Today on The Daily Scribble, it's all in the past as we take a look at fashion imitating art. Deep in the woods of Versailles, near le Petit Trianon, lies the surreal setting of Dior's upcoming ad campaign, "The Secret Garden."
The forests of Versailles are a magical place. Having recently explored the palace and its grounds, I am aware of the indescribable serenity that is present amongst the trees-- it's a place where magic lingers and infinite inspiration awaits to be discovered. With that being said, I am completely dazzled by the wonderfully surreal images created by famed photographers, Inez and Vinoodh. One image, in particular was directly inspired by Édouard Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, the oil painting that shocked the French nation upon its debut in 1863. In a day and age where nudity is no longer shocking, the subject matter for the advertisement has been altered to reflect the times, while the overall composition successfully remains the same. The once suited man is replaced by an androgynous female model, and the nude by a woman clothed in rouge pavot. Even with these changes, the new image still manages to provoke a similar curiousity to that of the original painting, maintaining the intrigue that was created so many years ago.
Magic, mystery and a little Manet.
The Secret Garden campaign is set to launch in Vogue China this weekend, followed by appearances in Italian Elle and French Vogue later this month.