The Role of Fashion Imagery in the War Between Self and the Desired Self

Introduction

Faster than any other indicator, how we present ourselves helps tell the story of who we are and who we want to be. Our identities are constructed through the accumulative experiences in our lives and though it may seem like we make our own decisions on who we want to be, often, we are subconsciously influenced to fit a mould or make certain decisions. Within this paper, I want to explore how the fashion imagery we are exposed to through digital media and advertisements makes us question our identity and alter our position within the broader context of fashion and culture. The fashion imagery in question refers to any advertisement, branded or personal imagery in a photo or video form that is seen on television, video and social media platforms, e.g., Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, that features a human or a representation of the human form.

For social appearances online and in person, we can change our external identity to get the response we want from the viewer, hoping to receive validation for our actions. Fashion and beauty trends can dictate the desirable image of the time, and with them coming and going, the idealisation of a person’s image changes too. It is interesting to explore why the viewer consciously or subconsciously adheres to this phenomenology and to ask if this chase for social acceptance through these unwritten guidelines increases the metaphorical distance between a more authentic version of ourselves (the self) and the person we want to appear to be (the desired self). Within this research, the desire felt towards another image highlights what you currently do not possess and dictates what steps are taken towards obtaining it.

Understanding why we compare ourselves and desire the images on our screens will be explored in chapter 1, utilising the theories of sociological philosophers – Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Sigmund Freud, and Jacques Lacan - to explain the complex relationship between the internal and external sense of self. Exploring historically when our self-presentation became linked with societal standards forms the foundations of this research. From here, we can compare it against how identification occurs today, answering why we seek validation through our presented identity and why we want to gain the identity within the image we desire. The theme of objectification will be outlined when discussing the image of a person on screen and the dehumanising effects it can have that lead the viewer to disconnect from reality.

The conflict between the self and the desired self can lead to uncertainty in your identity. Since 2020, a social ‘self-care’ movement has appeared that encourages the inclusivity of people's differences that are not deemed to fit the idealised beauty standard, e.g. body shape/size and skin abnormalities. This movement has subsequently created a social trend within online communities that states it is trendy to be proud and confident in who you are. Linking psychological research with the effects of viewing digital content on this movement can help decipher the positive or negative impact the content can have on the viewer. In chapter 2, part 1, the advert for ‘Perfect’ by Marc Jacobs, released in June 2020, will be analysed for utilising this trend to connect with the consumer and its marketing strategy to capture our attention semiotically. The motivations for the consumers’ choice to engage or ignore the message in the advert will also be questioned in addition to the overall success of the advert’s aims.

Chapter 2 part 2, will analyse Jacobs’ advert from the eyes of the consumer, using the theories identified in chapter 1 to question what effects the visuals have on our perception of identity and how perfection is perceived and embodied by the consumers watching. Identifying how objectification is being used and challenged will assist in understanding the relationship we have with ourselves and why aiming for our desired selves leads to discontent with our true selves.

Chapter 1: The Formation of Identity and its Relationship with Media

The formation of our unique individual identities will forever be an intangible web of experiences, circumstances, connections, and relationships that make up our ‘true selves’. Many are out of our control, for example - where we are born, how we are raised, restrictions by higher governmental powers or controlled societies, and those that we can change – our appearance, our outward personalities and our choices moving forward to become a new version of ourselves. Through ever-growing commercialism and capitalism, a dissonant relationship has arisen between the persona we wish to embody and who we truly are. Changing societal norms and boundaries, the idealised image of a perfect person, and fashion/beauty trends all act upon each other to dictate what is desirable and what media portrays. As long as there is a desired self-image to chase, consumers will follow it to aid in their societal recognition and acceptance, to stand out, and attract the gaze of others. As Erving Goffman (1956, p.1) writes in his social science research, we want to control the impressions that others have on us so that they will act in a desirable way back. This is evident today in how personal social media pages are often used to show others an edited image of our identities, to choose and augment parts of ourselves that we deem best align with societies’ ideals and, in turn receive ‘likes’, love, and validation. This chapter will explore historical and theorised reasons why we are physiologically tuned to be this way and how visual media is fuelling it.

