EOC: Ch. 4 Excercise

In this chapter you discovered that Dolce & Gabbana are known for their unique advertising campaigns. How well can you read (or analyze) one of their ads or any other fashion ad? Find a fashion ad and share with your colleagues all the innuendos you find hidden in the ad. How does this ad reflect culture or history? Does this ad say anything about the particular brand? What is subliminally suggested? Back up your thoughts with reasons from history, culture, or contemporary ideas.




I feel that I can read between the advertising innuendos pretty well. I usually spot things out of the norm before just taking the ad at face value.

The ads I have chosen were for the Nordstrom Spring 2008 ad campaign. “Nordstrom has teamed up with artist Ruben Toledo who painted 20-by-30 foot walls to serve as a backdrop for the models which were shot by fashion photographer Ruven Afanador. Toledo even painted ON the models for the campaign. The result is an artistic and stylish eye-candy.” (http://www.retailmarketingblog.com/shopping-center-marketing/2008/03/19/fashion-meets-art-nordstrom-spring-08-ads/)

Linda Finn, executive vice president of marketing at Nordstrom said “It’s one thing to say that fashion and art go together and to show it by putting a model in an art gallery. We knew we didn’t want to do that and we knew Ruben’s artwork needed to be more than just a backdrop. Instead, what Ruben and Ruven came up with truly fused art and photography. The art became the environment–transcending the very idea of a backdrop. The result truly exceeded our expectations.” (http://www.retailmarketingblog.com/shopping-center-marketing/2008/03/19/fashion-meets-art-nordstrom-spring-08-ads/)

“Toledo painted the walls to create a series of fascinating black-and-white sets and continued with his illustrations on the models' faces and bodies while Afanador captured these inspiring images. The ad campaign set off in March issues of Elle, Vanity Fair, and Vogue.” (http://www.hautfashion.com/fashion-ads/nordstroms-surrealistic-ad-campaign)

“Making art for the images of the ad campaign was really an art happening for me--the walls I painted on were 20 feet tall by 30 feet long and each scene contained three walls plus the floor!” - Ruben Toledo (http://www.dailyfrontrow.com/the-fix/article/21750)

“Each painting was painted over by the next and when I work this fast, the energy for me comes from everyone around,” he added. “It has to truly be a collaboration with everyone involved and in fact that is what great fashion or art is really about for me.”- Ruben Toledo (http://www.dailyfrontrow.com/the-fix/article/21750)



Without even reading this article the ads spoke to me. I felt it was artwork rather than just another photograph for yet another ad. I have always admired fusing the two together; art and fashion. To me they go hand and hand.

This ad throws me back to retro-style homage to the 1980’s in a way. Using ideas from the past and putting a modern twist on it speaks to a numerous amount of consumers. Whether you like it or dislike it, it does grab your attention.

This ad campaign brings together all areas of art and fashion. It brings together people that ma not regularly associate with this section or art or fashion. I find it subtle yet a gorgeous displays to grab the attention of all consumers and art lovers.