When I saw this advertisement in class the other day, I was shocked mainly at the way the woman was depicted. The image is utterly disgusting; it’s basically making gang rape fashionable. What asshole in the marketing department for Dolce and Gabbana decided that this was an appropriate way to sell their brand? What model would agree to pose in this way? Who does this appeal to? The guys who get to rape the girl, or the girl who gets raped? Either way, it this ad certainly gets a lot of attention. The overarching themes in this ad are about dominance, power, and sex. Both the men and the woman are portrayed in very offensive ways. The woman, with a doll like expression on her face, seems to be unaware of the danger she’s in, and is shown as completely helpless. It suggests that women are vulnerable creatures who are meant to be dominated. One man is shown towering over her, pinning her down by her wrists. His eyes are hidden by sunglasses, but his facial expression is still clearly serious and unfeeling. The other men in the ad, who are standing nonchalantly in the background, observing the event, all appear apathetic to the situation that’s occurring. This suggests that all men are cruel and violent (and should have the same type of musculature). It’s outrageous, but not too surprising, that major companies like Dolce and Gabbana can get away with printing ads like this.