At Wieden + Kennedy we’re all for a bit of relevant and appropriate provocation. But there’s provocative and then there’s…dumb. And in the latter category, I venture to suggest, is the new Alexander McQueen campaign advertising their autumn collection for the street-fighting urban warrior.

Now, I realise that these aren’t grubby, oppressed, contemporary rioters. This is an image of chic, intellectual French rioters from the 1960s.

"Sacre bleu, Jean-Paul, but you cannot possibly wear those pantalons to man the barricades, they are so annee derniere."

But when I look at these pictures they make me think of  Basra. Or Belfast. Pas bon, hein?

Fashion toys with cheap shock tactics as a matter of course. There were the famous Benetton and poster FCUK campaigns. More recently there have been the Gucci beaver shot and even the very silly D&G ‘knife’ ads:

It’s all daft and entertaining, like fashion itself. But this latest appropriation of ‘shocking’ imagery seems tasteless, irrelevant and unlikely to build any positive assocations for the brand. Of course, it’s possible that I’m just so out of touch with youth rebellion that I should start reading the Daily Mail. But it’s not as if McQueen’s clothes are worn by teenagers, is it? Here’s their own explanation of the campaign from www.m-c-q.com

"Galen, I’m worried by all this talk of a ‘gorilla uprising’."

Clearly a lot of nonsense and a sign that if you’re going to peddle flim-flam you should never make the mistake of ‘explaining’ it. Meanwhile, I intend to use the phrase ‘feeling the force of anarchy on the left bank’ in my next meeting with a client procurement department.

We thought we would let you all know a little bit more about us WK Siders. Here is a brief introduction from the four of us ..

I’m Kelly. I’m originally from a very small village in the Yorkshire Dales called Barnoldswick but moved to London 4 years ago to study at Goldsmiths College. I miss the countryside and the fresh air but I also remember there wasn’t much else to do past walking and biking. I really enjoy cooking, which takes up most of my evenings but living just by Borough Market means I spend far too much money on food.

I’m Seb. Originally, 26 years ago, my parents decided to name me Sebastian. I thought it is a bit too long to type and therefore just say, ‘Seb’. But if you like the long name and have time, feel free to use it. When talking to me you maybe find that I have a German accent. Well that’s basically because I’m German. After working for agencies there, one day I decided to do something new. New country, new town, new people, new things.

Well, here I am. Arrived on Saturday with two big bags and a room for only 2 weeks. So if you one day see someone with a tent and two big bags, walking upstairs to the roof terrace that’s probably me.

My name is Edd. There’s a story behind why I use 2 Ds but I’ll let you ask me that one when I get to know you all. I’m slowly getting used to the commute from near Cambridge so don’t be surprised if I look a little tired around 6pm. I graduated from Loughborough University in 2006 where I completed a BA in Visual Communication. Over the past year I have worked on several websites, on a freelance basis, using Flash. I’m really into all types of music and I’m a drum and bass DJ. I ride BMX as much as I can (which is why you might see me limping slightly) and am interested in all extreme sports. I’d like to try skydiving but I think I’ll need someone to give me a push out of the plane.

I’m Sarah and I’ve just graduated in illustration from the University of Brighton. I spent the summer working though I wish I’d spent it travelling. I come from St. Albans but was born in Singapore and lived in India for 4 years. Last year I spent 4 months in Japan. I’m obsessed with cheesecake and my real ambition is to be on Blue Peter.