Fashion Photographer Under Fire for ‘Migrant Chic’ Photo Shoot

Twitter/@NigelBritto
Twitter/@NigelBritto
Kelli Serio

In France, Succès de scandale loosely translates to “no press is bad press.” French fashion line Haute Couture has seized upon Europe’s migrant crisis to sling trendy new digs, and the backlash is grabbing international headlines.

Images featuring models as displaced migrants from Africa and the Middle East, taken by Hungarian photographer Norbert Baksa, have created a storm of protest online, and Baksa is blaming the media.

“I do not understand how people can take a clear stand (pro or con) while we are flooded with contradictory information through the media; so no one has extensive knowledge of the situation as a whole,” he said, via Telegraph.

“This is exactly what we wanted to picture: you see a suffering woman, who is also beautiful and despite her situation, has some high quality pieces of outfit and a smart phone,” he added.

The photo campaign, titled “Der Migrant,” features one topless model in a “faux-peasant garb” standing next to a barbed wire fence while snapping a selfie.
https://twitter.com/DOC_PROVOCATEUR/status/651429488694308864/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another shows a woman in a black Islamic headscarf with high-heels, struggling to break free from riot police.

“Some dude has actually done a fashion photo shoot on the theme of migrants,” wrote an angry Twitter user, who also called it “art gone berserk.”
https://twitter.com/NigelBritto/status/651387227537190912/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

“This is not a parody, just sick,” said another.

“This ‘migrant’ photo shoot quite possibly depicts one of the things wickedly wrong with the world right now,” wrote one more.
https://twitter.com/LouisWitter/status/651394485964939264

While Baksa has defended his migrant-themed photoshoot, the images have now been removed from the photographer’s personal website.

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