Blog 5- The End of an Era

http://www.lifelounge.com.au/photography/news/davide-sorrenti-and-heroin-chic-.aspx

On February 4, 1997 the overdose of Davide Sorrenti brought even more light to the controversy surrounding the heroin chic look.  Within the following months, antidrug groups expanded from just parent led groups to designer groups, President Bill Clinton spoke out about the issue and magazine editors were starting to agree with the downside of this trend.

President Clinton addressed the issue by saying that the glorification of drugs is not a necessary factor for selling clothes. He talked about how the fashion world took something that was once looked down on when he was a child and made it an inspiration for many. He went on to say that heroin is not creative and it is not art but rather an ugly and destructive drug. President Clinton spoke out about the rise of heroin and fall of cocaine. He said that young people had access to the heroin chic images and because of that they were influenced to partake in the recreational use of it.  (Blanchard, 1997)

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/03/are-secret-clinton-white-house-tapes-lost-to-history/

“When the President of the United States states it, he states it even louder. It will have an effect. This is going to be everywhere tonight and tomorrow, and you'd have to be crazy not to listen.'' -Patrick McCarthy, Editorial director for W Magazine (Blanchard, 1997)

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/heroin-chic/

And Patrick McCarthy was right about that. Shortly after the death of Davide and the speech given by President Clinton, Designers Against Addiction was formed. 13 British designers made up this group and went around campaigning and speaking out against heroin chic. Stella McCartney and John Galliano are a couple of designer names that you might know who were actively involved in this group. Designers Against Addiction stressed the fact that fashion has a huge impact on society and that the heroin chic look was sending negative images for young girls to look to.  Instead of promoting this negative way of life, the fashion world should be promoting healthiness. They were quick to say that heroin was not glamorizing or chic but instead a real life disease. (Blackstock, 1997)

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2013/10/kate-middleton-dazzles-at-charity-gala/

Many argued that the fashion world was making drug use acceptable by promoting these kinds of images.  Designers Against Addiction worked with the charity Action Against Addiction to campaign against heroin chic. Action Against Addiction is still actively participating in the research, treatment and education of addiction all while supporting families who are dealing with addiction. In 2013 fashion influence Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton attended an event hosted by Action Against Addiction.

With the rise of anti-heroin chic groups, magazine editors started turning down images that reflected drug use and abuse. They were quick to tell photographers that they did not want any images that promoted this kind of lifestyle. In 1999 the heroin chic eventually fizzled out when Gisele Bundchen stepped onto the scene.

http://img179.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=46943_vogue5_122_336lo.jpg

Out with the little girl waif-like appearance, sexy was back in the form of curves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gisele_Bundchen5.jpg

Sources:

Blackstock, C. (1997, October 12). The ugly side of heroin chic. The Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-ugly-side-of-heroin-chic-1235403.html

Blanchard, T. (1997. May 23). A smack in the face for the gurus of heroin chic. The Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/a-smack-in-the-face-for-the-gurus-of-heroin-chic-1262928.html

Spindler, Amy. (1997, May 20). A death tarnishes fashion's 'heroin look'. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/20/style/a-death-tarnishes-fashion-s-heroin-look.html

Wren, C. (1997. May 22). Clinton calls fashion ads' 'heroin chic' deplorable. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/22/us/clinton-calls-fashion-ads-heroin-chic-deplorable.html