Back in the ’80s, Absolut Vodka did ads that were so fabulous that we used to rip them out of magazines and tape them to our college-dorm walls. In 1985, Andy Warhol participated in an art-themed series of ads.
Absolut launched a fashion series in 1988 with a custom-designed dress by David Cameron. I know what you’re thinking: “WHO?!” Cameron won the CFDA‘s first Perry Ellis Emerging Talent Award in 1986, while he was still in his 20s. (The emerging talent award is now sponsored by Swarovski; the 2010 womenswear award went to Jason Wu .) Like a lot of young, exalted designers of that era — and this era, for that matter — Cameron quickly went out of business, as did many of the other hot designers who participated in the Absolut campaign. But maybe the Absolut experience shined a light on his new career path, because he reportedly went into fashion advertising, where his work includes Revlon’s Halle Berry Fabulash campaign.
The Absolut Cameron ad, featuring long-legged Rachel Williams and shot by Steven Meisel, was seared into my memory. Once in a while, I look it up … and now I’m sharing it with you.
Doesn’t she look strong? I loved the Glamazon era of modeling.
UPDATED TO ADD: Rachel hit the runway for Giles Deacon in 2009.
The scores .. it was total McDonalds Happy Meals for fashion people (fashionista, oh please). Loved this, drank this …
someone did stockings.
Why why why can’t this come back?
Really? It has been that long since the Absolute ads came out??? Where does time go??
Great advertising, I love the last poster, the dress rocks!
these are fab indeed!
xoxo
Oh, I loved those models, too. Rachel Williams, Elle Macpherson, shot by Gilles for Elle – love!
I used to have a “girl crush” on Kim Alexis. I miss the good old days of strong models as well…
I loved those ads! They were so stark and beautiful in their simplicity.
Euw.. actually I was thinking David Cameron are wretched prime minister but obviously, not the same man!
I was going to mention that but I was so exhausted when writing this post, I couldn’t bear to go back and insert another phrase!
I was reading The House of Versace and obviously got thoroughly obsessed. So I went online and just searched for all the Supermodel videos I could find. The models were just so goddamn perfect. Not just Naomi, Linda, Christy and Cindy. I mean Tatjna and Amber and all the others. I mean, wow.
Have you seen Yasmeen? She’s amazing, one of my faves.
Those shots are absolutely amazing. I think they’re timeless.
Ive always loved Absolut advertising 🙂
Char x
Oh, I remember that ad well! But I can no longer search for RW images online. Every time I do, my computer finds a virus! Sigh.
Oh wow I remember those ads! Loved those models! They had bodies that were curvy, strong, and they had personalities to match. Even better is how some have come back and they put today’s models to shame (although some have succumbed to today’s thinner ideal, boo!) I will never forget when I had my flea market biz — they had no problem whipping off their clothes to try on clothing at my booth and we got an eyeful of some major supermodel bod! Those glamazons actually were quite slender in person, which really makes me wonder about today’s uber-thin models… after all, the camera does add weight & the finished product is still skin & bones ):
Yes, I loved that ad. I was obsessed with getting my legs to look like that.
I really admired Rachel Williams. Strength. Yes.
The dress is pretty cool, too.
Love it! <3
when i was little my dad had all different absolut ads lined up on the wall in our basement, college dorm style. hello, nostalgia! and now i’m thinking my dad was really cool 🙂
ape-z.blogspot.com
Thank you, I’m now falling in love with her all over again! So bad-ass.
They need to bring this modeling era back! beautiful
This just goes to show that you were a lot cooler than I was in college; I had the Periodic Table of the Elements on my wall.