While we can't say we're entirely shocked that Terry Richardson recently collaborated with Reebok on an ad campaign for its Fall/Winter 2010 Classics Collection—playing on shock value is often the photographer's modus operandi—it is still a surprise nonetheless. Richardson's provocative images tend to appear in the pages of high fashion magazines rather than advertisements, let alone ones for classic, G-rated brands like Reebok (more images here via Highsnobiety). The majority of the photos feature Richardson's signature white-walled background, and an attractive "hipsterish" boy-girl duo romping around Richardson-style in retro-inspired Reebok wares, including the Paris Runner and the CL Nylon sneakers. If the intention was to lend a fresh perspective to a somewhat dated brand, then consider the campaign a success.
Similarly curious, and perhaps harder to figure out, are Karl Lagerfeld's recent ads for Levi's jeans. We know that Herr Lagerfeld, he of Chanel, Fendi, his own eponymous collection, and a myriad of other fashion-related projects, is a machiine-like jack of all trades for whom the word "rest" has no meaning. And yet, in response to Elle's report that Lagerfeld shoots copious amounts of "random ads, including the recent Levi’s Curve ID campaign with Lykke Li and Pixie Geldof (pictured), a Playboy shoot, and much more — without credit," we're left wondering why.
