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Ad for
Kotex sanitary napkins,
April 1932, U.S.A.
Delineator magazine,
Kimberly-Clark
Edward Steichen, a famous
photographer, took a series of
photos that Kotex used in
advertisements in the 1920s and
30s. This ad probably forms a part
of that series.
This ad rivals the famous Modess . . .
because series in elegance.
Maybe an attempt to dignify
something most people hate.
BUT you'll find these men
and more in much later
advertising - in evil
Europe,
of course, not in
clean-cut, right-thinking
America, where they hide.
And not just in Europe, in
France,
a country many members of the
U.S. Congress and a certain
political party scorn for its,
well, French ways!
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Below: The
black-and-white ad measures 10 1/2 x
13 1/2" (26.7 x 34.3 cm)
showing the size of the beautiful
magazines of the era.
The photo at top left has been
heavily retouched - look at her hand
and face - maybe to bring it closer
to the woman next to her. A bad job.
"Alert eyes" the caption says. She
looks about to slump forward onto
the floor.
The fearful look on the woman at
right contrasts with the calmer
(sleepier?) Kotex workers.
No telling when you'll need a pad so
the woman brought a box of Kotex
with her, which might explain her
look. "I hope nobody notices it!"
What a silly idea the ad maker had.
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Below:
Edward Steichen took this
shot of future photographer
Lee Miller, which Kotex
employed for the March 1929
issue of the Delineator. You
can see similarities to the
style of the photo above.
Larger
view and discussion.
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Below:
October 1928. Probably
another Steichen photo.
Larger
view.
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Below:
March 1949 ad for Modess,
magazine unknown. This was
one of many laconic ads in
the Modess
.... because series in
the same classy tradition as
the Kotex ads.
Another important
photographer entered
menstruation advertising,
working with her husband on
the Modess .... because
series: Diane Arbus, who grew to hate
the fashion world, left it
and her husband to take
monumental pictures of
people. She killed herself
at 48.
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