Skip to content
1981
Fashion, Erotic and Photography
  • ISSN: 2050-0726
  • E-ISSN: 2050-0734

Abstract

This article examines the subject and visual representation of the English working-class lad as both an identification figure for young, modern-day fashion aficionados and a fantasy figure to a predominantly gay audience. It pays special attention to the character’s clothed and naked body, and its performance down the runway; in recent fashion editorials and British-made gay porn. The article investigates how mostly male British artists view and promote working-class male imagery and specifically how fashion photography of the past two decades frames, produces and articulates stories about social class and class difference in the context of masculinity and nudity, and what do these stories tell us about contemporary models of success, failure, struggle and aspiration in multiracial, present day Britain. By linking the current fashion industry’s fascination with working-class imagery with a similar cultural trend in 1960s Britain, the research aims to establish that today’s fashion image makers share similar tendencies with British Social Realist writers and filmmakers in romanticizing the working class, while sticking to a similar, fabricated aesthetic. This enduring fascination for working-class heroes and all things ‘street’ could become problematic when contextualized with industries and commercial ventures such as fashion, and the promotion of clothing and advertising.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/fspc_00028_1
2021-05-01
2025-02-14
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Abbott, Jeremy. ( 2014;), ‘ Alasdair McLellan brings British boys back into fashion in new book ultimate clothing company. ’, 9 April, https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/3kqbz9/alasdair-mclellan. Accessed 12 October 2017.
  2. Ash, Juliet. ( 2009), Dress Behind Bars: Prison Clothing as Criminality, New York:: I.B. Tauris;.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Bain, Marc. ( 2019;), ‘ Why isn’t streetwear just called “fashion”?. ’, 25 April, https://qz.com/quartzy/1160897/why-isnt-streetwear-just-called-fashion/. Accessed 28 November 2018.
  4. Beaven, Brad. ( 2009), Leisure, Citizenship and Working-Class Men in Britain, 1850–1945, Oxford:: Oxford University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Biressi, Anita, and Nunn, Heather. ( 2013), Class and Contemporary British Culture, London:: Palgrave Macmillan;.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Chilvers, Simon. ( 2015;), ‘ Why the penis is having a moment in men’s fashion. ’, 30 April, https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/apr/30/why-the-penis-is-having-a-moment-in-mens-fashion. Accessed 14 October 2017.
  7. Colaiacomo, Paola. ( 2007), Factious Elegance: Pasolini and Male Fashion, Venezia:: Marsilio Editori;.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Crewe, Louise, and Goodrum, Alison. ( 2000;), ‘ Fashioning new forms of consumption: The case of Paul Smith. ’, in L. Crewe, and A. Goodrum. (eds), Fashion Cultures: Theories, Explorations and Analysis, London:: Routledge;, pp. 2548.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Doron, Itai. ( 2015;), ‘ Queering foreign bodies: Discourse and identity in visual representations of straight migrant men. ’, in I. Doron. (ed.), Ways of Queering, Ways of Seeing, Oxford:: Inter-Disciplinary.Net;, pp. 11547.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Doron, Itai. ( 2016;), ‘ Tinker, soldier, sailor, thief: The visual representations and appropriations of the male sexual outlaw as a gay fantasy figure in the arts and in fashion imagery. ’, Critical Studies in Men’s Fashion, 3:2, pp. 7993.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Eagleton, Terry. ( 2014), Across the Pond: An Englishman’s View of America, New York:: W. W. Norton & Company;.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Eddo-Lodge, Reni. ( 2017;), ‘ Feminism and nudity: Why are the two still at odds?. ’, 9 March, https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/why-is-what-women-do-with-bodies-still-an-issue-reni-eddo-lodge. Accessed 13 December 2018.
  13. Edwards, Tim. ( 2004), Cultures of Masculinity, London:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. The Fawcett Society Online ( 2018;), ‘ #METOO one year on – what’s changed?. ’, The Fawcett Society Online, 2 October, https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/metoo-one-year. Accessed 30 December 2018.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Ferrier, Morwenna. ( 2016;), ‘ How La Haine predicted streetwear fashion. ’, 14 March, https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2016/mar/14/how-la-haine-predicted-streetwear-fashion. Accessed 28 November 2018.
  16. Genius ( 2009), Genius, https://genius.com. Accessed 21 December 2018.
  17. Haggerty, George E.. (ed.) ( 1999), Gay Histories and Cultures: An Encyclopedia, New York:: Garland;.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Hatt, Michael. ( 1999;), ‘ Physical culture: The male nude and sculpture in late Victorian Britain. ’, in M. Hatt. (ed.), After the Pre-Raphaelites: Art and Aestheticism in Victorian England, Manchester:: Manchester University Press;, pp. 24056.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Hill, John. ( 1986), Sex, Class and Realism: British Cinema 1956–1963, London:: British Film Institute;.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Houlbrook, Matt. ( 2006), Queer London: Perils and Pleasures in the Sexual Metropolis, 1918–1957, Chicago, IL:: University of Chicago Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Jobling, Paul. ( 2014), Advertising Menswear: Masculinity and Fashion in the British Media since 1945, London:: Bloomsbury;.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Lawrence, D. H., and Squires, Michael. (eds) ( 2002), The Complete Novels of D. H. Lawrence: Lady Chatterley’s Lover and a Propos of ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’, Cambridge:: Cambridge University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Llinares, Dario. ( 2015;), ‘ Punishing bodies: British prison film and the spectacle of masculinity. ’, Journal of British Cinema and Television, 12:2, Edinburgh:: Edinburgh University Press;, pp. 20728.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. McCabe, Eamonn. ( 2010;), ‘ Brian Duffy obituary. ’, 6 June, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/jun/06/brian-duffy-obituary. Accessed 9 October 2017.