Section I: The Formation of Identity - 15th & 21st Century

The concept of editing the external identity and paying attention to self-presentation to gain upward social mobility can be traced back to the Renaissance era. An economic expansion in Europe saw the rise of the bourgeoise, which changed how social classes identified themselves. The previously fixed and out-of-date hierarchal social order was swept away and replaced with ‘a new form of society in which the possibility of social mobility and the concept of the self and individual identity were ascendant’ (Sullivan, 2016, p.32). Dressing in the style of clothes that were associated with your social status was and still is an indicator for someone else to presume your background and identity – an explanation for Goffman’s theory on wanting to control other people’s opinions of you. Theorist Elizabeth Wilson explains that adorning oneself in symbolic objects indicates which social class you belong to (Ibid., p.31), and whilst this is true today within all cultural groups, masquerading outside of one’s status was once deemed out of line. A disturbance in class identification arose when the bourgeoise began spending their excess income on luxuries usually reserved for that of noble class, and no longer could you distinguish the two groups. From this, how you dressed meant that you could masquerade as another identity and gain the higher societal treatment that wasn’t your birthright. From here, clothing as a necessity became fashion, a means to express yourself and form your external identity. Now that the external image of the upper class could be obtained, so too began the trickle-down theory of fashion trends. Gaining the identity that you desired opened a world of opportunities whilst also blurring the origins of the self.

Fashion and adornment are just one tool used to gain a desired identity, but today, the conventional cultural parameters of what is socially expected are far more comprehensive and all feed into / act upon one another. The tangible ingredients that create the ‘desired self’ span wide over topics such as gender, fashion, beauty, health, and body shape; how you exhibit these with an online presence and social status allows for further fine-tuning. In this study, these topics all help us understand our desire to edit our image. The more prominent one aligned with the fashion industry - and a key aspect of this research - is the relationship with our bodies and the resulting high standards that fashion imagery holds our expectations to since fashion imagery relies heavily on the body as the subject. This desire to subject our bodies to the demands current culture presents us with leads to the unwritten rules of why we shouldn’t be content with the bodies we naturally have. The work of film theorist Anneke Smelik explores this through her interest in how on-screen bodies ‘reflect and inform the fashionable and often difficult to obtain idealised bodies against which the audience measures their own’ (Miller,2016, p.55), along with her popularly cited notion that the body is as subject to fashionable change as the clothes that cover it. Meaning there is no such thing as the ‘natural’ body, a body that has had no expectations put on it as it has always been influenced by these cultural parameters (Smelik, 2017).

Section II: Projecting Imagery

A prevalent contributor to our discontent with our image lies within the use of digital and social media, where users feel the need to adhere to appearance ideals to receive acceptance from others, which in turn validates their actions. A study by Marika Tiggermann at the University of Adelaide proved their hypothesis that an increase in internet usage also increased appearance comparison and body dysmorphia within a group of 156 females between the ages of 13-18 (Tiggemann, 2010, p.84). With the rapid rise of personal social media presence worldwide (in 2021, 1.21 billion monthly active Instagram users rising to a forecasted 1.44 billion by 2025 (Dixon, 2022)), it is no surprise that mental disorders such as body dysmorphia go hand in hand with comparing ourselves against those who gain such social attention/acceptance, as physical appearance plays a vital role in engagement. Therefore, the desirable lifestyle and accounts of influencers are the 21st-century version of the desired nobleman class in the renaissance period.

This conflict between a person’s internal sense of self and the identity that is externalised to others can be better examined through Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of the lived-in body versus the body as object (Negrin, 2016). For Merleau-Ponty, it is wrong to view the physical body as separate from our whole being and to view it as an objectified entity. Seeing ourselves as a perfected image online or masquerading our identity in front of others causes dualism in our existence and disconnects us from being able to ground our practical experiences of the world through our lived-in bodies.

