Vogue Italia’s ‘Haute Mess:’ Racist, Ignorant, or Brilliant?

All images courtesy Vogue Italia

By Fashion Correspondent Joseph Lamour

That’s right: what you’re seeing above is actually something that’s in the world’s current fashion bible. Vogue Italia’s March 2012 issue features this spread, aptly titled “Haute Mess”, and features a bevy of the world’s most beautiful women obscured by everything but the kitchen sink.

I’ve got to say right off the bat that Coco Rocha is one of my favorite models in the entire universe–I often gasp in Minnie Riperton octaves when I come across her (and this is one of the reasons why) but, until I read the credits, I had no idea she was even in this spread. The same goes for models usually familiar and amazing like Joan Smalls and Jessica Stam. Fashion most of the time is supposed to enhance or highlight the beauty of the wearer, but sometimes–like in this spread–it’s trying to challenge what your idea of beauty is. But does this shoot succeed or offend? In looking at this shoot, I couldn’t decide whether or not it included subtle or overt racist tones, if it was ignorant to the message it would provoke…or that it so beautifully over-the-top it was actually brilliant.

The title page seems to recall 90’s era kids logos, like Super Mario Brothers, Looney Tunes, and other cartoons. I really like the implied allusion to the Kreayshawn element, a love of cartoon characters. Looking at the a few of the images, I feel this editorial is focusing on a certain type of woman: one who would wear a skin tight dress and platform heels while 8 months pregnant; or, would display her love of pops of yellow and Twix bars anywhere she went; or, would be a woman in a five-figure outfit changing a baby in a diner bathroom. I’m mildly enjoying how brilliantly ridiculous some of these images are.

I feel an intentional theme running through the shoot is overconsumption, perhaps by a perceived notion of the American poor. Mountain Dew, Ruffles, Lemonheads, and Doublemint gum (all American companies) adorn the borders of some pages, and junk food is commonly referred to as lower-class fare. In the image to the right, a woman poses in a diner with the words “deep fried” on the window behind her, in clothes that likely cost more than the diner’s rent. Is this a meant to ridicule excess, or is it saying something offensive about a certain type of person? I feel that “ghetto fabulous” culture and style or perhaps Jersey Shore may have been chosen as a jumping point for the images. For instance, the hair brings to mind Lil’ Kim’s heyday, yet its not presented in an obviously derogatory manner.

The magazine says that their inspirations for this shoot are the “messy” side of drag queen culture– think less Tyra Sanchez and more Dr. Frank-n-Furter, for example; Divine, drag queen and John Waters icon; and Paris is Burning, a film that explores drag culture. The way Vogue phrases “messy drags,” however, makes me cringe a bit. I do see the eye makeup in a lot of the shots as clearly a Divine influence, and I especially see the drag influence in the shot on the above right. However, RuPaul is also listed as an inspiration, but she’s one of the most pristine drag queens working today, firmly categorized as a glamour queen. And in Paris is Burning, a lot of the queens are as glamorous as RuPaul is. The ladies in this shoot have neck and facial tattoos, gold teeth, and wigs made of money. I’m doubting those listed were an inspiration, except perhaps Paris’s Pepper LaBeija. Maybe inspiration came from another source, like this, perhaps:

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