “G” shaped pubic hair. The sexually charged advertisement probed at the concept of a man’s submission to a woman. However, not many onlookers bought into this notion, which resulted in its immediate banning. In 2022, Supreme had replicated the ad on one of their T-shirts. While the initial advert had poor reception, homage to the once notorious image is being paid 20 years later.
3. Calvin Klein Jeans Ad (1980)
If there’s any advertisement that drastically impacted American culture, it’d be this one. Showcasing jeans on the then 15 year old actress, Brooke Shields, proved itself to be more controversial than intended. This campaign immediately sparked outrage with suggestions of it being porn adjacent to sexualizing a minor. Despite the general pushback, Calvin Klein Jeans sold at an astonishing rate. Nothing was coming between Americans and their Calvins.
4. Taxi Ads – Helmut Lang (1998)
Being the reason why New York was put on the map for fashion week and releasing the first digital lookbook wasn’t enough innovation for Helmut Lang. He had to add his taxi ads to the list. Mounted on top of taxi cabs, New Yorkers could be strolling through the Upper East Side and becoming acquainted with Lang’s latest minimalist manifesto. This completely changed the trajectory of stationary advertisements. Not only did pitching his brand this way allow for an increase in widespread exposure, but it communicated that fashion could keep up with the city’s speed. You no longer had to walk past a billboard to familiarize yourself with Lang. Instead, he was driving directly by and to you.
5. Billboard – Tommy Hilfiger (1985)
Designed by advertising legend George Lois, Tommy Hilfiger’s billboard took New York by surprise in 1985. Adopting the characteristics of a hangman game, the ad encouraged viewers to reconsider who the “4 Great American Designers” were. Entertaining the possibility that Hilfiger could compare to the three household names —Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, and Calvin Klein— presented on the billboard quite figuratively turned him into one. Interestingly enough, Ralph Lauren was not a fan of this ad because it was suggestive of Hilfiger knocking off the aspirational lifestyle sustained by his brand. This ad couldn’t help but mark the dawn of frenemies.
6. Obsession – Calvin Klein (1993)
If it wasn’t clear by now, Calvin Klein had acquired a reputation for releasing striking advertisements. Another one of these featured Kate Moss, who he discovered in the 90s. Captured in black and white, Moss was undoubtedly beautiful in this feature. Despite that, she was not glamorous. This drastic shift in aesthetic marked the counterculture that was taking place at that point in time. Less was becoming more: Minimalism.
7. Kate Moss for Supreme (2012)
With Kate Moss still in mind, let’s talk about her and Supreme. Whether you liked her or not, there was no escaping her in 2012. Photographed in a Supreme tee, the picture of the iconic model could be spotted on almost any public forum. Supreme, known for its “drop” business model, has also learned to integrate celebrities into its promotional strategies. Kate Moss taking the world of fashion by storm in 2012 serves as evidence that despite streetwear’s association to marginalized and “degenerate” groups, Supreme was and is still aspirational.
8. Girls in Braces – CDG (1988)
Rei Kawakubo has harbored a reputation for being unpredictable, unconventional, and experimental. The advert, capturing Jim Britt’s daughters, is a sheer expression of joy and innocence. Let’s be honest: ads are tasked with the major responsibility of selling us things. Arguably, there’s nothing innocent about that. However, through Kawakubo’s creative direction, we learn that yes, selling can be simple. But, selling doesn’t necessarily involve the exposure of products. Instead, it can and should be about creating a positive impact on a viewer.
9. American Apparel (2014)
For the record, this advert didn’t make the list out of fondness. It’s here due to its shock value. Of the other American Apparel ads we could have included, this one is probably the most digestible which says a lot. The ad was one of the last American Apparel released before going out of business. Known for its abundance of raunchy campaigns, the controversies following their release were tenfold. In the face of countless allegations, sex just couldn’t sell.
10. Big Head Girl – Steve Madden (1997-2005)
Finally, we have Steve Madden’s “Big Head Girls”. These iconic characters inspired the creation of Bratz Dolls and allegedly were used in one of Scorcese’s films. Creative director Tommy Kane was influenced by Japanese anime and collaborated with photographer Butch Belair to turn the vision into reality. Although the ads exhilarated spectators in their prime, their 2021 revival did not garner the same recognition. Still, the ads represent the power of cartoon-like adverts and contribute to the definition of Y2K aesthetic.
The list of influential advertising campaigns is endless. Brands often go to great lengths to capture and maintain our attention. It is up to us as viewers to set the standard for what is appropriate given our societal and cultural boundaries. However, we must also remember to make reasonable room for their expansion. In the years to come, we hope to witness the production of adverts that tastefully represent the imminent zeitgeists. In the meantime, we’ll be acknowledging and learning from the campaigns that did right—and wrong.