The W Magazine May 2014 issue offers a reinterpretation of the all-American 'Dream Girl.' The stereotypical dream girl, as defined by pop culture and patriarchal beauty standards, is a fresh-faced, girl-next-door type who manages to tantalize men while maintaining a general air of innocence. Moreover, the Dream Girl is smart, funny, likable, friendly and generally pretty adorable -- add a generous helping of sex appeal into the mix and you're set.
This W editorial disrupts the stereotype by imagining a darker, edgier, borderline gothic version of the typical dream girl. Instead of tantalizing men, this girl looks like she could eat them for breakfast. The models consisted of Guinevere Van Seenus, Svetlana Zakharova and Daiane Conterato, among others. Makeup expert Pat McGrath did a cinematic makeup look consisting of a lacquered lip, matte eyeshadow and heavy blush.
Benn Hassett photographed the ladies in an editorial that will make you think twice about what you look for in a 'Dream Girl.'
Gothic Dream Girl Editorials
The W Magazine May 2014 Issue Re-Interprets the Classic Dream Girl
Trend Themes
1. Dark Dream Girl - The trend of reinterpreting the traditional 'Dream Girl' archetype as a darker, more gothic figure creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in beauty and fashion industries.
2. Edgy Makeup - The trend of cinematic makeup looks that feature matte eyeshadow, heavy blush, and lacquered lips creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the beauty industry.
3. Subverted Archetypes - The trend of subverting traditional beauty and personality archetypes creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the fashion and entertainment industries.
Industry Implications
1. Beauty - The beauty industry can innovate by creating products and looks that cater to the 'Dark Dream Girl' aesthetic.
2. Fashion - The fashion industry can innovate by designing clothing that complements the 'Dark Dream Girl' aesthetic and subverted archetypes.
3. Entertainment - The entertainment industry can innovate by creating media that features complex, edgy, and subverted representations of traditional archetypes, including the 'Dream Girl'.