This document summarizes a study analyzing images of women in Vogue Italia fashion advertisements over the last 50 years. The study used Goffman's framework to code 1,356 advertisements based on gender stereotypes. It found that 66% portrayed women stereotypically, with 40% depicting "feminine touch" and 28% showing a high degree of nudity. While some categories like relative size and function ranking decreased from the 1980s onward, overall few significant changes in the stereotypical portrayals were found over time. The study concludes that while today's images show a more independent and self-confident "modern woman," the movement towards a balanced gender representation in fashion advertising is still slow.

1. SLOW
MOTION
Paola Panarese, La Sapienza, University of Rome, 21 May 2015
IMAGES OF WOMEN
IN VOGUE ITALIA’S
FASHION
ADVERTISEMENTS
OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS

2. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Introduction
Gender media studies
identified in fashion
magazines a crucial actor
in the production and
maintenance of gender
ideologies (Bordo 1993; Gill 2007;
Goffman 1979 [1976]; Wolf 1991).

3. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Introduction
Goffman (1976) highlighted
the systematic ways in which
men were portrayed in
dominant and powerful
positions relative to
women in advertising

4. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Theoretical frame
Goffman used a frame
analysis, which
focused on the more
subtle clues that
provide messages
about gender relations.

5. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Gender advertisements
Goffman (1979) found that
gender stereotyping in
advertisements occurred in
ways that can be captured
by the following categories:
relative size, function
ranking, feminine touch,
ritualization of
subordination, and
licensed withdrawal.

6. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Methodology
 Content-analysis
 Goffman’s coding scheme,
enriched with new categories
by Kang (1997; body
display), Umiker-Sebeok
(1996; movement and
location), and Lindner (2004)
(objectification),
advertisements general
features, models’ features,
and additional information

7. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Methodology
 The sample consisted
of all the January and
June issues of
Vogue’s Italia from
1965 to 2014.
 Only advertisements
of fashion clothing
and accessories,
cosmetics and
jewelry.

8. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Results
 1,356 advertisements
coded.
 Italian and French
Advertisers.
 Dolce and Gabbana,
Blumarine, Valentino,
Armani and Versace.
 Clothing and accessories
 Colour and photo set

9. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Results
 1,933 models analyzed.
 70% one model
 90% women
 94% young people.
 Slim or skinny, with long
hair, blue eyes, standing,
looking to the reader with a
serious or sexy
expression

10. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Results
 40% of feminine touch
 28% of high degree of
nudity
 15% of licensed
withdrawal
 14% of ritualization of
subordination
 9% objectification
 8% limited movements
June 1977

11. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Results
 66% of the
advertisements portrayed
women stereotypically
with regard to at least one
of the coding categories
June 2000

12. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Results
 Few significant changes
were found over time.
 From the 1980s, there was
a decrease of Relative
Size, Function ranking
and Ritualization of
subordination
January 2000

13. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Feminine touch
59
116
49 80
236
43
38 145
163
427
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
No
Yes

14. January 1975

15. June 1975

16. June 1975

17. June 2004

18. June 2006

19. January 2011

20. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Body display
20 32 30
73
227
82
122
164
170
436
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
No
Yes

21. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Body display
June 1974 January 2003

22. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
Objectification
24 23 11 9
51
78
131
183
234
612
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
No
Yes

23. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
 In 1960s and 1970s
woman depicted as
subject to male
control
June 1975
Objectification

24. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
 The woman of the
2000s appears as
more independent,
bold, self-confident,
but with a focus on
her body
Objectification
June 2007

25. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
In conclusion
 The images of
“modern women”
in the 1980s
emphasized
masculine features
and androgynous
body

26. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
In conclusion
 In the following
decades, a new
"modern woman“was
born
 Boldness, self-
confidence,
narcissism and sex
appeal were its
features
 Attention for the
body increased

27. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
This result is
understandable if we
consider:
 the object of the study
 the channel and form
of communication
analyzed
 the methodology used.
In conclusion

28. Paola Panarese – La Sapienza, University of Rome
The movement of female
figures in fashion
advertising is slow and still
far from a balanced
representation of
gender
Slow motion