Ralph Lauren admits it needs Photoshop lessons

I've never seen Ralph Lauren in real life, but when he appeared on "Friends" a few years ago, he looked somewhat diminutive and not entirely in the first bloom of slenderness.

So I wonder what he might have thought when a recently produced Ralph Lauren ad seemed to feature a model who last ate in 2004 and clearly enjoyed the attention of a plastic surgeon whose diet consisted entirely of mushrooms from the magic department of his local supermarket.

(Credit: Ralph Lauren via Boing Boing)

Those assiduously nourished people at Photoshop Disasters were rather taken with this image, in the way one might be taken by e-coli.

Then the no doubt body-conscious folks at Boing Boing joined in the dissing of the disproportionate.

Please, take a look at the picture and consider how it is that the model in question seems to have as parents a cabbage and a centipede.

It seems Ralph Lauren's first reaction was, as with all power-dressers, to go for the DMCA takedown. Threats were tossed like post-party purses at dawn.

However, now I am delighted to report that substance has finally won over style.

According to those perfectly proportioned playthings at Extra, Ralph Lauren has gurgitated a mea gulpa: "For over 42 years we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman's body."

Which still makes one wonder what processes, mental as well as organizational, were enjoyed in the production of this piece.

Still, the Ralph Lauren spokesmodel continued: "We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately."

I am very much looking forward to that, as I need new underwear and a jacket to ward off the coming rains.

The thing is, though, I'm not so fond of those large logos. Perhaps Ralph Lauren could make them a little smaller?

[stepyourgameup]

I think she looks hot. But she is no Jasmine France.

[Bakkster]

Looks like they completely missed the point. The issue wasn't just that they did a horribly obvious photoshop job, it's that they went after fair-use criticism of the advertisement with a DMCA takedown request. Making ads that don't get criticised isn't the solution, it's not using the DMCA to bully your critics.

[cdwilliams1]

Bakkster is right on. Not only was producing the ad boneheaded move #1, The Photoshop Disasters site reproduced the image for the sake of criticizing it and fostering a discussion (covered undeer fair use and is completely legal). RL's legal team immeadiately sent out a DMCA takedown notice to BoingBoing's CANADIAN ISP - boneheaded move by RL #2. First of all Canada isn't subject to US law, and second of all in the takedown notice the lawyer said they had a "good faith belief" that this was an infringing material. Any decent lawyer would know that this is fair use. RL tried to strong arm a criticism of itself using the DMCA. BoingBoing responded appropriately. They stood up for fair use and the abuse of the DMCA. Kudos to them for doing the right thing. So RL apologized for the ad. That's nice but that wasn't the point. The point was that legal departments shouldn't be threatening ISP's and blogs with takedown notices just because they don't like what is printed about them.

[sanenazok]

My favorite part was looking at one of the blogs that's devoted to this sort of low quality editing. At first it's somewhat amusing, but after 10 minutes I've had enough of their wining about "image literacy." People, move on already, it's just poor editing done by interns or the outsorced marketing department. Geez, such a furor over this.

[lvcsslacker]

"Make her small. No, smaller! Come on man, make her tiny! a bit more... THERE WE GO!"

"Uhh.. she'll snap in half..."

"You're fired"

[atomD21]

That's funny!

[ca5ter]

This is the result of an unmanaged client. Or a person that has a thing for twigs.

[Seaspray0]

This is beyond an obsession with thin. People, take note. Not even the anorexic models are skinny enough to be displayed in the photos... they have to be photoshopped as well. How about Ralph Lauren restoring the caliber of reality to his pictures by dumping the photoshopping altogether.

[ikramerica--2008]

Exactly. Or how about a disclaimer, large enough to be readable by anyone, on any ad where the model has been photoshop. After all, they are attempting to SELL us something, right? And don't we have specific laws that are meant to protect the consumer? If computer monitor manufacturers and retailers are required to include a "simulated image" disclaimer, why not here?

"Warning: model may be more human than she appears."

[Dan7637]

anorexic *****

[Jack K1]

Note the use of the weasel word "art work" - as opposed to "photograph". A photoshopped image is "art work". Basically, they're promising to try and do a better job getting away with it - that is all.

[wired_x]

'Artwork' is a common term used by graphic designers to describe the total layout design, which may include photographs

[KattM]

It pains me to think of how many women over the years have seen Ralph Lauren models and as a result were determined that they would make themselves look the same way. Could Mr. Lauren and his company be responsible for the anorexia, etc that these women have suffered? And how many women have actually died because they were trying to look like a Ralph Lauren model??? It MUST stop and it MUST stop now! They have sickened and killed many of our generation and are now doing the same to our children. How many fiesty, good attorneys are out there willing to take on the Industry? Go for it!

[lordmorgul]

Oh please. Yes, there are issues with our body type culture, but Ralph Lauren posting pictures of abnormally skinny women is no more responsible for anyone dying of compulsive disorders than I am responsible for it when I don't ask out every slightly overweight woman I see. They are responsible for their own choices, whether that is to not eat enough or to eat too much.

If we had a culture of taking responsibility for our own condition perhaps fewer people would have these disorders in the first place. Placing blame on others for everything we do not want to deal with is what is sick. Stop doing it.

[Shinobi2099]

Yeah stop crying. Is McDonald's to blame for every person that is overweight? No, The same goes for ralph lauren and any other clothing store. Lane Bryant targets bigger women so it uses bigger women, RL targets younger people so it uses in shape women and men to promote their look. Sometimes the models don't eat enough and that's there problem. And if someone starves themselves to the point of death it's usually their own mental dilema that should be addressed not the clothing indistry. lol you PHAIL.

[busybody]

Ralph Lauren Holocaust Fashion tribute.
I guess he aims for Mass starvation victims, pretty interesting market niche if you ask me.

[muskratboy]

i agree with the author that those new polo guys are FREAKING HUGE AND STUPID.

*** RL? what happened to the normal size polo guy?

that new huge logo is really ugly and stupid. why you gotta try so hard?

[shycelticwitch]

That is what you get when you put a high end design program like Photoshop into the hands of amateurs. I will be submitting my resume to Ralph Lauren for their art department. Unlike Penthouse, at least I'd get to work with models who have clothes on.

[Chukwudi]

hmmm... I might bring this up in my classroom.