Many people believe a picture is worth a thousand words and the fashion industry is a prime example of this maxim in practice. Recent images depicting violence in fashion have made these pictures and words highly controversial. The multi-million-dollar fashion industry employs violence in marketing campaigns and individual ads for products on a regular basis. Most consumers do not consciously think about the fashion industry as a medium for the expression of violence, but fashion ads utilize violence more than one might at first imagine. Sexualized violence is the most common type that appears in fashion publications. Major fashion houses such as Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, and Gucci have released campaigns that portray women in situations highly suggestive of violence. The present research explores the motivation of using violent imagery in fashion advertising and the effects this imagery has on consumers. Gestalt theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) inform the present analysis. The world’s prettiest industry has a surprisingly close relationship with the realm of media violence.
