The impending month of fashion weeks, that is currently a quarter of the way through, as the circus just rolled into London always brings out a whole heap of crazy in the media.
On the one hand you have the BMA and government yelling about obesity and BMI and in the next breath calling for greater diversity on the runway and demanding that fashion and media present a ‘healthier’ role model – although the exact perimeters for what constitutes a ‘healthier’ representation without compromising on diversity has yet to be defined.
– See I told you, a whole heap of crazy.
Now some countries have introduced laws to regulate the models we see on the runway – but the primary measure for this has been BMI and if we rubbish it as a method for health when discussing obesity, I don’t see how we can champion it at this end of the spectrum either. Essentially health is a combination of physical activity, mental health and nutrition and comparing your weight and height is not really much of an indicator is it.
So then we turn to the people trying to make models sign contracts to eat on shoots – firstly – WTF and secondly, erm, no. Complaining that they had experienced models in the past not eating on shoots and nearly passing out, brand Rose & Willard have proposed making models sign a contract to agree to eat on set mandatory.
Now of course we all know that there are issues amongst some straight size models, but as someone that has been on plenty of straight size model photoshoots I have never met one that genuinely arose as a case for ’cause for concern’. Forcing a model to eat on set sounds pretty anti human rights tbh because it is surely up to the individual to choose whether they even want or like what is being presented. I agree that all shoots over a certain period of time should provide food (as we always do on SLiNK shoots) but I would never force or report a girl for not eating during the shoot, as I have had many long shoots where I simply haven’t had the time or the inclination to munch.
Until we can come up with some sensible guidelines that actually help to protect vulnerable models and that are easily regulated by the industry, brands and agencies, this is set to be a story that rumbles on.
London vs New York vs Everywhere else…. Well of course NY puts greater diversity on the runway although this season didn’t quite have the explosion of Ashley Graham and Addition Elle as Ashley was too busy taking over Sports Illustrated (boom) – but the likes of Denise Bidot were definitely back for the likes of Chromat and the conversation is still very much happening.
London has only just started, but I will be pretty surprised if any show has plus models in it. As for everywhere else, Madrid slayed with 3 plus size runway shows and this will be Paris’s first season under new French model laws so while we don’t expect plus size to prevail, it will be interesting to see if there is any difference in the choice of catwalk model.
The fashion circus is only on its second leg but there is never a dull moment so let’s see what this season brings!