How we relay the desired image and project it onto our identities is an area of Freudian psychoanalysis on fetishism which identifies that the objectification and subsequent dissatisfaction with ourselves is caused by the act of looking, labelled as the ‘gaze’. (Miller, 2016). Analysing the subconscious, the 20th-century philosopher Jacques Lacan explores this action of ‘looking’ to form a sense of self through his Mirror Stage theory. To quote an explanation of this– ‘Lacan’s notion of the mirror stage describes the moment when the human subject, as a child about six months old, recognises him or herself in the mirror and in doing so also sees a perfected version of him or herself with which the child identifies and yet feels alienated from’ (Miller, 2016, p.54). From this, it can be deduced that through our own vision, we see the world around us and the limited perspective of our body from the positioning of our eyes; our image in the mirror enables us to see what others see, but we do not see our true selves. Instead, our movements are disconnected from us since they are opposite / mirrored to what we tell them to do. Proof of this disconnect can be studied through our recognition of our mirrored self-image more than in a photo taken of us. The mere perception that there are two images of you present in Lacan’s theory (one lived in experiencing the world and one reflected) does not lend itself to Merleau-Ponty’s desire to experience the ‘lived-in body’ and the ‘body as spectacle’ as one unified entity.

Using these theories helps analyse how desirable imagery makes us feel about ourselves. Whilst we gaze at the imagery on-screen, we see ourselves much like in the reflection of a mirror and thus reflect the idealised image onto our lived-in bodies, which changes our self-perception. According to Laura Mulvey, a writer on film theory, there are two functions to the gaze when looking at an image. The first relates to scopophilia, where if the image is desirable, then the act of ‘looking itself is a source of pleasure, just as, in the reverse formation there is pleasure in being looked at’ (Mulvey, 1975, p.12). The second outlines the importance of identification and formation of identity – which enables us to understand that of others’ identity too. Therefore, in this scenario, the mirror is an image on your phone, and you can see yourself in the position of the desired image you gaze upon.

Comparing our bodies against those of others on screen is deeply ingrained in our relationship with fashion imagery to the point that it occurs subconsciously. The desired image shown causes the onlooker to compare their own identity and feel lessened by it if they do not meet its standards, often resulting in actions to become more like what they see. This allows the individual to not only embody what they desire but be desired by others, a signifier of a higher social status. The above analysis helps us understand how the ‘perfect’ image has been constructed through ideas of the idealised human body and the symbolism of fashion as a tool. A brand selling a new product or an influencer selling their image of a perfect lifestyle has created the illusion that the image you are seeing is fact. Image makers know that if you find it desirable – which it has been constructed to be – you will buy it or change a part of yourself to be, look and do the same. However, upon learning that achieving so is not plausible, the reality of your true identity image becomes undesirable and unworthy in your eyes.

Chapter 2 Part I: Perfect by Marc Jacobs

On Thursday the 30th of July 2020, Marc Jacobs released their new line of perfume named ‘Perfect’. Shown across multiple platforms including television, YouTube and social media, the advertisement that showcases this new product does not fall short in being memorable for its’ poignant effect on the viewer’s self-perception. The perfume and the advert’s core message - “I am perfect as I am” (Marc Jacobs’, 2020, 00:02) – was inspired by Jacobs’ wrist tattoo. He explains its meaning as the following:

“…when I’m looking at myself and wishing I could be stronger in this way or better at that thing, I can just say no, I’m exactly how I need to be right now” – Marc Jacobs (DeLong, 2020).

Releasing this confidence-boosting scent during a global pandemic was appropriate timing, as daily life had slowed down and there was constant uncertainty. Jacobs reminded his community during this time that it felt good to be certain of yourself. In the following chapter, an analysis of how this advertisement relates to the current zeitgeist will be conducted to understand its’ relevance within fashion culture and to explore why viewers can easily connect with it.

All advertisement is a form of communication where the author sends a message to the consumer to gain their attention, persuade, and influence the purchase of a product or service. Amongst many visual and graphical tools used to prompt certain emotions in those watching, the creative direction ultimately aims to portray a desirable lifestyle with the product at the centre as the catalyst to get you there. Right now, in 2023, with global unrest being amplified through the increasing use of social sites (Bail, 2018) with everyone’s opinions at our fingertips, it isn't easy to know when to be confident of our own views. Due to this, it is harder to hold onto the belief that “I am perfect as I am” (op.cit., 00:02). Instead, transporting you away from reality, Jacobs’ advert immerses you in a dream world where you are stress-free, exuding confidence and where you have reached your own version of ‘perfection’. Ultimately, Jacobs’ aim for this advert is to sell the product and align the brand to the current zeitgeist – loving yourself for who you are. Ensuring the overall image and message promotes the zeitgeist leads the consumers to believe that the brand is up-to-date and not afraid to evolve, an essential quality for any brand to remain relevant.

