Fashion’s Hot New Trend: Insensitivity

Basically, it appears as though there are folks within the fashion industry who are absolutely devoid of common sense. First, Vogue Italia decided to debut their all Black Issue last year. Next thing we knew, we were inundated with images of “ghetto fabulousness” and non-Black models painted brown.

Next up on train insensitivity? Jews & other holocaust victims. All Aboard!!

“The airline easyJet is withdrawing all copies of its in-flight magazine, easyJet Traveller, after a row erupted over a tasteless fashion shoot at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin. The airline took the decision after being contacted by the New Statesman [Friday] afternoon.

The latest issue of the in-flight magazine featured two unsanctioned photographs of models posing in designer clothes among the famous concrete blocks of the “Field of Stelae”, Germany’s foremost memorial to commemorate the six million Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide.

The magazine did not seek permission from the Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which only became aware that the photographs existed when contacted by the New Statesman yesterday.

In a statement, the Memorial’s director, Uwe Neumärker, said it “grants permissions only to projects which are related to the memorial, the Holocaust or some aspect of commemoration.”

“The Foundation Memorial does not support commercial shoots, and fashion photography is considered to fall into this category [and] will contact the easyJet airline company in writing in order to clarify the circumstances of the photo shoot.”

Peep the airline’s flimsy excuse:

“easyJet profusely apologizes to anyone who may be offended by the inappropriate fashion photo shoot at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin featured in this month’s issue of the in-flight magazine. The magazine is produced by INK — an external publishing house, and easyJet were not aware of the images until they appeared in print. As a consequence we are now reviewing our relationship with the publisher and are withdrawing this month’s issue from all flights.”

Aren’t airlines known for their heightened neurotic compulsion to scrutinize damn near everything? A toddler even gets the side eye when passing through security checkpoints nowadays. So how is it that they were unaware of the offensive content in their own periodical?

Simply put, these fashion folks need to put an end to their foolery. Hello, it’s called creativity: perhaps it’s time they employ some – rather than relying on such trite, numb-skulled attempts at sensationalism.

New Statesman, holla!!