There is no summer without one particular beach body.
On Monday, the actor Adam Driver went viral again for a Burberry fragrance campaign promoting the brand’s eau de parfum “Burberry Hero.” The commercial features Driver running bare-chested across a deserted beach at dusk with a mighty, caramel-colored horse in tow. The two beings dive into the ocean together and emerge as a single animorph, fusing the romantic hero-on-horseback trope with a healthy dose of Greek mythology. Directed by Jonathan Glazer and photographed by Mario Sorrenti, the fragrance advert is a continuation of the first frenzy-inducing “centaur” commercial released by the brand exactly one year ago.
Fans of actor Adam Driver were quick to propose that his rugged campaign images for Jaguar — which show Driver shirtless in waist-deep, crystal blue water — were a unanimous societal response to the question, “What is the female gaze?” (Originating from feminist critical theory, the term is typically used to describe art that deviates from the objectifying male perspective that dominates modern culture.) However, Driver’s ad was only one of many high-profile torsos on display during this past week. On Sunday during the Women’s Euro 2022 soccer final at London’s Wembley Stadium, England’s Chloe Kelly caused a stir with her shirtless goal celebration after scoring the winning goal for her team. Ecstatic over their victory, Kelly sprinted across the field and joyfully whipped off her “Lioness” shirt to reveal a Nike sports bra and lean stomach — an image being called “the feminist image of the decade.”
After becoming the first woman to win an Olympic skiing event, American skier Kelly Clark celebrated by kissing her partner, Megan McJames. While some criticized the kiss as “disrespectful” or “tacky,” journalist Lucy Ward tweeted that Clark’s gesture was not an act of exhibitionism but rather a celebration of her sport and her achievement.