Catching the viewers’ immediate attention and a memorable aspect of the advert’s styling is the repeated use of the word ‘perfect’. Spoken 49 times by different models in upbeat tones, this epizeuxis is utilised rhetorically to create an emotional appeal, thereby inspiring and motivating the audience whilst also aptly being both the product's name and the primary message. With no background music, the rhythmic irregularity of the repeated word feels raw as we focus purely on the voice as a reference for audible semiotics. The advertisement relates strongly to the current zeitgeist, stating: “we are all perfect” (op.cit., 00:04), which encourages self-acceptance. However, if taken negatively can also accidentally promote the need to present oneself as perfect, aligning the external identity to what is seen on screen as ‘fashionable’. The cultural movement to show a more authentic version of yourself can be identified on social media sites such as Instagram, where images of bare faces with no makeup or moments from a tough day are posted with pride, giving the impression to others that they are confident in showing their reality. Interestingly, posting vulnerably appears to have the same uplifting validating social response as that of a desirable ‘perfect’ image. One of the newer social sites, Bereal (BeReal, 2023) - released in 2020 and gaining traction in early 2022 – has benefited from this movement as it aims to celebrate these moments of authenticity and helps call to question whether appearing as perfect all the time now comes across as fake.

It is unclear why the phrase “I am perfect as I am” (op.cit., 00:02) is being used considering it is oxymoronic in its’ messaging - ‘perfect’ meaning to completion, and ‘as I am’ inferring that the person is unfinished. Since perfection is commonly desired and has positive connotations, it can be assumed that it also produces a positive emotional reaction, compared to rewording the same message as ‘no one is perfect’, which is not contradictory and likely too truthful for Jacobs’ immersive dream world. However, using the word ‘perfect’ in this way has its complications when promoting a healthy relationship with yourself. It raises the question if claiming perfectionism is more beneficial than saying that no one is perfect. Choosing the first implies that no further self-exploration or improvement is necessary and could lead to complications if the phrase is used to ignore a serious problem.

The visuals within the advert provide a more robust understanding of Marc Jacobs’ vision of ‘perfect’ and comment on categories of what is and what is not perfect. Using the word perfect with its’ original meaning ‘to completion’ ends up defining the constructed imagery within the advert as perfect. The lack of character diversity causes the viewer to assume that the individuals that are not included are imperfect. The action of not covering all groups of people could cause discontent among those unable to recognise themselves on screen and therefore are unable to engage with the product. Professor Frances Corner, whilst head of the London College of Fashion, summarises this observation as ‘…the limited representation of women in mainstream media puts pressure on all women to conform to one standard of beauty regardless of their age, body type or skin colour (Corner, 2014, p.92)’. Whilst at first glance, this advert seems to include a more diverse range of individuals (referencing body type, cultural backgrounds, and gender) compared to many beauty/fashion advertisements seen today, pausing the fast-paced shots allows you to see how conforming the advert still is to the beauty standards and boundaries that create the ‘desired self’ (discussed in chapter 1, section 1 of this paper). Though visual norms can differ globally, in this Anglosphere/European-orientated advert, these features can include a skinny figure, smooth glowing skin, healthy shiny hair, a straight white smile etc. The fashionable body in this advert is holding onto these restrictive ideals, but in a positive light also introduces the ‘quirky’ and unique beauty standards that are being celebrated thanks to the ‘love yourself’ movement. Quirky, in this context, refers to physical qualities that are external to idealised beauty but have been accepted as an endearing quality of identity instead of being ugly. Some of these within the advert include – a gap between your front teeth, signifying marks on the skin, dressing with confidence, and not conforming to gender stereotypes. These are all heavily leaned on to express the individual characters and personalities being shown.

