May 18, 2016
Miley Cyrus for Marc Jacobs
U.S. fashion label Marc Jacobs is showing its support for women’s health with help from two female artists.
The brand worked with pop singer Miley Cyrus and visual artist Marilyn Minter to create a pair of t-shirts bearing a pro-choice message. While federal funding for Planned Parenthood and the legality of abortions is debated frequently in national politics, Marc Jacobs did not shy away from what could be perceived as a controversial topic.
"Minter's original portraits of Miley for Planned Parenthood are gorgeous," said Paul Farkas, co-founder and CEO, Athleisure Mag andAccessory2. "Add in Marc Jacobs, who is quite known for creating statement style for causes, and a dynamite trio of talent is formed to proudly champion promotion for change.
"True collaborations are indeed all about shared values; here they join creative forces to fashionably push forward their beliefs at a time where there is much need and debate to take stances on this and a multitude of issues," he said. "T-shirts make great fodder for such 'awearness,' they can aid financially at an accessible level and spread the message at events through socialite circles, in the streets and of course across-platform media socially."
Mr. Farkas is not affiliated with Marc Jacobs, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Marc Jacobs Intl. did not respond before press deadline.
Teaming up
Marc Jacobs’ limited-edition t-shirts for men and women, retailing exclusively through its boutiques and ecommerce site, feature depictions of Ms. Cyrus behind a fogged up pane of glass. One features a close-up of her face, as she sticks her tongue out. For the other, she appears behind the words “pro-choice” written on the frosted glass, kissing the space where one of the O’s would be.
T-shirt design
The shots featured on the shirts were captured by Ms. Minter. Marc Jacobs invites consumers into the photo shoot atmosphere and the making of the shirts through short videos shared on its Instagram account and Web site.
Consumers can watch as Ms. Cyrus uses her finger and tongue to write across the glass or witness the printing process as a blank t-shirt turns into a canvas for photography.
Miley Cyrus x Marilyn Minter for Planned Parenthood
One hundred percent of net proceeds from sales of the $50 shirts will go to Planned Parenthood, an organization whose mission includes educating, providing health care and advocating for women’s reproductive rights.
With the election season in full swing, Planned Parenthood's fate, including its national funding, rests on which political party gains control of the presidency. The organization is spending $30 million on a campaign to prevent anti-abortion Republican frontrunner Donald Trump from winning, mobilizing volunteers to run a grassroots initiative, according to the Huffington Post.
This is not the first time that Ms. Cyrus has worked with Marc Jacobs. The label cast her in its spring/summer 2014 campaign, and it also teamed up to raise awareness for skin cancer with a t-shirt design depicting the pop star in the nude (see story).
With its own notoriety and Ms. Cyrus' celebrities, the t-shirts attracted the attention of Ellen DeGeneres, who wore one of the designs on her eponymous talk show.
Cause-based controversy
Marc Jacobs is not afraid to push boundaries for a good cause.
The label helped Playboy celebrate its 60th anniversary by creating an exclusive t-shirt with an image of supermodel Kate Moss in a bunny suit.
The t-shirt was based on Ms. Moss’s limited-edition cover for the magazine, and as be sold on the Marc Jacobs ecommerce Web site, as well as in its Bookmarc bookstores, with proceeds benefiting amFAR. With this risqué partnership, Marc Jacobs was able to position itself as a brand that pushes the envelope, and pique interest in the brand and its Bookmarc stores (see story).
Marc Jacobs also used its brand visibility to show that every mother counts.
Ahead of Mother’s Day May 8, Marc Jacobs teamed with nonprofit organization Every Mother Counts, founded by model Christy Turlington Burns. The mission of Every Mother Counts is to inform, engage and mobilize consumers to take action and raise funds to support maternal health programs around the world (see story).
"The $50 price-point is right in line with purpose and goals here and full proceed donation is always wonderful to see," Mr. Farkas said. "There have too many scandals over the years where only minimal unknown amounts are passed over for impact.
"Sexy video content that authentically promotes pro-choice and views into how the shirts are made are great additional choices for shareable content," he said. "This is where the uncanny power of strategic transmedia expression can come alive - where art crosses over with fashion, sold through ecommerce, while experientially paraded in real-life through celebrity circles and amplified with companion social video, messaging and other touch-points."
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