The skinny on models and breaking the size 0 standard
This season, it's the buckle-strapped Gucci platforms that have me in a fashion mania. But year after year, Natasha's lush wavy hair, and Daria's gorgeous glowing tan continue to really “get” me. Beauty is “season-less,” and although some designers take a more “avant-garde” route (the late and great Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, and John Galliano all come to mind), most models are enviable...to say the very least.
Creatures of couture, models are not only considered by many to be the most beautiful people on the planet, they are also often clad in the “crème de la crème” when it comes to designer offerings, which works to only further enhance their eminence. Not only are these girls (and I say girls intentionally - most models are hardly grown women) exceedingly attractive and well-dressed, they seem to live “la dolce vita.”
Getting paid upwards of $10,000 or €10, 000 per booking, travelling the world to saunter down runways, do spreads, and launch brands constitutes “the model life:” who wouldn't want to be the next Gisele?! Don't get me wrong, models work very hard, have to take criticism (and often flat-out viciousness) very well, not to mention put in looooong hours, but all jobs have some setbacks that must be taken with the good right?
Mysterious and stunning, and frankly, a little awe-inspiring, up until three days ago, these were my beliefs about the girls who show us “what's what” each season. That was until I read the diary of 22 year old Dutch model, Kim Noorda; a jaw-dropping piece published on Vogue.com. But before I divulge the highlights of the article, allow me to clear something up: everyone knows models are flagrantly skinny, and a sample size 0 is the “industry standard” (Note: a women's size 0 equals a 23'' waist — the average for an eight year old girl). How models achieve these absurd measurements has been a hot topic for quite some time now, and although there have been recent regulation changes and talk of modifying this “sample size,” skeletal figures still rule the catwalk.
Noorda, who “learned to eat a little less” after becoming a runway model at 18, entered a rehab clinic for women with eating disorders last January, yet remained a fixture in the industry. Regaling her struggle between being “normal” (eating lunch with friends and visiting museums) versus being a model (presumably not eating and going to bookings), her diary entries were not intended to preach nor bash, but rather enlighten, and most importantly, allow her to get it all out.
Back in the early 90s and dictated by the grunge movement, plaid flannel shirts, Doc Martens, messy hair, and smudged eyeliner were the height of popularity. Kate Moss, the poster child of this movement on the runway, sported the “heroin chic” look, and an emaciated frame to go with it.
In an interview, Moss once mentioned being shocked by the frailness of her reflection when catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror upon emerging from a bubble bath, chalking her svelte frame up to simply, “not having time to eat.” Always full of controversy and scandal, Moss has dated a drug-addled rock star, been tangled up in cocaine possession charges, and even mentioned last year that her words to live by are: “nothing tastes as good as being thin feels,” causing an uproar in the industry.
In the past two decades, while the grunge trend has come, gone, and since reappeared, permanently disappearing are models' bodies. Some models are yes, naturally quite thin, others, however, suffer greatly for their physiques, realizing they would not get booked otherwise. This past season, long time Canadian “It girl” Coco Rocha threw in the towel, informing the press she quit because she was hungry and worried about doing permanent damage to her body. Australian supermodel Gemma Ward decided to have a bite before formally resigning, but after being ripped to shreds, a few seasons ago, for looking “much healthier” on Chanel's runway, she altogether vanished.
“The model as celebrity trend” has also become more apparent, with names like Adriana Lima and Elle McPherson becoming as recognized as Jennifer Aniston or Madonna. Further, the model-based TV program, America's Next Top Model, was (and continues to be) such a smash that Canada, Australia and Germany have followed suit in creating their own wannabe model makeover shows. The public seems to be fascinated with the “glamorous” life of models, but whether they are so slim because it is what society expects them to look like, OR because it's they who dictate to us what a model should look like, is a thought I often ponder.
Extreme skinniness, however, is not merely limited to the runway. Hollywood starlets covet the 0 waistline as much as it's the models' job to fit that size, but the “skinny craze” goes far beyond the rich and famous. Diet and weight loss pills, along with all kinds of contraptions and inventions meant to be swallowed, slathered or ingested otherwise, flood the market in the Western world. “Diet-friendly” food is a whole other topic, as the amount of products meant to entice the hungry dieter in search of a smaller dress size, is too astonishing. While certainly related to our obesity epidemic, this food and body fixation of ours, both on and off the runway, does cause serious stress.
Brazenly breaking the rules, Glamour magazine printed a photo last year of size 12 model, Lizzie Miller. Sitting on a table in her underwear, armed with perfect skin, perfect hair, a gorgeous smile, and a bit of a belly pooch, this was a groundbreaking move, and both the fashion world and public alike, went ballistic. Creating more fervent “googling” and “buzz” than some of our world's biggest issues, for the most part, Glamour was praised for depicting a “normal” woman, and giving the public a much needed sense of relation. While it's been a slow process, other publications are beginning to use plus-sized models as well, and some designers have even started to book sizes in the 2's and 4's. The future is looking a bit healthier, after all.
