By Harshita Bhardwaj P12189126 MA Fashion Management De Montfort University, Leicester

1. http://www.businessoffashion.com/2013/07/top-10-campaigns-of-the-season.html

2. „Semiotics is concerned with everything that can be taken
as a sign‟.
- Eco, 1976 as cited in Daniel Chandler, 2007
„Semiotics involves the study not only of what we refer to
as „signs‟ in everyday speech, but of anything which
„stands for‟ something else. In a semiotic sense, signs take
the form of words, images, sounds, gestures and objects‟.
- Daniel Chandler, 2007

3. Denotation
• Kenzo Autumn/Winter 2013 Campaign
• Starring Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi and
American model Sean O‟Pry.
• Kenzo‟s creative directors Humberto Leon and
Carol Lim teamed up with brains behind arts magazine
„Toilet Paper‟ for this campaign.
• Inspired from Surrealism (unbridled imagination of the
subconscious; surprising and unexpected imagery)
• Innovative, Creative
• Epitome a sense of fun and cheekiness
• Fashionable
• Youthful and Revolutionary spirit
• Exciting and fresh
• Upbeat and Pop culture
• The typography is in the usual font and colour, exhibiting
a definite oriental feel, which has become the signature of
the company.
http://www.hungertv.com/feature/kenzo-toilet-paper-accessories/http:/www.hungertv.com/feature/kenzo-and-toilet-paper-aw13campaign/#

4. Connotation
I think this advertisement has very obvious association with
their eye motif.
Symbolic meaning of eye:
Symbolic meaning of number
zero (Pupil):
http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9958745/Kenzo-designers-reveal-how-their-sell-out-sweatshirts-nearly-didnthappen.html
http://www.lyst.com/bags/kenzo-embroidered-eye-leather-clutch-bag-red/

5. Semiotic Analysis
Signifier
The girl and the boy
The hand
Signifying:
• Sense of awareness
• Sense of freedom
• Looking for something
• Feel of achievement
• Sophistication
• Confident
• Serious
• Studious
• Young
• Powerful
• Focused
Specs
Wide open eyes
Sky

6. Codification
Dress Code:
• New beginning (Start to new thinking)
• Sophistication
• Confident and focused
Colour Code:
• Blue
Dark Blue- Trust, Dignity, Intelligence, Authority
Light Blue- Peace, Serenity, Ethereal, Spiritual, Infinity
• White
Purity, Innocence, Perfection, Wholeness, Completion,
New beginning, Equality, Independence, Neutrality,
Reflective, Growth, Implying fairness
• Red
Passionate, Adventure, Energy, Powerful
Always in top 10 colour trends (Fashionising, 2013)
http://www.colormatters.com/blue
http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-white.html
http://www.colormatters.com/red
White Blue Red

7. Cultural Analysis
• With varied cultures - Kenzo - being interpreted differently in different countries.
• In France- brand will be accepted - symbol of fashion.
• In India- brand will face tough time - psychological barriers.
• In UK- brand has got more potential - people with a more adaptive and
experimentative attitude.
• In US- brand can be accepted - people prefer comfort over fashion.
Third eye
(Hindu culture)
http://www.webonautics.com/mythology/shiva.html

8. Social Analysis
•
•
•
•
•
•
Promises nothing
It doesn‟t encourage you to buy any sort of product
It doesn‟t play with your emotions
No use of offensive pictures (like nude pictures)
It shows insensitivity towards dog and kitten in the pictures below
It can be criticised for Puffery images(exaggerated images that can‟t be proved true
and false)
• It can be criticised for not providing any information (no taglines)
http://www.hungertv.com/feature/kenzo-toilet-paper-accessories/http:/www.hungertv.com/feature/kenzo-and-toilet-paper-aw13-campaign/#

9. Audience
Target Audience for this advertisement is definitely for the young generation.
Alluring to both the sexes.
Through this advertisement:
• playful aesthetics are back to life
• focusing on the signature bold blocks of colour
• airy silhouettes and intricate prints
• with the idea of creating fun
• Cool factor is cemented
• energetic collections
It is also for audience who have eye for fashion and would like to
go with the fashion of volume, colours, fun, creative and innovative.
Humberto in an interview with Harriet Walker, 2013 said,
“The Kenzo customer is youthful in spirit and very confident,”
“They like to have fun. We hope the positive feeling continues.”
http://www.fmvmag.com/after-2012-re-positioning-kenzos-tigers-are-roaring-again/
http://www.stylist.co.uk/fashion/how-kenzo-created-a-monster#image-rotator-1
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/kenzo-it-takes-two-to-make-a-brand-go-right-8555526.html
http://www.abitofsass.com/2013/10/eye-pattern-fashion.html

