I've always loved L.S Lowry. I distinctly remember learning about him in primary school and then crafting my own Lowry-inspired scene with matchstick figures and a muted palette. Several years later, a new creative campaign celebrates the artist, but not in the way you might imagine.
Luxury menswear brand Private White V.C has launched its new Private White V. C x The Lowry menswear collection, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. The campaign focuses on one of Lowry's most famous paintings, A Street Scene, St Simon's Church. The original painting was created while Lowry was sitting on the steps of Cottenham House, which today houses Private White V.C's factory. The painting has been reimagined by Manchester artist Mel Champs, and extended to include the factory. So far, so normal. But look closely at the scene and you'll see that the figures in it are all wearing clothing from Private White V.C's menswear collection.
This collection was developed in collaboration with visual arts charity The Lowry, launched by The Growth Foundation and aims to celebrate Manchester's rich cultural heritage. “We’re presenting the Lowry-inspired collection in a bold way that at first looks bleak and cold, but that, upon a closer look – as with Lowry’s work – reveals depth, craft and beauty," says Jamie Romain, chief creative officer at the Growth Foundation. "By placing Private White V.C.’s historic factory within Lowry’s iconic industrial scenes, we’ve found a way to celebrate both Northern history and modern craftsmanship. It’s a campaign we’re really proud of – as well as being a beautifully executed idea, we know it will also deliver business growth, which is always our goal.”
You can see more of the campaign in the video below.
This is certainly a clever piece of marketing. The models in the painting mimic the postures and silhouettes of Lowry's men and the clothes created match Lowry's aesthetic perfectly. But I do find it slightly unsettling. It feels like it could be the beginning of something, where classic artwork is reimagined to help meet a brand's bottom line. Will we soon see Airbnbs advertising themselves in Van Gogh's Starry Night, or the Mona Lisa promoting a new brand of makeup?
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