Those who embrace this individuality seek authenticity by purposefully going against beauty/dress standards which aids in avoiding comparison and trends that restrict one’s identity. The diversity of models shown to have unique qualities within this advert are seen as a group going against the grain. Seeking individuality can be used to act against regimes of representation but can also make your identity stand out. This dualism between conformity and individualism is a critical point in George Simmel’s logic on fashion and identifies that ’fashion’ is as much about sameness as it is about difference’ (Rocamora, p.4). Using this rationale, the differences portrayed in the on-screen models become the conforming ‘fashionable’ standards of being authentic, and any attempt to be an individual means to be like everyone else.

When discussing individuality in 2023, the conversation about gender identification and representation is significant. The ability to identify yourself on screen as part of the LGBTQIA+ community has now been normalised in the fashion/beauty industry. The movement's success can be seen through hiring models who identify as such, for example, Valentina Sampaio being the first transgender model to pose for the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 2020. Considering the notes of the Perfect fragrance are ‘comforting’ and ‘floral’ (Marc Jacobs Fragrances, 2020), and these are historically associated with the female identity of purity, fertility, and beauty (Stott, 1992, p.60) (a quality a high percentage of other female marketed fragrances share) it makes sense why Jacobs has chosen to omit the visual representation of masculinity. The conversation surrounding gender identity is a parallel zeitgeist to the one identified earlier in this chapter, and Jacobs’ participation is another indication that the brand is trying to stay culturally relevant.

The advert has been produced with an aesthetic approach which is fashionable to current marketing styles. This does not paint a realistic image of the real-world consumer but shows the desirable dreamy lifestyle, which explains why there are no casual black cotton leggings or old hoodies in sight. Does this also mean that the semiotic messaging is subconsciously telling us that to be ‘perfect’, we must still curate our external identities to appear as though an effort has been made? Here, Jacobs has constructed the new ‘It Girl’ (someone who embodies all current lifestyle trends and is desired for it), embracing all her qualities and showing everyone that she has achieved self-love. This now objectified image that was initially conceived to champion change has now become the trend. The consumer this advert is marketed towards will be searching for something they lack (self-acceptance) and believe that the perfume will give it to them, making them a part of the group seemingly revolting against beauty standards but now masquerading as ‘perfect’. This proves that ‘while many people are convinced that the way they dress expresses their unique individuality, they are, in fact, highly conformist to the capitalist demands of a fashion that sells and even brands authenticity (Smelik, p.168).’

As this chapter has identified, Marc Jacobs’ 2020 perfume advert ‘perfect’ is a clear example of an advertisement that aligns with the current zeitgeist - ‘love yourself for who you are’- to capture the consumer's gaze and assist them in connecting with the product. Although the use of the word ‘perfect’ is imprecise, it is still an engaging advert – if not a little annoying to watch repeatedly – that makes you question the reality of what you see online and reminds you not to compare yourself to others. This way of communicating the product’s message to the consumer sells the idealised lifestyle that the product will provide, not the product's characteristics. This is a standard marketing device, but in this case, the perfume is not shown to be used and instead just held up in the frame. Therefore, letting the product’s visual speak for itself, Jacobs’ own opinion on what ‘perfect’ means to him is shown through the overall image of smiling, happy individuals who appear confident in their own identities. Whilst diversity within the model selection is lacking, no matter who is represented physically within the video, it is probable that most consumers can connect with the desire to accept themselves completely.

Chapter 2 Part II: How Perfect is ‘Perfect’?

Consumers are becoming more aware of how the subliminal messaging tactics used in advertising affect them into wanting the product. This is likely to have been influenced by the zeitgeist of the 2020s to present – love who you are as you are- and a growing percentage of the online community is following this movement when it comes to understanding the adverse effects of social media. In this chapter, Marc Jacobs’ advert for their perfume Perfect will be analysed as it is an excellent example of how advertisers can sell products to the consumer using desire whilst aligning themselves to this change in societal thinking. By examining this 30-second advert semiotically alongside the theories explored in chapter 1, we can better understand how we are influenced to think and embody the on-screen objects. The interpretations within this analysis will be affected by the stereotypes, expectations and psychological dispositions pre-existing to me as the observer and should not be taken as finite to the arguments presented.

