The Shifting Role Of Sex In Fashion: Does It Still Sell?

Information column from nytimes.com:

The fashion world has been abuzz with provocative runway shows, pushing the boundaries of style and sensuality. At the helm of this trend is Dario Vitale's debut at Versace, where he presented a rawer, pre-glamazon take on 1980s Miami. The show's hypersexualized approach was marked by backless T-shirts on muscular men and an attendee's unbuttoned pants cinched with a cock ring, sparking debate about the authenticity of such explicit expressions of sex.

This bold move has led to questions about whether sex still sells in the fashion industry. Kate Lanphear, women's style director, described the Versace show as "downright smutty in a delightful way," but wondered if carnality can be cerebral. Vitale's previous stint at Miu Miu, where design is often more intellectualized, suggests that perhaps it can.

However, this approach felt at odds with stripping Versace down to an essence of sexiness. In contrast, Haider Ackermann's show in Paris tapped into Tom Ford's legacy of elegant erotic provocation. The quasi-performance art display was a modernized interpretation of Tom Ford's risqué Opium ads from his era at Saint Laurent.

Nick Haramis, editor at large: We started to notice, particularly when we were in Milan, a hypersexualized approach.

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