Graffiti Artist Kidult Strikes at Céline’s Paris Storefront (Forum Buzz)

It seems that graffiti artist Kidult wasn’t too thrilled by Céline’s Spring 2011 ad campaign photographed by Juergen Teller featuring Daria Werbowy and Stella Tennant modeling the collection while posing with skateboard decks. Kidult is supposedly behind the tagging of Céline’s Paris storefront with a big messy pink paint “SK8”, a departure from his usual “KID” tag. Fashion Spot forum members for the most part didn’t find the “art” amusing.

 
“This is not graffiti, this is vandalism. I hope he pays for his acts,” wrote Marc10.
 
ScarlettLover agreed posting, “I don’t consider this graffiti either, it’s just cruel defacing. And for a really petty reason at that.”
 
Some skeptical forum members thought that the graffiti might have been a clever marketing ploy by Céline, or at least that it will work in the brand’s favor. “Whoever’s done this should be getting paid for it,” tigerrouge asserted, “because they’ve brought the company publicity without doing any harm to their brand, and a bit of spray-paint doesn’t prevent people from still being able to enter the store.”
 
 
Seamnoir actually appreciated the passion behind the action of tagging Céline’s storefront. “I am a huge fan of the house of Celine,” she posted. “I guess I stand alone, but I think it’s pretty rad. [Kidult] got his message across, didn’t he? I think our generation lacks passion, especially when it comes to activism. I’m not saying that I agree with the way he chose to express himself [nor am I] attempting to vindicate his crime, but he’s probably opposed to the fashion industry stealing underground street culture, appropriating it (i.e. swagger jacking), and then shamelessly marketing it as exclusive (read: luxe pricing) to mass audiences.”
 
Kidult obviously had a point he wanted to make and he did it in a way that made sense to him, but I think maybe it backfired a little bit. He seems to be saying to Céline, “You want some street cred and insight into skate culture? I’ll go ahead and give you some with this graffiti.” Shouldn’t we all be striving to make the world a better, more beautiful place? In the end this graffiti vandalism just looks ugly.
 

Images: highsnobiety.com via the Fashion Spot forums. 

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