Section I: Lacking Confidence

Before analysing in-depth, it’s essential to understand the meaning of ‘Perfect’ in this context. From Oxford English Dictionary’s definition, the adjective’s meaning is devoid of the possibility for improvement. Whereas the adapted modernised take used in this advert still implies a lack unless you link it to an entity that will never be complete. In this example, the development of our identity. Using it in this way has its problems considering there are no boundaries or specific measurements of what ‘perfect’ could be. Therefore, it is logical to categorise it as a mantra for personal acceptance of the way one’s identity is in that very moment - flaws included. Marc Jacobs’ viewpoint on the meaning is:

"I like to think of the word ‘perfect’ in relation to being perfect as I am,"… "Perfectionism shouldn’t be part of the conversation” (Murray, 2020).

Here, Jacobs is separating the adjective from the noun, under the rule that it’s followed by ‘as I am’. This way of thinking is on trend with the self-love movement since so much information and opinions are thrown around online regarding how we present ourselves– including existing adverts. Subsequently, this message is relatable to a wide marketing demographic as it is not limited to any social group, class, culture, sex, or age since it does not verbally specify what ‘perfect’ is. Instead, it allows the viewer to apply their own experiences to it. The subliminal messaging attached to the word is a powerful tool as the observer relates it to the product and the whole brand. The audience believes Marc Jacobs is praising them for accepting their identity, therefore everything the brand does must align with this message. Unfortunately, whilst the fashion & beauty industry is expressive, creative, and uplifting, it also needs to be exploitive so that brands can stay ahead of competitors.

A significant emotion that exudes each model and that ties the individuals together is confidence. Such a quality is highly desirable when it comes to showing other people that you are sure of your choices and identity. Selling confidence as something you will gain from owning the product is a common theme used among many beauty and fashion brands. For example, The Body Shop’s ‘Self Love’ campaign in 2021 strived to encourage all women to embrace a more authentic version of themselves (The Body Shop, 2021). Having these confidence-boosting messages alongside their product branding gives the belief that their products will help you become confident and that you too will embody this messaging and thrive in your own identity. This example from The Body Shop outlines this adjusted way of selling through the desire for self-acceptance instead of pointing out that the consumer lacks something that needs fixing. For comparison, an advert that displays a lack would be Batiste’s ‘Naturally Dry Shampoo’ (Batiste, 2022). The storyline shows a girl who is displeased with her hair, gazing upon social media posts containing images of luscious locks that are receiving ‘likes’. After using the product, she is transported into a fresh outdoor landscape with hair that makes her happy and supposedly carefree. This messaging can root uncertainty in the viewer’s mind about their external image and lead them to purchase the product believing it will fix the problem that the advert alerted them to in the first place. It is therefore no surprise that the fashion industry can be viewed as stealing women’s confidence and offering it back to them for a price. Observing Marc Jacobs’ advert, the audience hears a repeated message that is telling them to ignore the idea that they lack something, which empowers the consumer to feel more confident whilst hiding the subliminal messaging of the product placement. Confidence is an emotional component of your personality; it influences the external identity whilst also being affected by it. When confidence is being sold as a result of the externally applied perfume, it calls to question if Jacobs is selling both the ‘perfect’ external identity (confidence to be seen by others) and the perfect internal self (confidence for self-acceptance).

Section II: Objectification and the Gaze

Through the act of us looking, the confident smiling models that we find desirable become the object that Jacobs is selling. The mood, enthusiasm, self-love, and confidence are what we want to gain, and we learn from the body language of the models that they are happy with who they are. Showcasing this alongside the perfume bottle (the primary object) that reads the word ‘perfect’ is how we subconsciously make the link that wearing this perfume will give you those desirable qualities or that owning it tells others that you already embody them. The secondary object is the model, and the final frame image within the advert (see fig 1.) features the perfume bottle and smiling Lila Moss (supermodel Kate moss’s daughter), as she says, “Perfect, the new eau de parfum by Marc Jacobs” (Marc Jacobs, 2020, 00:23), which solidifies the viewer's perception that this image is the ‘perfect’ that should be aimed for. This includes achieving the signifying social status of the model, which is her desirable 488k Instagram followers (Lila Moss, 2023). Using Moss as the face of the perfume – an example of someone with the current idealised image - reduces the impact of the more progressive details featured within the advert.

