Madonna, sexy or trashy in the new Vuitton ads?

This is an old bandwagon already but over at Mademoiselle à Paris, we just received a comment concerning our opinion on Madonna’s recent Vuitton campaign that made me think about it a little bit more.

Is Madonna sexy or trashy in this picture?

Sure, Pilates and her other fitness endeavours have kept her in a shape I can only wish for myself when I reach her age.

Madonna is usually the standard of the sexy, glam, daring, post-30 years old woman… Someone to look up to thinking “wow, I hope I’m in as good shape when I’m 50!” For the first time, women past 30 – because let’s be honest here, age comes into play – have sexy role-models to show them that the world is still their oyster. But this isn’t what I’m talking about either.

She’s a consummate professional with a long and diverse career portfolio, from writing books to directing movies. Succes may not have been met each time but she’s always reinvented herself in the now with great success. I’m not a fan but you’ve got to hand it to her, she’s done great for herself and has a lot of talent.

But does her talent or beauty give her a free pass to being golden in everything?

I don’t think so.

This ad, from the same campaign, is really sexy. But the one where she reclines on the bench wearing knickers over fishnets and her legs splayed?

Porno chic is very now, I hear. Everyone does it from French Vogue to American Apparel.

This isn’t about whether Madonna is still centerfold material or not. This is about a Vuitton ad, which should give us (as viewers and potential buyers) a feel of the brand.
Sexy, sure! Classy? This crotch display is just about as classy as Tom Ford’s perfume ad.

My point is, Madonna’s ad spell anything I (the vapid female who will lemming out to get something after seeing an ad) identify with. It doesn’t spell sexy, it scream hooker ch(ic)eap. Fishnets and the pose are fine… but the panties? Oh, the humanity!

It doesn’t matter if it’s Madonna or some 20 year old model, really. If I’d wanted to have female crotches in my face this graphically, I would have either embraced a gynecological career or bought Playboy. Of course, this is just my opinion, YMMV.