We have a Smart Sensuality team in action with Russell James lensing Adriana Lima for Donna Karan’s Spring 2012 campaign. Donna Karan is probably the quintessential Smart Sensuality (smart, sexy with heart) designer for women and a role model for us all. Russell James, I can’t say enough about, in terms of his images of women. You can tell that James has a close relationship with nature and indigenous cultures as does Donna Karan.

Update a decade later. This Donna Karan campaign was deemed “controversial” and “racist”, when it was released. Informed even then about Donna Karan’s work in Haiti, AOC did not see it that way, although after reading The Cut describe the two Haitian young men as “lurking”, I say that’s their word (who is racist and stereotypical now?) not ours.

A decade later, AOC has nothing to say about the campaign except that Donna Karan’s work in Haiti has continued long after her critics are on to other affronts in the world of social media. Much has changed for models of color since fall 2011, and AOC has been a leader in those changes. Karan’s use of Brazilian model Adriana Lima was also criticized by the decolonizers.

As for Donna Karan, you can read about her work in Haiti here. Just a sampling of other links follows:

Soles With Soul: Donna Karan and Kenneth Cole Are Collaborating With Artisans in Haiti on Summer Sandals Vogue 2019

Donna Karan, Parsons Link on Haiti Initiative WWD 2015

Fashion for Haiti: Donna Karan and 150 CFDA Designers Come Together for a Cause Harper’s Bazaar 2013