Style Check: The overexposure of Terry Richardson
If you've flipped through his coffee table book, you've probably seen more of Terry Richardson than you'd ever like to. Not only does he relish going the full monty, but shoots himself often engaging in sexual or suggestive acts with his models. Yet - lucky us - we are seeing more of him this season, on billboards as the face for Japanese denim and streetwear label Evisu.
The fashion and celebrity photographer, who is as famous for his apparent sexual proclivities as his overexposed "gonzo" style of photography, landed himself in hot water again this year as several of his former models accused him of sexual assault. Allegations against him started as early as 2005, but these - publicised in the , , the online magazine Jezebel and other media outlets - have gathered serious momentum.
You do wonder if it was wise for Evisu to keep Richardson in his starring role
So, you do wonder if it was wise for Evisu to keep Richardson in his starring role in its autumn-winter campaign alongside the scantily dressed model Eniko Mihalik. Posing playfully against his "signature" white background, the pair strike silly, spontaneous poses. For many who have rallied against what they see as Richardson's perversions and abuse of power, the refusal in the fashion industry to address this comes as a slap in the face.
Richardson seems to be donning many hats of late, some reluctantly. Whether you think of him as a fashionable photographic genius, noted pervert, or hipster pornographer (my preference), he remains one of fashion's most controversial figures.
The accompanying Evisu press release comes with a short and shallow Q&A with the famed photographer, in which he offers nuggets of insight such as: "I started shooting on a white wall around 20 years ago as a way to harness the energy of New York City into a studio setting", when asked about his "signature" style. Right.
As you can probably tell, I'm not too impressed with Richardson. His conduct seems sketchy and sleazy at best, though it must be said that he has been sued but never criminally charged.
These issues aside, I stopped being interested in his work in my mid twenties. However, controversy courts attention, and additional eyes are on the Evisu campaign because of Richardson's infamy. I'd argue, however, that not all publicity is good publicity.
