Karl Shoots Claudia Schiffer In Blackface, Among Others

by Verena von Pfetten | 1:32 pm, June 3rd, 2010

The 60th anniversary of Stern Fotographie magazine pays tribute to Karl Lagerfeld‘s considerable photography portfolio, though it focuses on his work with muse and supermodel Claudia Schiffer. The issue was published with six different covers, each an image of Schiffer styled in a different theme. There’s Claudia as a Working Girl and Claudia as Marie Antoinette, Claudia as some sort of Stripper in a Cop Costume and Claudia as a Man. And then there’s Claudia as an Asian woman and Claudia as a Black woman.

Shooting a model in blackface is a tried and true tactic of creating controversy and therefore buzz, but that doesn’t necessarily make it any less offensive. And while these images certainly make a case for Schiffer’s versatility of a model (She can look Black! She can look Asian!), it’s honestly just not that interesting.

Though this is Lagerfeld’s first experience with the phenomenon, he is nothing if not known for being provocative — and frankly, we think he could have done better.

The other covers: