We're willing to bet that you had at least one of these pinned up in your childhood bedroom
Kate Moss for Calvin Klein Obsession in '97.
From June 25 to July 4, we'll be examining
— and at times, celebrating — all things American made, from the state
of U.S. apparel manufacturing to American-born models on the rise. You
can follow all of our coverage here.
If
you're a regular reader of this site, you already know we keep a close
watch on fashion brands' ad campaigns. The images are often pretty and
feature some of our favorite models and celebrities, but it's not lost
on us that the true point of them is to sell clothing. That said, some
advertisements are so memorable and powerful that they're referenced to
this day, leaving a lasting impression on an industry that's known for
how frequently its trends change.
Since we're
focusing this week on all of the great things that are made in the USA,
we decided to take a look back at some of these classic campaigns
from all-American brands. From the Brooke Shields denim campaign that
had tongues
We'd vote for herStewart, left, and First Lady Julianne Moore. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Now that the 2016 election has devolved to the
point that Donald Trump is making a run for president, we'd like to add
another, slightly more plausible name to the ballot: Kristen Stewart.
Her credentials include being a high-achieving actress (not without a
scandal or two) and also turning the velvet pantsuit she wore to Chanel's haute couture show into a rock n' roll work of art.
This
matching, buttoned-up outfit is the type of thing you might expect your
grandmother, or Jane Fonda, to wear. While on a rack it may look too
conservative for your average 25-year-old, Stewart makes it her own with
the styling: a fantastic smokey eye and her signature asymmetrical bed
head. That's the type of capability you can put your trust in.
Not
many grown women are able to pull off head-to-ruffles without looking
childlike or at least unserious. But every now and then a genetically
blessed specimen comes and reverses their connotation completely.
On Tuesday, that was actress and newly-minted Mrs. Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, who arrived at the London premiere of "Magic Mike XXL" swaddled in a ruffled Emilio Pucci concoction.
Like an expensive wedding cake, the scarlet gown — from fall
2015 — featured both a delicate trim and a number of softly cascading
layers. It was one of Heard's more femme ensembles, especially
considering the frock's lengthy velvet bow draped from the back of the
neckline.
Lest the look appear too delicate,
however, Heard's messier beauty look edged things up thanks to a
tousled fishtail updo, with each and every flyaway tendril strategically
placed in disarray. A dramatic smoky eye (or overgrown cat-eye, perhaps?) certainly helped matters, too.
In
sum: ruffles are, occasionally, wearable, but only if a) they're
crafted by Emilio Pucci, and/or b) you're Amber Heard. Any questions?
