Nearly a year after a partially nude FKA Twigs starred in a Calvin Klein campaign, the ad was banned in the U.K. as it apparently made the singer a “stereotypical sexual object.”
The artist responded to the ban on Wednesday, taking to social media to share her thought. “I do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object’ that they have labelled me. i see a beautiful strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine,” wrote Twigs on Instagram alongside an image of the ad.
She continued, “In light of reviewing other campaigns past and current of this nature, i can’t help but feel there are some double standards here. so to be clear… i am proud of my physicality and hold the art i create with my vessel to the standards of women like josephine baker, eartha kitt and grace jones who broke down barriers of what it looks like to be empowered and harness a unique embodied sensuality.” Twigs thanked Calvin Klein for giving her “a space to express myself exactly how i wanted to,” adding, “I will not have my narrative changed.”
The Calvins or Nothing ad, which debuted in April 2023, featured Twigs naked, draped only in loosely fitting shirts. The image — which showed the side of Twigs’ buttock and breast — drew complaints to the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority, which ultimately ruled this week that the Twigs ad cannot be displayed or published in its current form again.
“The ad used nudity and [centered] on FKA twigs’ physical features rather than the clothing, to the extent that it presented her as a stereotypical sexual object,” the ASA said in their decision. “We therefore concluded the ad was irresponsible and likely to cause serious [offense].”
However, the ASA also deemed a similar Calvin Klein campaign featuring Kylie Jenner — which also drew complaints — acceptable.
Calvin Klein previously defended the campaign in a statement (via the Guardian), “The images were not vulgar and were of two confident and empowered women who had chosen to identify with the Calvin Klein brand, and the ads contained a progressive and enlightened message.”
In March 2023, Twigs spoke to Rolling Stone about the provocative ad campaign. “You’re literally stripping bare for the public,” Twigs said. “Physicality right now is such a huge point of discussion,” nodding to fashion’s inconsistency to encompass all body types. Though recent years showcased a burgeoning change amongst luxury and retail brands, the last few months have felt like a regression. “We’ve gone from enhanced female body parts to now everyone being obsessed with being so thin.”
The singer added, “I’m always excited to create iconic imagery that will stay in people’s minds. For me, that comes from telling the truth. People can feel that; it stays with them because it’s an emotional and visceral reaction.”
This article was updated on Jan. 10 at 11:32 p.m. E.T. to include a statement from FKA Twigs.