That Girl from Derwent dwells on the value of religion this Christmas.
That Girl from Derwent has learned a few more things about prejudice since moving up North.
That Girl From Derwent reckons if you're going to be offensive, you should find a better reason.
That Girl from Derwent considers why it is that some words have wider implications than others.
Naturally, such criticism from someone so powerful within the fashion industry has been celebrated. Baroness Kingsmill, head of the Model Health Inquiry in 2007, which advised that a minimum BMI requirement should be placed on models during London Fashion Week, hailed it as a positive step. Erin O’Connor, of M&S advert fame, amongst other things, declared it “a huge breakthrough”.
Fashion houses, on the other hand, have not been quite so supportive. Whilst agreeing that sample clothes for photo shoots have become smaller in recent years, they claim that they are not the only ones to blame. These samples are made according to the average size of models on the books of agencies, so what the magazines are receiving is just what is expected of the models they use.
Magazines only photograph skinny women, design houses only make clothes accommodating for skinny women; but which came first?
From my point of view, the whole size zero issue seems to be a bit of a chicken and egg situation. Magazines only photograph skinny women, design houses only make clothes accommodating for skinny women; but which came first? It’s no secret that magazines like Vogue have refused bigger models in the past, claiming that they won’t sell copies. But by the same token, designers have been shown to favour pre-pubescent bodies to showcase their collections, complaining that fuller figures would ruin the look of the piece.
Despite the confusion surrounding where to pin the blame for the size zero trend, the solution seems to me to be clear; the whole fashion industry must work together to break out of this vicious circle. The independent investigation in 2007, the Model Health Inquiry, has already tried to remedy the situation by suggesting solutions that can be put in place backstage at a fashion event. Perhaps it needs to go one step further and get involved with model agencies and magazines. Then, forcibly, the fashion houses will follow. After all, collection coverage on chunkier models is better than no coverage at all.
It is for this reason that I cannot really support Alexandra Shulman’s letter. In one easy step she has criticised what makes the fashion industry; in effect, she’s biting the hand that feeds the magazines. And in doing so she has lifted all responsibility of getting to the heart of the issue from the publication’s shoulders. All aspects of the fashion industry are involved in creating a positive spin on the size zero image, therefore collaboration between them is the key to presenting the reality of being that size.
What’s more, in these times of financial crisis, I would have to question the motives behind a magazine editor’s decision to publicly make a statement on a contentious issue. In situations like this, publicity is guaranteed. And being seen to support such a problem will only make readers think positively of the magazine, potentially increasing sales.
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