14 DAY TRIAL // After years of trying to get Calvin Klein’s attention by basically refusing to pull his pants up, Justin Bieber finally landed the endorsement deal he’d been hoping for all along: he became the model for Calvin Klein underwear and is now featured in their latest campaign, alongside model Lara Stone.
The first photos and video ads were released the other day, and now that the Internet has managed to get over the initial shock, here’s what keen observers noted: Justin’s amazing six-pack in the photos is made of Photoshop lies.
Say it isn’t so!
A certain amount of Photoshop is standard fare these days in most types of media, whether it’s music videos or printed artwork for music and film, beauty campaigns or fashion photos, and magazine covers and spreads.
It’s probably ok to assume that no one would have minded that much if Calvin Klein had straightened a hair on Justin’s head or made certain detail in the photos released pop out, precisely because airbrushing is no longer something that strikes as odd or wrong, even if it is the latter.
However, it seems shocking that Calvin Klein would add on Bieber precisely a six-pack and more bodily hair on the abdomen, as if in an attempt to make him appear more manly. This isn’t about Bieber’s body not being good enough to model CKs, this is about his body being manly enough to model anything.
Obviously, because Calvin Klein also released video ads, it didn’t take long for people online to compare Bieber’s abs in the prints and in the videos – and the difference is clearly noticeable in the photo above.
Bieber still lacks credibility online
Bieber has millions of loyal fans, so they naturally say that those who picked up on the differences are “haters” and have nothing better to do with their time than to try to pick everything he does apart, in a futile attempt to bring him down. It won’t happen, they assure us.
However, the fact that people noticed, and more importantly, that people online are having such a good time laughing on the topic is proof that Bieber still doesn’t have enough credibility with the rest of the world – meaning, outside his fandom.
For the past couple of years, he’s been trying to make us all see that he’s growing up, that he’s becoming a man, thinking that this would help him reach wider audiences than his tween fans. This Calvin Klein spread could have been just the thing to drive the message home.
The Internet is not having it. Not when he needs Photoshop bodily hair and more muscle definition, at least.
Check out some of the reactions on Twitter to this obvious Photoshop job below.
Justin Bieber before and after Photoshop. Source: Fashionista #mycalvins #justinbieber #ck #calvinklein A photo posted by Spiro Mandylor (@itsallstyletome) on Jan 1, 2015 at 2:17pm PST
Ah the beauty of good lighting and Photoshop #Bieber #mycalvins
— Daniel Booth (@DanielBoothPR) January 8, 2015
Credit were credits due @CalvinKlein have Some amazing Photoshop talent: @justinbieber for #mycalvins #JustinBieber pic.twitter.com/qZXReFlETw
— Vibe Tickets (@VibeTickets) January 7, 2015
#noshade photoshop is not justins best friend, just sayin #mycalvins
— BadBoyJay (@JayCreetz) January 7, 2015
“@justinbieber: It begins. @CalvinKlein #mycalvins :) pic.twitter.com/uEDPGZtHNl” the amount of photoshop makes me uncomfortable 😳
— kelsey smith (@kelseylane7) January 7, 2015
It's just me or there is a lot of photoshop?! x)RT @justinbieber: It begins. @CalvinKlein #mycalvins :) pic.twitter.com/DCrOkPWkSf
— Tania (@TRSimoes) January 6, 2015
#mycalvins Too much photoshop
— Mariposa Homicida (@MHomicida) January 6, 2015