  25. McLellan, Alasdair. ( 2013), Ultimate Clothing Company, London:: Self published;.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Merriam-Webster Online ( [2016] 2017;), ‘ New edition. ’, Merriam-Webster, 1 January, https://www.merriam-webster.com. Accessed 8 October 2017.
  27. Milligan, Lauren. ( 2014;), ‘ Alasdair McLellan’s Yorkshire boys. ’, 14 April, http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/alasdair-mclellan-new-book-ultimate-clothing-company. Accessed 11 October 2017.
  28. Moin, David. ( 2017;), ‘ Abercrombie & Fitch in transition: Change amid a constant culture. ’, 3 April, https://wwd.com/business-news/retail/af-brand-remake-10851141/. Accessed 9 December 2018.
  29. Morrissey, Steven Patrick. ( 1985), The Boy with the Thorn in His Side, London:: Rough Trade;.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Morrissey, Steven Patrick. ( 1988), Everyday Is Like Sunday, London:: HMV;.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Moshakis, Alex. ( 2014;), ‘ An insider’s perspective on Corinne day’s posthumously published book of photographs. ’, 7 August, http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/corinne-day-photographs-may-the-circle-remain-unbroken-posthumously-published-book/. Accessed 7 October 2017.
  32. Muir, Robin,, Donovan, Diana, and Hillman, David. ( 2012), Terence Donovan Fashion, London:: Art/Books;.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. O’Donnell, Mike, and Sharpe, Sue. ( 2000), Uncertain Masculinities: Youth, Ethnicity and Class in Contemporary Britain, London:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Oxford Dictionaries Online ( 2014), Oxford:: Oxford University Press (OUP);, https://www.oxforddictionaries.com. Accessed 6 November 2017.
  35. Richards, Jeffrey. ( 1997), Films and British National Identity: From Dickens to Dad’s Army, Manchester:: Manchester University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Segreti, Giulia. ( 2018;), ‘ Prada plays with classic clothing clichés to create contemporary looks. ’, 20 September, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-fashion-milan-prada/prada-plays-with-classic-clothing-cliches-to-create-contemporary-looks-idUSKCN1M02YU. Accessed 30 December 2018.
  37. Shaitly, Shahesta. ( 2014;), ‘ David Bailey: “Cockneys don’t cry. It’s not for me, all that whingeing and moaning”. ’, 15 February, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/feb/15/david-bailey-this-much-i-know. Accessed 16 October 2017.
  38. Sims, David,, King, Scott, and Heath, Ashley. ( 2012;), ‘ Beyond belief, Sims + King in conversation (also heath). ’, Arena Homme+, ADONIS (DUB), A/W 2011-12, pp. 25253.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Smith, Robert. ( 2010;), ‘ Masculinity, doxa and institutionalisation of entrepreneurial identity in the novel Cityboy. ’, 30 March, http://openair.rgu.ac.uk. Accessed 10 November 2018.
  40. Smith, Rupert. ( 1996), Physique: The Life of John S. Barrington, London:: Serpent’s Tail;.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Storry, Mike, and Childs, Peter. ( 2016), British Cultural Identities, London:: Taylor & Francis;.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Street, S., and Morrissey, S.. ( 1988;), ‘ Everyday Is Like Sunday. ’, Viva Hate, CD-ROM, London:: Warner/Chappell Music, Inc;.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Tebbutt, Melanie. ( 2016), Making Youth: A History of Youth in Modern Britain, Basingstoke:: Palgrave Macmillan;.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Tomlinson, Alan. ( [1990] 2006), Consumption, Identity, and Style: Marketing, Meanings, and the Packaging of Pleasure, London:: Routledge;.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Verdicchio, Pasquale. ( 1997), Bound by Distance: Rethinking Nationalism through the Italian Diaspora, Madison, NJ:: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press;.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Walker, Alexander. ( 2005), Hollywood England: British Film Industry in the Sixties, London:: Orion;.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Woodrow, Emily. ( 2012;), ‘ Model teen’s meteoric rise from council estate to catwalk. ’, 22 July, http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/model-teens-meteoric-rise-council-2027921. Accessed 16 October 2017.
  48. Woods, Faye. ( 2016), British Youth Television: Transnational Teens, Industry, Genre, New York:: Springer;.
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Doron, Itai. ( 2021;), ‘ Kitchen sink erotica: Working-class lads, nudity, aspiration and spectatorship in modern British culture and fashion photography. ’, Fashion, Style & Popular Culture, 8:2&3, pp. 165188, https://doi.org/10.1386/fspc_00028_1
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/fspc_00028_1
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test