Poor people wearing Herm�s - Provocative or downright wrong?

Posted Sep 2nd 2008 at 1:39PM by Kyle Hepp (Subscribe to Kyle Hepp's posts)

(Click the photo to see the controversial images)

If there's one thing Vogue is good for, it's stirring up a controversy. This time Vogue India has gone and done it with a photo shoot featuring lower income Indian families using accessories by exclusive -- read expensive -- designer brands.

To give you an idea of the contrasts, many of these families live off of $1.25 a day, while a simple Burberry umbrella costs $200. Let's just say that the people of India were not amused by photos of a toothless woman carrying a dirty baby wearing a Fendi bib.

But in a phone interview with the New York Times, the editor of Vogue India, Priya Tanna, quipped people should "Lighten up." She also said, "Fashion is no longer a rich man's privilege. Anyone can carry it off and make it look beautiful."

We want to know what Vogue is really trying to say with this spread. Is Gucci's new target market the beggars sitting outside the 5 star hotel, rather than the wealthy clients staying there?

Shockingly expensive designer products

(click thumbnails to view gallery)

One very poor woman pictured is carrying an Hermès Birkin bag that retails for over $10,000, if you're lucky enough to even get your hands on one.

Who needs food when you can buy Hermès instead? -- she's clearly a Vogue girl, through and through. With that kind of money the woman's whole family could probably retire -- in the Taj Mahal.

Tags: controversy, fendi, gucci, hermes, India, photo shoot, Vogue

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

Kathleen 9-02-2008 @ 8:36PM

Vogue may be style-forward, but tactful it is not. This spread is really in poor taste. I read in another article that the real models that were used in the photos were not even identified; rather, the luxury goods were the focus and were described as being carried by either a man or a woman. Very class, Vogue.

Brad 9-03-2008 @ 7:45AM

Scandal!!! Paris Hilton's SEX TAPE here:
http://www.pcelebvideo.com/video.php?v=Paris_Hilton_sex_tape

evy 9-03-2008 @ 1:45PM

Totally agree. This is the first time I have ever bothered to comment in a blog. The insensitivity Vogue has displayed has made me nauseous. Down with Vogue. And does Vogue really hate poor people so much that they use them like furniture? Shocking - they have gone numb to any semblance of humanity. Oh - yeah, they gave them a few dollars and laughed at the great deal they made. They made the cover on the cheap - what an accomplishment. They can all go home and celebrate with a rare Scotch and congratulate themselves on their business acuity. So pathetic. Really

Jane 9-03-2008 @ 9:40AM

What is obscene is that people spend $10,000 for a purse, while others go without basic nutrition, adequate clean water, health care, shelter, and education. If I were Vogue, that would be my statement. That, plus please spend your money to make the world a better place. Perhaps Vogue will do a follow up piece asking for acts compassion for the poor - volunteering, giving funds, or donating goods. In fact, we could just go ahead and do that ourselves. If we have the time and money needed to read and purchase Vogue, then we just might have resources to share. If we read Stylelist, then we have time on our hands that could be put to good use helping others. Let's do it!

chiina09 9-03-2008 @ 10:18AM

THANK YOU!!

Amy 9-03-2008 @ 2:20PM

Very well put!

Abe Lindner 9-03-2008 @ 9:40AM

As long as the photo subjects were fairly compensated...I think it's a great idea. Watch out high priced models...you've got some competition!

Lo 9-10-2008 @ 10:46AM

Don't know what "fair compensation" would be in this case... conventional Vogue models make thousands for a photo shoot. I would guess that the Vogue editors got off far more lightly with the "real people" -- to whom US $20 might seem like a windfall. To say that they were truly compensated for their work may be stretching it. Shouldn't they be getting "market rate"?

tcoll10489 9-03-2008 @ 9:40AM

It jusy goes to show the sick humor many rich people have toward the unfortunate. Who in their right mind would use some of the most infortunate people in the world to promote some of the most useless "oh look what I have and you don't" products in the world. This has got to be one of the most disasteful advertising campaign I have ever seen. The shame of it is if you asked the baby or mother in the picture what would they rather have the bib or a loaf of bread which would they choose. The debate shouldn't be in India but in everyones soul as to what we have become as a nation.

Lisa 9-03-2008 @ 1:29PM

Well said. I agree totally.

Joy 9-03-2008 @ 9:40AM

Magazines, newspapers , the media and all forms of public communication need to focus on how we wnat the world to be.
That means responsibility. Campaigns like this is unacceptable
and as adults they should be intelligent enough to lead in a
compassionate and productive way.
What is the MEDIA tecjing our children?

Angela 9-03-2008 @ 9:40AM

As an ordinary working stiff (although extremely wealthy by some
third world country standards) I can't imagine such ridiculous
excess! People that buy this stuff have more money than sense.

amber 9-03-2008 @ 9:40AM

Disgusting...a $100 bib in a spread featuring starving people....makes me want to throw up!!! When do the "haves" stop exploiting the "have nots".....for the sake of selling clothes that cost PENNIES to make at a price that could feed an ENTIRE village?!?!!? Though I'm not surprised....seems designers or fashion people in general live in their own freaky world....a world wayyyyyyyyy outta touch with the rest of the world. This reminds me of a fashion show featuring the song "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins....a song about homeless people....yeah.....very appropriate for a fashion show featuring clothes most people can't afford and wouldn't wear if they had a right mind....all while strutting down the runway with this melodic tune in the air..."She calls out to the man on the street
"Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?"

Mark 9-03-2008 @ 9:40AM

When you only have one kidney to sell, make it count !

vgkflc 9-03-2008 @ 9:41AM

What a frigging joke!!!! If some one is stupid enough to spend as much on a hand bag as the rest of us do on a car FUCK THEM!!! For anyone to be upset enough that they want to complain FUCK THEM TO!!!

kat 9-03-2008 @ 9:41AM

I think we may be missing the point here. Perhaps Vogue is actually showing the world how absurd this stuff is by pairing them with these people. Maybe the point is to tell some of the wealthier than god socialites out there that these over priced frivolities could mean alot more to the world at large if the money was used for something else. I think it is a great chance for them to be forced to see the world outside their own gated community and hopefully do some good for others. I know it's a crazy idea but I can dream right.