Creatures of couture, models are not only considered by many to be the most beautiful people on the planet, they are also often clad in the “crème de la crème” when it comes to designer offerings, which works to only further enhance their eminence. Not only are these girls (and I say girls intentionally - most models are hardly grown women) exceedingly attractive and well-dressed, they seem to live “la dolce vita.”
Getting paid upwards of $10,000 or €10, 000 per booking, travelling the world to saunter down runways, do spreads, and launch brands constitutes “the model life:” who wouldn't want to be the next Gisele?! Don't get me wrong, models work very hard, have to take criticism (and often flat-out viciousness) very well, not to mention put in looooong hours, but all jobs have some setbacks that must be taken with the good right?
Mysterious and stunning, and frankly, a little awe-inspiring, up until three days ago, these were my beliefs about the girls who show us “what's what” each season. That was until I read the diary of 22 year old Dutch model, Kim Noorda; a jaw-dropping piece published on Vogue.com. But before I divulge the highlights of the article, allow me to clear something up: everyone knows models are flagrantly skinny, and a sample size 0 is the “industry standard” (Note: a women's size 0 equals a 23'' waist — the average for an eight year old girl). How models achieve these absurd measurements has been a hot topic for quite some time now, and although there have been recent regulation changes and talk of modifying this “sample size,” skeletal figures still rule the catwalk.
Noorda, who “learned to eat a little less” after becoming a runway model at 18, entered a rehab clinic for women with eating disorders last January, yet remained a fixture in the industry. Regaling her struggle between being “normal” (eating lunch with friends and visiting museums) versus being a model (presumably not eating and going to bookings), her diary entries were not intended to preach nor bash, but rather enlighten, and most importantly, allow her to get it all out.
Back in the early 90s and dictated by the grunge movement, plaid flannel shirts, Doc Martens, messy hair, and smudged eyeliner were the height of popularity. Kate Moss, the poster child of this movement on the runway, sported the “heroin chic” look, and an emaciated frame to go with it.
In an interview, Moss once mentioned being shocked by the frailness of her reflection when catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror upon emerging from a bubble bath, chalking her svelte frame up to simply, “not having time to eat.” Always full of controversy and scandal, Moss has dated a drug-addled rock star, been tangled up in cocaine possession charges, and even mentioned last year that her words to live by are: “nothing tastes as good as being thin feels,” causing an uproar in the industry.
In the past two decades, while the grunge trend has come, gone, and since reappeared, permanently disappearing are models' bodies. Some models are yes, naturally quite thin, others, however, suffer greatly for their physiques, realizing they would not get booked otherwise. This past season, long time Canadian “It girl” Coco Rocha threw in the towel, informing the press she quit because she was hungry and worried about doing permanent damage to her body. Australian supermodel Gemma Ward decided to have a bite before formally resigning, but after being ripped to shreds, a few seasons ago, for looking “much healthier” on Chanel's runway, she altogether vanished.
“The model as celebrity trend” has also become more apparent, with names like Adriana Lima and Elle McPherson becoming as recognized as Jennifer Aniston or Madonna. Further, the model-based TV program, America's Next Top Model, was (and continues to be) such a smash that Canada, Australia and Germany have followed suit in creating their own wannabe model makeover shows. The public seems to be fascinated with the “glamorous” life of models, but whether they are so slim because it is what society expects them to look like, OR because it's they who dictate to us what a model should look like, is a thought I often ponder.
Extreme skinniness, however, is not merely limited to the runway. Hollywood starlets covet the 0 waistline as much as it's the models' job to fit that size, but the “skinny craze” goes far beyond the rich and famous. Diet and weight loss pills, along with all kinds of contraptions and inventions meant to be swallowed, slathered or ingested otherwise, flood the market in the Western world. “Diet-friendly” food is a whole other topic, as the amount of products meant to entice the hungry dieter in search of a smaller dress size, is too astonishing. While certainly related to our obesity epidemic, this food and body fixation of ours, both on and off the runway, does cause serious stress.
Brazenly breaking the rules, Glamour magazine printed a photo last year of size 12 model, Lizzie Miller. Sitting on a table in her underwear, armed with perfect skin, perfect hair, a gorgeous smile, and a bit of a belly pooch, this was a groundbreaking move, and both the fashion world and public alike, went ballistic. Creating more fervent “googling” and “buzz” than some of our world's biggest issues, for the most part, Glamour was praised for depicting a “normal” woman, and giving the public a much needed sense of relation. While it's been a slow process, other publications are beginning to use plus-sized models as well, and some designers have even started to book sizes in the 2's and 4's. The future is looking a bit healthier, after all.
