The image in question.
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June 27, 2010 Update:-
Below the original post with Behind-the-Scenes images from Vogue UK
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Did Burberry’s art department really decide it’s time they “Punk’d” their audience, or were they just careless?
I’m going to go with the latter rather than the former and say that Burberry made a very careless advertising mistake.
(Music, “It’s Alright” by One Night Only, written by George Craig.)
On January 5, 2010 New York Magazine‘s illustrious The Cut released a set of images of Emma Watson, George Craig, Max Hurd, Matt Gilmour and Emma’s brother, Alex Watson, shot by Mario Testino, for Burberry’s Spring 2010 campaign.
The photos are gorgeous, so British and so Burberry — except for one thing — Emma’s leg disappears in one image.
Literally, it really looks like it was carelessly and stupidly photoshopped out of the image; not something you’d expect from a upper market, haute couture fashion house.
Well, more than a few people took notice and some were calling it a Photoshop disaster. While, others were wondering if it was a fake campaign Burberry released as some kind of joke.
Apparently, it’s none of the above and bad showmanship on Burberry’s end because a video was released showing the image as it was being photographed by Testino putting to rest any of the rumors.
Emma Watson’s leg was artistically (or lack thereof) placed behind her brother’s, and from the angle that it was photographed, made it seem like her leg completely disappeared around the mid-thigh.
Isn’t this the type of stuff they warn, whine and moan about NOT to do on TyTy’s America’s Next Top Model? Not that Burberry should be taking advice from Janice-Self-Proclaimed-Big-D-on-Campus … but umm, shouldn’t someone have noticed this before the images went to print?
I say re-cut/crop it, print and call it a day… but that’s just me.
Oh dear, someone made a big boo-boo and now it’s up to someone in PRlandia to fix it … maybe.
We shall see.
You can view the entire set of photos below:-
(**All images via The Cut & belong to Burberry**)
Alex, Emma, George Craig
George & Emma
George Craig, Emma Watson, Max Hurd
George & Emma
George & Emma
Max Hurd and Emma Watson
Matt Gilmour, Emma Waston and Max Hurd
Alex and Emma Watson
Emma missing part of her leg.
George Craig and Emma Watson
Matt Gilmour, Emma Waston and George Craig
UPDATE Starts here:-
Emma in suede Burberry trench coat
with Burberry PR man Chris Bailey
George Craig, Christopher Bailey, Emma Watson
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Sasha Muradali runs the ‘Little Pink Book’ . She holds a B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Florida with a minor in Dance (’07) and an M.A. in International Administration from the University of Miami (’08). She loves Twitter and all things social media, so you should find her @SashaHalima or get a copy of the ‘Little Pink Book’ delivered to your Kindle.
Copyright © 2009-2010 Sasha H. Muradali. All Rights Reserved.
hehe Either we've become 2 demanding or photoshop is now such a household product that it's so easy to see when designers screw up LOL
lol, thanks for the comment!
I totally understand where you are coming from, but I think the thing is …
Emma's leg, literally looks like it's missing and it's very noticeable. I
almost feel like it would be worse if this was a real Photoshop disaster,
rather than just a artistic direction and photography error.
If it was a real Photoshop issue, that would be many more people would have
looked at the image and someone, somewhere approved chopping off Emma's leg!
lol
While I didn't think her leg was cut off, it sure looks bad… It's like you never dance behind someone when performing…
I didn't think her leg was cut off either. First time I saw it I just
thought it was a photoshop error. I think the fact that it was photographed
badly makes the error bigger. That's something a seasoned house like
Burberry shouldn't/would let slide normally.
Ah well.
Thanks for your comment!
I was wondering about this the other day when I saw it. And I agree — much larger of a problem being a photography error rather than an art-department error. The images are absolutely gorgeous, however, and from a PR perspective, the free press this mistake has already generated is great! Lol – Tara
Most certainly! lol, I imagine Burberry's Spring 2010 line doing rather well
in the stores!
I was wondering about this the other day when I saw it. And I agree — much larger of a problem being a photography error rather than an art-department error. The images are absolutely gorgeous, however, and from a PR perspective, the free press this mistake has already generated is great! Lol – Tara
Most certainly! lol, I imagine Burberry's Spring 2010 line doing rather well
in the stores!