redcarpet

Product placement vs consumer awareness

Among various methods corporations use to keep women hooked to their brands, product placement is on top. Yes, corporations. That’s what luxury conglomerates are. And it gives the pulse on their work.

During the 80s, Giorgio Armani was the first who started dressing Hollywood stars in order to sell to the American middle-class. In a perspective of massive overproduction and an ever-growing economy, perhaps that strategy made sense.
By the way, Armani, followed by all the other designers right away, started giving outfits for free to the stars, and women – the so-called middle class – promptly bought them.

Now the economy is not in good shape, and the middle class swiped away. Most importantly, we opened our eyes, so we are tired of being treated as fishing lures. Therefore we find some specific marketing techniques obsolete, if not meaningless.

What’s the point of stars wearing luxury designer’s clothes on the red carpets when it’s known they don’t pay for the clothes?
Does it still make sense?

Fashion & celebrities marketing

In fact, what makes it sound absurd is that they can afford to pay, but they don’t. In other words, those who can afford clothes don’t purchase them, while those who can’t are supposed to.

There’s no logic in this anymore. What if celebrities purchase their outfits and designers donate the proceeds to charity?

However, we should also dig deeper into those impressed by ‘the rich Milanese’ showing off her outfits on social media. And women promptly buy. Indeed we die a little for this lack of self-esteem.

Since we weren’t all born with good taste, looking for guidance is the right way to avoid weird outfits. But asking for advice is different from imitating someone else’s style.

Marketing has always targeted women because, traditionally, they are considered fragile and easy to influence or manipulate. And the sad thing is that we allowed them to do so.

Let’s evolve now.

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Cannes and the new beauty statement

The latest edition of the Cannes Film Festival was a remarkable beauty statement. A real surprise! Indeed, it could not go unnoticed. And not for the red carpet outfits, but because this edition marked a turning point in beauty standards. A celebration of ageless beauty.

Most of the time, red carpet outfits have no sense of style or coolness. They send one clear message only: “Please, please, please! Notice me!”

Unexpectedly, and with a high dose of bravery, this time several actresses surprised us with their wrinkles or undyed hair. They chose to be who they really are, tired of compromising. They were fierce, beautiful and effortless.
What a pleasant surprise!

In one of our previous posts, we expressed the need for human faces. In an era dominated by plastic surgery, people completely lost their uniqueness, all having the same characteristics.

Et voilà, here it is, the sign of change! And it was so true. So impressive.

Cannes & the beauty statement

Hellen Mirren, a marvellous trailblazer, this time was not alone. Andie McDowell declared that during the pandemic, she decided not to dye her hair anymore. Jodie Foster – awarded an honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievements – looked great with her grey strands.

Finally, we saw women feeling comfortable with their age and therefore having no problem showing it.

Free from usual schemes and self-confident concepts of beauty – this is the most important message they sent.
If men are free to age however they want, why shouldn’t we do it?

And so, a positive wave has started. We have done everything to deny ageing, while we have to embrace it and live it at our best.
They showed us that we can be beautiful anyway. Beautifully human.

This time, even more than their gowns, we appreciated their attitude. That was a beauty statement.

We applaud you, great women!

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