During the Fall/Winter 2018 Balenciaga's show, two shirts showing a French telephone number on them, were part of the collection. The number: +33156528799. Vogue magazine -among other fashion media- reported they called this number, discovering it was a kind of fake hotline. But I could not find a real audio for a calling to that number. So I decided to call myself and to record. You can listen to the recording going to a YouTube video I uploaded (read the transcription at the end of this entry).
A similar fashion campaign I remember is that of Calvin Klein and their CK One fragrance, showing a character and their e-mail. This was 1998 and CK went online with fake e-mail addresses and stories around them. There was a TV ad where the character told s story about them. Then, the e-mail address was shown. A person writing to that e-mail received an answer acted out as if it was the real character writing!
One of the CK One ads:
For more information, visit these articles:
Elliott, Stuart. 1998. 'Clavin Klein Goes Online'. The New York Times. November 18. Online: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/tech/98/11/biztech/articles/18adco.html.
Petrarca, Emilia. 2018. 'Here’s What Happens When You Call the Balenciaga Hotline'. The Cut. Online: https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/balenciaga-hotline-phone-number-fall-2018.html.
Yotka, Steff. 2018. 'Don’t Discount the Genius of Balenciaga’s New Hotline'. Vogue. Online: https://www.vogue.com/article/balenciaga-hotline.
Transcription, taken from The Cut (cited before) with my own additions
Hi and welcome to the new Balenciaga hotline. We would like to ask you a few questions. You can answer by simply pressing the dials on the phone. We want to inform you that this call is strictly confidential and you will be charged at your normal rate.
Question 1: What is your gender?
1. Female
2. Male
3. Transgender
4. Other form of gender identity
Question 2: Which of the following cities do you like the most?
1. Berlin
2. London
3. Beijing
4. Paris
5. Seoul
Question 3: What is your shoe size?
1. Between 34 and 37
2. Between 38 and 40
3. Between 41 and 43
4. Between 44 and 47
Question 4: Please choose a color.
1. Gray
2. Black
3. Yellow
4. White
5. Blue
Question 5: What is your body height?
1. Between 150 and 160cm
2. Between 160 and 170 cm
3. Between 170 and 180 cm
4. Between 180 and 190 cm
5. Between 190 and 200cm
6. More than 200 cm
Question 6: What is your favorite season?
1. Summer
2. Winter
3. Spring
4. Fall
Question 7: What is your favorite destination for vacations?
1. Beach
2. City
3. Mountains
4. Countryside
Question 8: Do you wear prescription glasses?
1. Yes
2. No
Question 9: What is your favorite taste?
1. Bitter
2. Salty
3. Sour
4. Sweet
5. Umami
Question 10: What is your favorite type of music?
1. Metal
2. Pop
3. Electronic
4. Hip-Hop
Question 11: What is your favorite type of transportation?
1. By foot
2. By train
3. By airplane
Question 12: Please choose a hair color that matches you the best.
1. Black
2. Brown
3. Blonde
4. Red
Question 13: Do you have a pet?
1. Yes
2. No
Question 14: What is your favorite shape?
1. Round
2. Rectangular
Question 15: What is your primary language?
1. English
2. Chinese
3. Spanish
4. Arabic
5. Japanese
6. Korean
7. Other language
Question 16: Do you have any siblings?
1. Yes
2. No
Question 17: What is your age?
1. Under 20
2. Between 20 and 29
3. Between 30 and 39
4. Between 40 and 49
5. Over 50
Question 18: What is your current marital status?
1. Single
2. In a relationship
3. Married
4. Separated
Question 19: What is your highest level of education?
1. High school
2. College
3. University
4. Doctorate / PhD
5. Other
Question 20: What is your professional or employment status?
1. Employed
2. Self-employed
3. Student
4. Retired
5. Out of work
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. All data will be erased now. The new Balenciaga hotline wishes you a great day.
Gonzalo A. Luengo O.
