Yesterday, pictures of Gisele Bundchen in her new spread for V magazine came out along with tidbits from the accompanying interview. I don't know what was worse to me, the fact that the ripped faded jeans look is coming back from the grave or that Gisele is trying to convince us of her convictions while she poses practically naked in clothing that makes no sense at all.
I have no doubt that Gisele is a smart, bright, caring and competent young woman. She does speak five languages, is world traveled and that's very impressive. However, there's a place and a context to discuss certain topics, and in this case, the execution is all off. I know I said I was going to talk less about stuff like this, but I just have to say something because this really gets under my skin. Here are some of the thoughts that ran through my head on certain parts of her interview:
Gisele: Only Mario [Testino] could make me take those pictures. Ah! The only person that can get me to do stuff like this is Mario.
Steph's head: And I'm sure getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars is quite motivating too.
Gisele on her thoughts on the aggressiveness of the Paparazzi: Believe me, if I had my way I would go around punching people.
Steph's head: Agreed that the paparazzi is annoying and pain in the arse but saying out loud in print that you'd go Naomi Campbell is so not role modelish.
Gisele on fashion: I work in fashion but I’m not really a fashion person. I don’t follow trends. I couldn’t tell you which designer made that shoe or that bag.
Steph's head: Oh please! You are the highest paid model in the world because of your multiple business pursuits all related to fashion which makes you a savvy business person, and everyone who is savvy in their field knows exactly what the trends are and who is hot. For one second, I don't believe you don't know your industry.
Gisele on her job role: I just do what is expected of me and become the persona they want. When I’m there (at a photo shoot) I’m not Gisele—’cause believe me I have opinions about everything—I’m a canvas. I’ve accepted that.
Steph's head: Will add comment after next statement
Gisele on young girls and gossip magazines: The other day at the airport I stopped to buy a magazine—I like design magazines, like Architectural Digest—and saw this little girl, maybe 15, who had five magazines, all gossip magazines! I wanted to ask her mother, “Why is your daughter reading this garbage? What do you think it’s going to inspire your daughter to be in her life?”
Steph's head: Well Gisele she aspires to be like you, a model who makes millions of dollars selling fantasy. She like many other girls wants to become world famous because they're a model just like you. Girls want to date cute rich celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Brady. These girls want to be canvas like you because that's how young girls become millionaires and get showered with attention nowadays through their bodies and beauty. What have you been doing Gisele to enrich the minds and souls of young girls? What have you been doing to help young girls realize that there is more to them than being just a pretty face and hot body in a pair of low cut Daisy Dukes? How can you yell at the problem if you are contributing to the problem that pays you millions of dollars?
Gisele on what good works she has been doing: In the last three years I’ve been donating proceeds to protect local water sources and replant forests. Look, I have a huge concern for so many other things going on in the world. I paid for a study about violence that is being edited into a book at the end of the year; we researched for three and a half years with fifty sociologists. While everyone is going around saying crazy things about my life I’m concerned with the destruction of our planet. Why don’t they talk about that? Or, forget about what I’m doing altogether, why don’t they talk about what’s going on in the environment in these magazines?
Steph's head: Because Gisele gossip magazines are designed to sell gossip like fashion magazines are designed to sell clothes, shoes, and purses. And it is because of those gossip rags that your "it" factor stays on the rise which helps you get paid more millions. So in a way, you are kinda spitting on the plate that feeds you. Plus has it dawned on you that many of the fashions which you model are made in factories polluting the planet, and are made by companies taking advantage of cheap labor in poor countries.
But besides that, how are we supposed to take you seriously about the destruction of the planet when you're half naked and your ass is hanging out of your shorts. When you start showing up in places like Time or Green Living with some decent clothes on, then I'll start taking you to heart. Show me some consistency. But for now, if you're going to do shoots like this V magazine spread, just stick to telling us about how you like Mario and how fabulous the clothes are. And seriously, I hope to goodness that ripped faded denim is NOT coming back. Please say it ain't so!