Fig.1 Lila Moss pictured laying on the floor with an oversized bottle of perfume (Ibid, 00:23).

The body is easily objectified in adverts as it removes the model's existence from reality, and we forget to humanise them as physical beings. Jacobs’ advert does challenge the models being perceived as objects by making their unique personalities a focal point and provides Moss’s name – “my name is Lila” (Ibid, 00:01). However, this is still not quite enough as they still show as desirable objects, which aren’t shown as living, breathing, or thinking individuals. A successful example of an advert de-objectifying the model is Levi Strauss’ 1996 campaign shot by Nick Knight. The fashion imagery underlines the concept of individuality and uses ideas of ‘lifestyle’ as identity signifiers. In this image (see fig.2) ‘the model is presented not as a professional mannequin but as ‘Josephine, 79, teacher, Colorado, wears 501 jeans’’ (Breward, 2003, p.118). Utilising their real identity allows a greater percentage of consumers to connect with the product as something to use in their daily lives and even opens the target market to those who may never have considered purchasing the product. Perhaps if each model’s identity was outlined in Jacobs’ advert, for example – ‘Mei, nail artist, New York, wears ‘Perfect’’(Nails by Mei, 2023)(see fig.3), the viewer would connect with the model as the subject, instead of the object.

Fig 2.

Levi Strauss advertisement, 1996.

Text: Levi’s jeans modelled by original wearer.

Model: Josephine, 79, teacher,Colorado.

Item: 534 women’s fit jeans.

Stylist: Simon Foxton

Hair: Kevin Ryan

Photographer: Nick knight

(Ibid, p.118).

Fig 3. Mei Kawajiri in the Perfect

perfume advert (Ibid, 00:19).

Analysing the objectified image through Lacan’s Gaze theory (Miller, p.54) can also help us understand why the consumer pictures themselves as the model. In addition to wanting to embody their physical/emotional attributes, we also want to be desired and objectified in the same way we desire them. This refers to the validation we seek on reasons to love ourselves and outlines the conflict between genuine self-acceptance and enjoyment of one’s own body versus the same enjoyment but via the acceptance and enjoyment from the gaze of others. In turn, ‘the gaze makes us aware that we may be looked at, … this awareness becomes part of our identity’ (Mirzoeff, 2009, p.171). This gives us a reason for curating our external identity for the perception of others.

Perfumes are an addition to the external identity, and after your senses have dulled to its smell, it is only enjoyed by those in your presence. This aspect of transferring a part of your identity has moved from gaze to scent, which could not be achieved through the digital advert. In-person, we can assume that the scent of the perfume is now psychologically linked to the image of the person wearing it, which is confident and unique (as suggested by the advert if we were to purchase the product). Therefore, the desired image the consumer bought to embody is now the passed on desired image that others gaze on. Referring back to Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology on the body as object, he clarifies this by explaining that ‘‘one's awareness of one’s body is not just influenced by physiological changes in the body or by physical changes in the environment in which one finds oneself but also through one’s encounters with others’ (Negrin, p.119). Finally, the wearing of perfume relates to Merleau-Ponty’s lived-in-body because, through scent, perfume enhances the haptic experience through which we experience the world.

Compared to other current beauty and fashion advertisements, Perfect by Marc Jacobs sits higher on the progressive scale due to its commentary on social identity and speaking out against the damaging effects fashion imagery can have on the consumer. It promotes positivity and embracing differences, letting you know it is okay if you lack something desirable as long as you have confidence. Providing a platform for unique identities allows more consumers to see a part of their identity on the screen and feel included in this mantra of self-confidence. In contrast, an advert will never be free of its selling purpose. Including the perfume bottle as a product to buy links our subconscious into believing we will gain the lifestyle if we buy it, alienating Jacobs’ good intentions with unrelenting capitalism. Due to this, the models appear objectified because it is viewed that aspects of them can be bought the same way the perfume can. Having successfully selected the models for their unique identities, the desire for social fame has not been challenged in the same way as each of them has a large social following. These desired, unobtainable images will always make us compare our physical selves against them because our minds are deeply linked with our objectified bodies. We must live life in the bodies we have whilst our minds subconsciously see what we are not.

