It appears Prince Harry is not the only one facing problems because of nude pictures – shoe designer Brian Atwood is too. The latest ad campaign for famed shoe brand Brian Atwood has been banned from the streets of New York City due to its mildly sexual imagery.

Shoe brand Brian Atwood was told to remove a billboard-size image from outside their soon-to-open store by the building’s owners due to its content described as unsuitable for public eyes. The campaign poster, which was to be displayed outside the new boutique at 655 Madison Avenue in Manhattan’s Midtown, stars Victoria’s Secret supermodel Candice Swanepoel. The banned billboard-image shows the supermodel dressed in a black basque, hold-up stockings and sexy leopard-print high heels with a leg on each side of two bare-chested men. Candice is cavorting with her two nude male companions on a couch.

The owners of the building thought the huge poster, just one of four from the brand’s racy autumn/winter 2012 campaign, shot by photographer duo Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, was provocative, even though it was showing nothing more than long legs and sexy heels. The shoe brand has now replaced the billboard with a toned-down picture of a woman’s legs, approved by the owners of the building.

According to New York Post, the large-scale advertising campaign not only has been banned from the facade of Atwood’s Madison Avenue store, but from New York City’s ‘Taxi TV’ screens as well. A film version of the ad, that was due to air on screens in New York taxis, has also not been approved by the companies that provide TV content for the Taxi and Limousine Commission. The film features Victoria’s Secret supermodel getting naked down to nothing but for a pair of boots, while she’s watching a wall of screens, showing porn.

Instead, a behind-the-scenes teaser of Atwood’s campaign will be aired directing viewers to Brian Atwood’s official website, where the original full film will play. The Taxi and Limousine Commission’s representatives told that the film wasn’t banned due to their decision, but that private vendors were responsible for its rejection.

This ad campaign is a first for the designer, whose creations are quite popular among celebrities including Kate Hudson, Victoria Beckham, Rachel Weisz and Jessica Biel. The banned images will be published in the September issues of Vogue, W, V Magazine and CR Fashion Book. The designer himself described his ‘the sex is in the heel’ themed film, as ‘sexually charged’. His inspiration for his spring 2013 collection is going to be the ankle, explaining that “There is something so sexy about this part on a woman, and these celebrate that.” His Madison Avenue boutique is only going to be the first out of many around the world.

This is not the first time a fashion brand’s advertisement has to be withdrawn. Calvin Klein, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci and Tom Ford have all had ads banned due to nudity, provocative images, sexual implications and violent messages. The history of fashion has shown that banned ads become a success, so no worries for Brian Atwood.

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About the author

Joanna Fytopoulou
I am a book lover, an internet geek, a blogger, a day dreamer and an utterly optimistic. If you want to contact me: joanna.fytopoulou@toonarimedia.com