Man In The Background

Exoticism in fashion trades on tropes, one of which I like to call 'Man in the Background'.  A very direct comparison can be drawn between the images below and Gérôme's painting The Snake Charmer (see previous post).  

Specific to the fashion photographs though is the contrast between the latest fashions worn by the models and the timeless ‘ethnic’ garments and non-fashionable clothes worn by the men in the images.  In this way the locals act as foils, included in the photographs to accentuate the modernity of the Western fashions.  In the last image below the contrast is the greatest.  The location for the shoot is the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.  The lone, male figure in the background wears a North African caftan and turban, whilst the model (Linda E) wears a tiny miniskirt and dangerously high heels.  Whilst it is a striking, sexy and seductive image, it is hard not to be struck by the inappropriateness of the outfit, both from a practical and a cultural point of view.  Another striking feature of these images is that there is no interaction whatsoever between the Western models and the non-Western locals.  The locals have become ‘non-people, naturalized fixtures of the landscape’.[1]

‘The Shape of Summer’.  Photograph by Arthur Elgort.  British Vogue,  

June 1994,  © British Vogue

 

‘Style Guide’.  Photograph by Mario Testino.  British Vogue, May 1997,  © British Vogue 

‘More Dash Than Cash’.  Photograph by Mario Testino.  British Vogue,  

March 1993,  © British Vogue

‘Hot Shots’.  Photograph by Arthur Elgort, British Vogue, July 1998,  © British Vogue

AT THIS POINT IT'S WORTH SAYING THAT I DON'T OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO ANY OF THESE IMAGES!  IN EACH CASE, THE RESPECTIVE PUBLICATIONS DOES.  IN NO WAY AM I TRYING TO CLAIM OWNERSHIP!

[1] Kondo, About Face, p. 91.