Claudia Schiffer Goes Asian and Black
Posted on June 2nd, 2010 by ellie
For their 60th issue, German quarterly magazine, Stern Fotografie, put out designer Karl Lagerfeld’s “20 years worth of photography starring his long-time muse, Claudia Schiffer,” and the front cover depicts Schiffer in both blackface and yellowface.
We’ve got the slanted eye-makeup, the straight across bangs, the Chinese qipao outfit in the first picture where Schiffer is clearly supposed to be Asian. And then we’ve got the equally offensive blackface Claudia in the third picture with darker skin and an afro.
You can see it as art but you can also see it as borderline offensive. What’s your take on it?
The first picture is not of a kimono but a Chinese qipao. =)
I take it as misinformed art but not something that someone to get to crazy angry about it. If anything I see this as different ways fashion has been portrayed. I worry that people are becoming overly sensititive that people are getting angy over things that really don’t matter rather than addressing more serious issues that are at play.
I don’t think it’s that offensive. She’s just portraying different characters so to speak.
I totally agree with ‘hapacalgirl’ on what she says. In addition, people like Ellie are overtly politically correct to the extent that it becomes debilitating to their likability. This is just a way of portraying some sort of fashion photography dammit and nothing more because it’s is the intentions behind the art that matters most. And as far as intentions go, I see no malicious portrayal or intent here (I am half chinese and korean). AA Theory has been reduced to posting “Non-Asian” related news.
There are better blogs out there that promote Asian culture in the west — Peace out.
it’s not cool . . . she’s white, kay?
ugh, nasty.
LOL at Han. So true. This site should be could Non-Asian Theory… and the “blackface” controversy has *yawn* been there done that with Top Model.
I see it as borderline offensive art… ( :
Naomi Campbell would have been more colorful (sarcasm intended).
What was their point in making her the different races?
Sometimes I love this site, other times I cannot believe how easily you are offended. Jesus.
My take on it: white privilege. Whites feel free to take on other identities, and it leads to cases where Hollywood whitewashes Asian stories to put whites in starring roles (”21″, “Prince of Persia”, “The Last Airbender”, and that Harrison Ford flick that (fortunately) didn’t make any money)