Comments on: Steven Meisel vs. Tom Ford: Who Does Plastic Surgery Best?

By: Beautifully Invisible

Beautifully Invisible — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:20:00 +0000

It definitely makes sense, and you are correct in that they are definitely more of a viewing experience. They are each meant to provoke you – to get some type of reaction out of you.

I think the things that really irks me about Tom Ford’s is that the sexual nature of the shoot overpowers any statement on plastic surgery that he is trying to make. The shoot would have been just as evocative if it had nothing to do with plastic surgery – take away anything related to that, and you still have a hyper-sexualized rendering of Crystal Renn.

I think Meisel’s shoot was more focused, and by drawing attention to the “gore” he really illustrated the unglamorous side of plastic surgery while still allowing the glamorous elements of the shoot to shine through. He managed to do both, while the plastic surgery kind of gets lost in the Ford shoot (in my opinion).

Again, it isn’t that I hate the Ford shoot – I just had much higher expectations!
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By: Beautifully Invisible

Beautifully Invisible — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:58:00 +0000

I agree, I also get the “me too” vibe a bit. I still love the issue as a whole, but this shoot could have been so much more…
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By: Casee Marie

Casee Marie — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Innnteresting! I’m sorry it proved a disappointment to you, though I can definitely understand why it did; I saw the Steven Meisel shoot a while back, but somehow I forgot the details of it. Seeing it a second time I’m realizing that it’s really not an easy thing to look at. Tom Ford’s wasn’t either: it had that little element that revs you up inside and sends the signal to your brain to look away (at least for me). But the Meisel shoot was far and beyond in that respect. And in a totally different context. Tom’s felt more “explicit” in the sexual nature of it, while Meisel’s draws attention to the…well, gore, for lack of a better word. The plastic surgery is definitely the focus of that one, whereas the Ford shoot doesn’t seem to have quite as clear – or maybe not as powerful – of a focus. I don’t think I can say I really “like” either of them because they just don’t seem to be the sort of things one chooses to like, you know? They’re more experiences, reactions, that sort of thing. They both moved me, but they’re not the sort of things I’ll revisit very often. If that makes any sense?

By: Heather Fonseca

Heather Fonseca — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 02:54:00 +0000

You’re right! The newest shoot is also a little “me too”, don’t you think? Like you said, at least bring something new to the concept.

By: Beautifully Invisible

Beautifully Invisible — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:27:00 +0000

That is another thing that disappointed me. Early reports made it seem like the focus of the editorial would be more mature woman, which she certainly is not. I think that would have been more interesting…

I hope they don’t give you nightmares. I find them intriguing, which probably makes me strange! LOL
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By: Beautifully Invisible

Beautifully Invisible — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:26:00 +0000

Exactly… I think the realism is what makes the impact of Meisel’s go above and beyond the Ford editorial.
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By: Beautifully Invisible

Beautifully Invisible — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:23:00 +0000

I agree… they are both disturbing. I think what really sets them apart, however, is what you are left thinking of after you see them.

You see meisel’s and think “plastic surgery”.

You see Ford’s and think “wow, that was raunchy and did Crystal lose weight?” The surgery was overshadowed by everything else.

At least, that is how they impacted me.

Thank you for visiting! Hope you’ll stick around 🙂
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By: Beautifully Invisible

Beautifully Invisible — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 04:20:00 +0000

I know, right? It’s been done before, and better. Oh well – I guess Mr. Ford isn’t perfect after all. 🙂
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By: Marissa

Marissa — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:46:00 +0000

I find both of the editorials utterly creepy, but Meisel’s is far more realistic, making it more disturbing and powerful.
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By: Erika

Erika — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:30:00 +0000

I agree. But I really don’t get why Crystal Renn is supposed to be a cougar. She isn’t old!! And all of those pictures are going to give me nightmares.