FKA twigs, the British singer who will star in a reboot of The Crow, has slammed a decision by the UK’s advertising watchdog to ban her semi-nude Calvin Klein ad.
The Advertising Standards Authority ruled that the ad must not appear again in its current form because it portrayed FKA twigs (real name Tahliah Debrett Barnett) as a “stereotypical sexual object.”
In an Instagram post, FKA twigs (Honey Boy) said the ruling displayed “double standards” after “past and current” campaigns featured scantily clad models.
She did not explicitly reference other ads, but recent examples include The Bear star Jeremy Allen White’s Calvin Klein photoshoot, in which he is dressed in nothing but underwear.
“I do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object’ that they have labelled me,” FKA twigs said. “I see a beautiful strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine.”
She added: “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.”
FKA twigs’ position has drawn support, including from Michaela Coel, the BAFTA-winning star behind BBC/HBO series I May Destroy You. She described the shoot as “brave” and “powerful.”
The Advertising Standards Authority declined to comment on FKA twigs’ intervention.
In its ruling, it said the “image’s composition placed viewers’ focus on the model’s body rather than on the clothing being advertised”.
Calvin Klein has defended the campaign, which it said “contained a progressive and enlightened message.”