# Melancholy Couture Shoots Photographer Jean-Francois Lepage Manufactures Sadness By Ryan Hinkson | Published 2010-11-07 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/photographer-jean-francois-lepage References: [designyoutrust](http://designyoutrust.com/2010/11/06/jean-francois-lepage/) & [whitezine](http://www.whitezine.com/en/photography/jean-francois-lepage.html) Photographer Jean-Francois Lepage has a rare gift; he has the uncanny ability to take something beautiful, make it ugly and still end up with a [beautiful image](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alessandro-micheles). This selection of photos shows models wearing [beautiful clothing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/auteur-studios-fall-2025) in beautiful locations, yet in each image there is something off -- something done deliberately by photographer Jean-Francois Lepage to make the image sadder while retaining its beauty. **Implications** - A simple way for a company or business to appeal to a wider audience is by incorporating aspects that can generate a variety of emotions amongst its consumers. A consumer is much more likely to invest in a product or service to which they feel an emotional or personal connection. Businesses can achieve such reactions by incorporating [highly emotive, shocking or ironic qualities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paranoid-fw25) into their products. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 87% | Activity: 53% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/stylephotography) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Emotive Consumer Experiences:** Businesses can incorporate highly emotive or ironic qualities into their products to create personal connections with consumers. - **Sadvertising:** Advertising that sparks feelings of sadness in consumers is a trend that can be utilized by businesses to create memorable marketing campaigns. - **Subversive Aesthetics:** The trend of intentionally subverting traditional aesthetic standards in art and fashion can be adapted by businesses looking to create unique and memorable branding campaigns. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fashion Industry:** The fashion industry can utilize melancholic aesthetics in their branding to create a unique and impactful image. - **Marketing and Advertising Industry:** The marketing and advertising industry can capitalize on the trend of sadvertising to create emotionally impactful campaigns that resonate with consumers. - **Art Industry:** The art industry can expand on the trend of subversive aesthetics to create thought-provoking and memorable pieces that stand out in a saturated market. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Body Artwork-Inspired Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/body-tattoo.md) - [Bravery-Celebrating Short Films](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/all-is-beauty.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Identity-Exploring Clothing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shapes-we-take.md) - [Monochrome Fashion Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jiyongkim-fw25.md) - [Unique Artistic Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amusebouche.md) - [Surrealist Beauty Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/toiletpaper-magazine.md) - [Concept-Driven Retail Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miya-ando-x-saint-laurent.md) - [Modern Minimalist Apparel Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/auteur-studios-latest-summer-edit.md)