A Calvin Klein promotional image showing British vocalist FKA twigs depicted nude beneath an oversized denim shirt has been banned in the United Kingdom. Now, the Caprisongs artist has made a statement against the decision.
Next to the image reads the text "Calvins or nothing," but due to two complaints from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), some people opted to see nothing, claiming that the “image’s composition placed viewers’ focus on the model’s body rather than on the clothing being advertised.” The advertisement was subsequently banned for showing an "overly sexualised" twigs, along with claiming that the fashion brand portrayed her as a "stereotypical sexual object."
On Wednesday, twigs responded to the banning, arguing against the situation.
"i do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object’ that they have labelled me. i see a beautiful strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine," twigs wrote in her Instagram caption.
She continued, "in light of reviewing other campaigns past and current of this nature, i can’t help but feel there are some double standards here. so to be clear…
i am proud of my physicality and hold the art i create with my vessel to the standards of women like josephine baker, eartha kitt and grace jones who broke down barriers of what it looks like to be empowered and harness a unique embodied sensuality. thank you to ck and mert and marcus who gave me a space to express myself exactly how i wanted to - i will not have my narrative changed."
The image was part of CK's Spring 2023 campaign, which also featured Michael B. Jordan, Kendall Jenner, Jennie and Aaron Taylor-Johnson posed in undergarments or close to nude. More recently, actor Jeremy Allen White appears in CK's latest campaign, which is largely being pushed in the U.S.
