Billie Eilish Looks Hauntingly Alluring in MCM's New Fall Campaign
Billie Eilish is unleashing new identities alongside rapper Childish Major for MCM Worldwide’s new Fall 2019 campaign imagery, and it’s pleasantly eerie. With this collection, MCM’s new creative director Dirk Schönberger is challenging the traditional roles of fashion with a genderless range, and who better to have sport the progressive line than the controversial and fashion-forward Billie Eilish. “I like to glorify the things that make people uncomfortable,” Eilish claims in one clip from the campaign, and MCM’s latest collection definitely manifests her artistic influences. Shot by Lea Colombo, each photograph displays the ambiguity of gender identities and enables individual expression, qualities that play into the authenticity of the singer‘s brand.
The campaign’s visual collage highlights MCM’s new range with stark color contrasts and varied depths of perspective that put the clothes at the forefront of the photography. Featuring new designs of baggy pants, oversized sweaters, colorful leather bags, and the brand’s iconic sneakers, this collection doesn’t tie itself down to any one kind of person. In correlation with the fluidity of MCM’s latest collection, Eilish explains, “We’re so used to one way of living that we think other peoples’ lifestyles are wrong — sometimes automatically, without even thinking. I want to mess with what people are used to. I want to be that other.” Looking at the visuals from the launch, it becomes apparent that the pop star is owning that other identity as she explores new personas in each look for the campaign.
As a visionary for the future of fashion, Schönberger was well aware that Billie Eilish’s creative philosophies aligned perfectly with what MCM’s new imagery is accomplishing. In an interview with WWD, he explained, “This is such a strong message at a time where uniformity is somehow on the rise. She’s a game-changer: Not only is she disruptive, but it also feels like she can’t be corrupted. It’s not a marketing trick: she is that person. She really stands out in the current music scene.” 17-year-old Eilish is blazing her way to the top with her breathtaking vocals and unapologetic personality, both of which have largely contributed to the strong, opinionated person she is today. MCM's campaign features this strength and emphasizes her sense of otherness in a way that inspires forward-thinking and personal exploration.
