For its spring collection, Californian label Betabrand came up with a truly edgy concept – and they didn’t even need to hire Terry Richardson to execute it. Instead, the clothing brand came up with the radical idea of casting women who either have PhDs or are studying for their doctorate.
In the campaign, a smiley and conventionally attractive female grad models each item of clothing, accompanied by a tagline that informs us exactly where and what she’s studying. Say hi to Ines, a computer engineering grad in a fetching flannel shirt! Or perhaps you’d prefer Kelly in the corduroy jacket, a PhD candidate in neurology at Stanford?
‘Our designers cooked up a collection of smart fashions for spring, so why not display them on the bodies of women with really big brains?’ Betabrand founder Chris Lindland said in a statement. Cue the campaign getting picked up by feminist and fashion blogs alike, racking up plaudits like ‘inspiring’ and empowering.
First off, there is nothing too smart or revolutionary about a flannel button-down (we live in a world where the virtual wardrobe from Clueless has been invented, hello). Second, doesn’t this just play on the age-old cliché about smart women not being into fashion? Why is everyone so surprised and pleased with the campaign – is it because, on some level, we think that it’s impossible for intelligent women to care about how they dress?
Rosie Findlay, a PhD student who blogs as Fashademic, agrees with the basic principle. ‘I thought it was more as if you're into academia, you're not into fashion; I guess it's on the same continuum,’ she tells The Debrief. ‘If you like thinking and learning you don't care about what you wear, and if you're into fashion, you might not be so into learning. It's a pretty basic stereotype.’
And yet it’s one that lingers on. It’s a sad fact of life that any serious fashion fan will eventually run into some judgmental douche who will raise an eyebrow at her extensive magazine collection, love of ‘on-trend’ pieces or encyclopaedic knowledge of designers. Even Guardian columnist Tanya Gold had a go this week saying people who love fashion are superficial, unhappy and pitiable. Oh, and they’re dumb for buying into the whole charade anyway.
But there are plenty of intelligent women in fashion (Miuccia Prada’s not the only one with a PhD). The industry is full of successful, smart women fighting against the stereotype that being interested in clothes doesn’t mean you’re shallow or stupid. Apple didn’t poach Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts because she knew how to wear a nice trenchcoat. So if Betabrand want to look for women with ‘really big brains’ for another campaign, they don’t need to look outside the industry – fashion’s full of them already.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.