Vogue 'Horror Story' Domestic Violence Fashion Shoot Turns Stomachs

You might end up with a broken neck, but at least you'll look pretty!

This seems to be the message of Vogue Italia's recent controversial fashion shoot.

The 'Horror Story' editorial, which is also the cover image of their April 2014 issue, depicts gruesome scenes of domestic violence.

The shots, taken by acclaimed fashion photographer Steven Meisel, mostly portray traumatised women, running away and cowering from men with knives and scissors.

But some of the photos go a step further.

In one of them, a woman lies crumpled at the bottom of a staircase, with what looks like a pool of blood around her head, as a blurred male figure in an armchair looks over her from the distance.

The shoot, which advertises fashion brands such as Miu Miu, Balenciaga and Fendi, has sparked outrage for using shock tactics to shift copies of the magazine and to sell clothes.

Franca Sozzani, Vogue Italia's editor, has been accused of glamourising, trivialising, and in some ways "sexing up" an issue that is incredibly painful for its victims.

In a press release that came out a few days behind the April 2014 issue, Sozzani claimed "The intent is in no way to shock, but rather to raise awareness of a horror that must be condemned."

Hmm.

She's right, domestic violence is horrifying and people do need to be made more aware of it, but we're not sure we agree that combining it with high-fashion in a women's magazine is the way to do this.

Surely women, the people who will be looking at the editorial, are the one group of people who are already most aware of the issue.

Would it not be better to try and raise the subject somewhere that men - the main perpetrators of domestic violence - might see it?

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Also, this isn't the first time that Vogue Italia has cashed in on a distressing topic.

Back in August 2010 the magazine conducted a photoshoot, starring striking blonde model Kristen McMenamy, which depicted scenes of animals injured during the BP oil slick.

So, despite what Sozzani says, Vogue Italia seems to be in the business of using shock tactics to glamourise tragic events.

What do you think - is 'Horror Story' really a clever way of drawing attention to domestic violence? Or does it miss the mark completely? Let us know!