Kim Kardashian Channels George Michael ‘Freedom’ Supermodel Angels in New Skims Spot
Kim Kardashian is taking a page from rock legend George Michael by using Victoria’s Secret supermodel angels in her new Skims spot.
Repping her new Skims “Icons” campaign are supermodels Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Candice Swanepoel, who are seeing surrounding Kardashian in a still ad. “OK so I wasn’t supposed to be in this @SKIMS campaign but I stopped by and jumped in because it was too iconic,” she tweeted along with a few photos.
Kardashian “selected all four household names to star in the campaign showcasing the models’ strength, energy, and everlasting allure with imagery that reflects the group’s enduring legacies,” via a Skims release. Adding, the campaign “salutes strong, powerful women, highlighting the high fashion collective’s prestige in shapewear pieces that make all women feel like icons.”
Kim Kardashian makes George Michael moves
Michael had the same thinking when he, like Kardashian, featured the hottest names on the runway in his 1990 video for the song “Freedom.” Supermodels Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Tatjana Patitz starred in the video, which was considered groundbreaking.
Campbell recalled how the video unfolded rather organically. “[Director] David Fincher knew exactly what he wanted,” she told The New York Times. “He didn’t really give us parts, but he knew exactly which part of the song he wanted each and every one of us to sing.”
“I was more the active one,” she added. “Cindy was sultry. I don’t think any of us knew what it would become. We knew the song was a hit, but we didn’t know in any way what effect it would have in terms of videos, the way it would affect people. We were all really excited on the day it was going to be aired. They all had great premieres back in the day.”
Each supermodel earned about $15,000 per day to appear in 1990, which according to ABC News would amount to $30,000 today.
Supermodels recall being in the George Michael ‘Freedom’ video
Crawford revealed why she thinks the video was groundbreaking. “I think this video struck a chord for so many reasons,” she shared during a conversation on Mr.Feelgood. “First and foremost was the song itself and the message and declaration of ‘freedom’ for George himself. It also coincided with the ‘birth’ of the supermodel and brought music and fashion together in an exciting way.
“I was bummed I got stuck in the bathtub and then after with a towel on my head! But you don’t argue with David Fincher – even then. When I look back, I think we were all presented in a way that reflected us individually.”
Turlington added that the video reflected where each woman was in her career (which is similar to the statement Kardashian seems to be making with her Skims spot). “I think the video captures everyone involved at critical junctures in our lives and careers, which none of us could have possibly grasped in the moment, except for George maybe,” she recalled.
“David Fincher had worked on other iconic videos but this was probably one of the last before his movie-making career really took off. The song was an instant classic. Whenever it gets played in a room I am in, I feel eyes turn on me,” Turlington added.
Beyond Kim Kardashian and George Michael, others have used supermodels in ads and videos
“Freedom” may be one of the more famed supermodel moments, but others found success featuring models. For instance, Michael added Evangelista to his “Too Funky” 1992 video on the heels of “Freedom’s” success. The indie rock band Primal Scream featured supermodel Kate Moss in their “Some Velvet Morning” 2003 video release.
Beyoncé had models Chanel Iman, Joan Smalls, And Jourdan Dunn in her “Yoncé” video. Plus, don’t forget about the iconic Chris Isaak video featuring model Helena Christensen. “Helena Christensen was in my Wicked Game video clip in 1990. She was staying with the crew in a cheap hotel across town from where I was staying,” Isaak recalled to The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Her room was crummy compared to mine,” he added. “I told Herb Ritts, the director, that I’d swap rooms and give her the suite with better lighting for her to do her make-up. Around 2 am my girlfriend at the time called and Helena answered the phone. My girlfriend didn’t believe that I wasn’t there and that nothing happened between us.”