10. Bibliography (Books)
DANIEL CHANDLER (2007) The basics: Semiotics. 2nd ed. USA: Routledge.
ROLAND BARTHES (2006) The Language of Fashion. Oxford: Berg.
ALISON LURIE (1981) The Language of Clothes. New York: Henry Holt.
MALCOLM BARNARD (2002) Fashion as Communication. 2nd ed. USA: Routledge.
ROLAND BARTHES (1972) Mythologies. London: Jonathan Cape Ltd.

11. Bibliography (Web References)
Lisa Wang (2013) Top 10 Campaigns of the season [WWW] Business of Fashion.
Available from: http://www.businessoffashion.com/2013/07/top-10-campaigns-of-theseason.html [Accessed 08/11/2013]
Fashion (2013) Kenzo and Toilet PaperAW13 Campaign [WWW] Hunger TV. Available
from: http://www.hungertv.com/feature/kenzo-toilet-paperaccessories/http:/www.hungertv.com/feature/kenzo-and-toilet-paper-aw13-campaign/#
[Accessed 08/11/2013]
Isabella Biedenharn (2013) Kenzo teams up with Toilet Paper Mag for Surreal Fall
Campaign [WWW] Fashionista. Available from: http://fashionista.com/2013/07/kenzoteams-up-with-toilet-paper-mag-for-surreal-fall-campaign/ [Accessed 08/11/2013]
Style (2013) Kenzo 2013 Fall/Winter Collection [WWW] Hypebeast. Available from:
http://hypebeast.com/2013/9/kenzo-2013-fall-winter-collection [Accessed 08/11/2013]
Susie Lau (2013) How Kenzo created a Monster [WWW] Stylist. Available from:
http://www.stylist.co.uk/fashion/how-kenzo-created-a-monster#image-rotator-1 [Accessed
08/11/2013]

12. Andrew Roberts (2012) Kenzo aiming to hip again under new leadership [WWW]
Bloomberg. Available from: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-28/kenzo-aimingto-get-hip-again-under-new-leadership.html [accessed 08/11/2012/]
Ella Alexander (2012) Kenzo’s new era [WWW] Vogue. Available from:
http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2012/03/08/kenzo-interview---humberto-leon-and-carol-lim
[accessed 08/11/2013]
Harriet Walker (2013) Carol Lim and Humberto Lean have breathed bright, beautiful new
life into a classic label. Harriet Walker meets them [WWW] The Independent. Available
from: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/kenzo-it-takes-two-tomake-a-brand-go-right-8555526.html [Accessed 08/11/2013]
Symbolic Meaning of Eyes [WWW] What's your sign. Available from: http://www.whatsyour-sign.com/symbolic-meaning-of-eyes.html [Accessed 08/11/2013]
Avenefica (2007) Spiritual Meaning of number Zero [WWW] Symbolic Meaning.
Available from: http://www.symbolic-meanings.com/2007/11/05/spiritual-meaning-ofnumber-zero/ [Accessed 08/11/2013]
The Meanings of Blue [WWW] Color Matters. Available from:
http://www.colormatters.com/blue [Accessed 08/11/2013]

13. The Meanings of Red [WWW] Color Matters. Available from:
http://www.colormatters.com/red [Accessed 08/11/2013]
The Color White [WWW] Empowe yourself with Color Psychology. Available from:
http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-white.html [Accessed
08/11/2013]
Advertising & Branding (2013) Kenzo’s Surreal A/W 13-14 Campaign [WWW] Stylus.
Available from: http://www.stylus.com/svwdhp [Accessed 08/11/2013]
Stefania Zulian (2013) After 2012 Re-positioning, Kenzo’s Tigers are roaring again
[WWW] Fmvmag. Available from: http://www.fmvmag.com/after-2012-re-positioningkenzos-tigers-are-roaring-again/ [Accessed 08/11/2013]
A Bit of Sass (2013) Pattern play: Eye Spy Style [WWW] Available from:
http://www.abitofsass.com/2013/10/eye-pattern-fashion.html [Accessed 08/11/2013]

14. Thank You