Morrissey Describes Supreme Campaign As “Feeble”

We’ve all been there; your mate's taken a picture of you that’s an absolute stinker so you’ve been forced to de-tag it despite some seemingly relaxed texts asking them to take the picture down. Doesn’t really work like that in the modelling world. Not even if you’re a celebrity. Not even if you’re Morrissey. Since 2005, streetwear giant Supreme have been running lo-fi ad campaigns starring candidly shot A-list celebrities in their cult red and white slogan T-shirts. The ad hoc campaigns are usually pasted guerilla style on to the streets of the globe’s biggest cities, and well, they let the kids to the rest with helping the images go viral on social media. This picture was shot by Terry Richardson, everyone's favourite least-favourite photographer, whose past sitters have included Kate Moss and more recently Lou Reed, Neil Young, and even Lady Gaga. This weekend, fans were treated to the news that the legendary Smiths' frontman Morrissey was the latest artist to pose in a box logo tee. Most fans presumed the appearance of the posters on NYC’s streets simply signalled the brand’s latest collection. True Smiths fans will know that the course of Morrissey never does run smooth, and would have been less surprised than most of us at the statement the indie icon released a few hours later, totally renouncing the campaign on his website. "I apologise enormously for the enfeebled photograph of me issued this week by Supreme. The shot was taken in October 2015. I considered the photograph to be fit only for a medical encyclopedia and I pleaded with Supreme not to use it. This was before I learned that Supreme were sponsored in part by the beef sandwich pharaoh known as White Castle. Supreme were issued with a legal caution not to use the photograph and their fee would be returned. Evidently Supreme have ignored my lawyer. No safety within the corridors of law. Ugh. I offer excessive apologies for this association. Shame is indeed the name." Snap. In response Supreme published the following on their Instagram page:

Refinery29 contacted Supreme directly, who sent the following statement, also posted on their Facebook page:

Unfortunately for Morrissey, for a brand whose life source is hype, we can't see this image going anywhere but viral.