The advertising value of high fashion is not the same as those for cereal. Fashion is not nearly as consumable; new handbag purchases aren't as utilitarian as for bread. You don't buy a new Gucci because well, you have to buy a bag anyway and this is the one that appeals to you; you buy it because you want it, not because you need it.
So there's a whole different set of rules.
As far as I can tell, the advertising of high fashion includes reference to a world that mere consumers don't have access to. It's sort of self-perpetuating, since the models actually do live this life, but only in search of these advertising images would lead you to be able to live that life. And a lot of it is pretty un-normal, in the way that only a person who only has to conform to the schedules of the fashion world could possibly get away with. Much of the advertising images attempt to capture that; caught-in-the act, you get a sneek look behind the curtain at how these people live. It's voyeurism, because the object is to get gawked at in exactly the same way as you gawk at the models.
So your example ad image is just a vignette of one of the un-normal activities of someone who is in that life. And it's strange and perhaps a little exciting to wonder how exactly she got herself into that situation and perhaps how she'll get herself out. And why is she there anyway? What kind of crazy life do these fabulous looking people lead anyway?
But the hook is: isn't that a fabulous looking bag? I know I've found myself in some pretty interesting situations; they all would have been much better if I had a fabulous looking bag like that.
I'll take it. Yes, Visa. Thanks.
/jordan