Conclusion

The research within this paper represents a small section of exploration within the bigger analytical picture for understanding the role of fashion imagery in the war between self and the desired self. Becoming confident in one’s identity can be a complex journey. Understanding the effects of the imagery we are inadvertently subjected to each day can assist in understanding why desires are not always obtainable and why the product you just bought does not make you feel the way you hoped it would. Semiotically deconstructing Mark Jacobs’ Perfect advertisement against the zeitgeist into themes on gender, concealed messaging, individual identification, and the construct of desire has allowed for a focused analysis of why these images create disruption within our identities.

Merleau-Ponty’s theories about the lived-in body and the body as an object/spectacle have provided this research with the awareness surrounding duality in our identities – what we do for ourselves and what we do for the gaze of others. Exhibiting the desirable image to others has the connotation that you have either worked hard or spent the money to achieve it. Because we regard this image so highly as a society and desire it for ourselves, having it can boost that person’s social position. Another area of study would be why we react this way and idolise beauty standards. However, for this paper, we can deduce that the wish for a particular external image coexists with the need for external validation i.e., a designer bag is purchased, the person is perceived as successful, and someone to idolise. Therefore, the uploaded photo receives more attention. Chasing the trends, standards, and the gaze attached to this desire increasingly moves individuals away from their internal selves.

Having explored the psychology explaining why we project objectified imagery onto our own identity, it is understandable why the advertising industry applies these theories to their marketing strategies. Whilst it is typical to see an advert pitch a product as a solution to something - to make something better than its current state - Marc Jacobs’ Perfect advert championed the message that encourages self-love and celebrates the unique characteristics of the consumer. The overall aim of this message is in line with the awakening surrounding how we view our bodies, but the placement of a product within it makes the purpose of the advert ingenuine. The responsibility to comment on the zeitgeist will likely receive criticism since the fashion world is better known for producing and selling superficial fantasies of perfection and privilege than for engaging in social commentary. Considering the Perfect perfume is priced at £105 for 100mil, for some, it is a high price to pay for the possibility of gaining an image. It is uncertain how a product could be advertised without the utopian vision of how it could contribute to your lifestyle. It would be interesting to know if this did occur, would we feel better about our identities without having something to compare ourselves to? Would it close the gap between the self and desired self? Perhaps, this awareness surrounding the manipulative messaging within the fashion industry will create a ripple effect that reduces overall consumption and assist in establishing slow fashion.

Since this perfume advert was released, newer lines of Perfect have been created along with a more concise vision of what ‘perfect’ means in the Marc Jacobs world. The models in the more recent campaigns include the individual identities we expect to see represented in 2023. This improvement is likely due to the gradual societal and cultural acceptance of these identities and the cohesive efforts of other brands that also challenge the norm. In the first Perfect advert (the one analysed in this paper), changing the definition of ‘perfect’ into an antonym of itself whilst still having connotations of positivity creates unclear boundaries on whether the advert’s message has positive or negative effects on the viewer. Since then, the marketing of the additional scents has continued using the word this way, but the ‘Perfect’ image has now grown its own identity into an activist narrative for self-love.

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Fig. 1. Marc Jacobs (2020) Introducing Our New Fragrance, Perfect by Marc Jacobs. 15th July, 00:23. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnOK1WTKLJY (Accessed: 02/11/22).

Fig. 2. Breward, C (2003) Oxford History of Art: Fashion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p.118.

Fig. 3. Marc Jacobs (2020) Introducing Our New Fragrance, Perfect by Marc Jacobs. 15th July, 00:19. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnOK1WTKLJY (Accessed: 02/11/22).

A paper by Megan Fletcher, submitted to Northumbria University.