Lanvin Fall/Winter 2012 Ad Campaign Features Real People

Lanvin strays from the norm and brings a touch of freshness with its fall/winter 2012 fashion campaign. Alber Elbaz has opted to bring regular people of different ages and sizes to present the new season goodies.

We can always count on Lanvin for novelty and excitement with each fashion campaign. Sometimes it's in the form of heart stopping 'accessories' like snakes (the spring/summer 2012 campaign) or... breaking the deeply set rules of the industry. The latter initiative is translated through an unexpected campaign which lets aside the illusion of perfection and standards to aspire to in favor of a more realistic image of what women look like. Consequently, the label has opted not to use models for its fall 2012 campaign.

Uniformity is a deeply cherished characteristic in the industry, yet the customer palette is much more diversified. This important idea has been the route by which the new campaign has emerged. Alber Elbaz told WWD: “I was interested to bring these clothes back to the street somehow, and seeing how they look on different ages, different sizes. It felt like a crazy family, and I like that.”

The result is an exciting easy to relate to campaign that puts the spotlight where it belongs: on the needs and desires of real customers who appreciate the creativity and craftmanship of the label. The initiative also made a dream come true. We're talking about 82 year-old former apollo dancer Jacqueline ‘Tajah’ Murdock who always dreamed of being a model. She also fits the profile. Asked about her style, she told fashionista.com that: "I would say it’s more high fashion. People stop me all the time asking if they can take my picture. My grandson says I should make a t-shirt that says, ‘Don’t ask, just take the picture.’ Anyway, they did not divulge to much about the campaign, but to me, it was a great honor because I had always wanted to go to Paris when I was 18 years old."

The decisions of not limiting the campaign to a certain age group, reflecting the defining looks on gorgeous women and proving an inspiration for women all over the world will definitely translate into massive success when it comes to reaching the audience. Expect the fabulous video “based on the filming of the campaign” to go viral once the label launches it on August 21. Printed ads will break in September issues in France, the U.S., Italy, Great Britain, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Russia and Brazil, with women’s-only spots running in Germany, Spain, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Middle East.