Vogue Italia Runs Oil Spill Editorial: Call-to-Action or Publicity Stunt?

by Barb on August 7, 2010

To add to all of the discussions over the BP oil spill is a 24-page editorial shot by Steven Meisel for the August 2010 issue of Vogue Italia depicting Kristen McMenamy in various interpretations of the injured, oiled animals. And while, the spreads are undoubtedly beautiful and provocative, there is a sense of unease. After all, the crew and luxury goods are flown to the scene, with the clothing soaked in gasoline, which could be seen as wasteful of our resources and goods.

But one could say is that such editorial really is in fact a call-to-action. In being so provocative, and at times repulsive, one would think that the goal of Vogue Italia is to evoke the average reader to open their wallets to donating to clean-up initiatives. If such was the case, though, there would be a information at the end of the editorial to direct giving audiences. Flipping through the twelve spreads on Refinery29, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of such.

In which case, the editorial seems to be nothing more than a glamorization of a tragic incident, as opposed to being an intentionally thought-provoking editorial, and thus serving its purpose in capturing our attention and discussing it.

Find below some of the spreads from this month’s Vogue Italia.