Understanding Postmodern Consumer Culture through Fashion Adveytisements: Deconstruction of Calvin Klein's Fashion Advertisements

The main focus of this study is to understand realities of postmodern consumer culture by deconstructing fashion advertisements, Calvin Klein's ck One and cK be. The metaphysics of critical theory, visual and textual analysis are used to deconstructing the ads applying one of the postmodern cultural critics, Baudrillard' s notion of hyperreality. Through deconstructing the ads five postmodern characteristics representing hyperreality were found. First, there is no message regarding functional characteristics of the product offered in the ad, which is far from the modernist's utilitarian Point of view. Hyperreality in Postmodern consumer culture is consumption centered and focuses on the product's symbolic meanings. Second, especially for cK be, the ad uses atypicai, irrelevant models and images, which are introduced as a concept of ‘real people’ rather than the ideal person or body type. Third, there are transformations of the meanings from cK one to cK be such as the notions of globalization and gender which clearly represent ongoing reality in the Postmodern culture. Fourth, there are hidden meaning of hedonism and relativism, which are prevalent in postmodern ideology. Finally, models' bodies are used to convey messages as well as form the ground and figure in the ad that is a significant characteristic of postmodern consumer culture. In conclusion, the study of Calvin Klein's fashion ads supports the notion that advertising mirrors reality in postmodern consumer culture, which is hyperreality.