Zuzanna Buchwald: I'm Not Your Clothes Hanger

I agree and disagree. Your post reminded me of something else that bothers me, and that's that these girls are throwing these highly public tantrums at their agents. Agents are there to provide the kind of "product" that clients want. Clients seek the kind of girl who's going to sell the product to the most people. And the people determine what kinds of advertising they support by buying products with skinny models, or with Gigi. It's not the fashion industry that determines what's beautiful or we'd all be wearing Iris Van Herpen on the streets, it is ultimately a democratic process. If skinny models didn't sell the clothes better, the industry wouldn't use skinny models.

So if you really want to change the way the modeling industry works, if you really want to point the finger at someone, stop shitting on the messenger and make your pleas to the people actually buying the clothes.

Well, regardless of who is "deciding" what is beautiful or not, I think that the point these girls are trying to make (and badly at that) is that the definition of 'beauty' needs to change and not be so focused on being super skinny. While I obviously love the super skinny look and prefer models that conform to that ideal, I think there are much better ways that these girls could get their point across. Slamming their agents is the wrong way to go about it.

I found an article by an Australian commercial model, Jessica Gomes (on the curvy side, probably an Australian size 8). She's asked about her views on the pressure to be super skinny and she manages to answer the questions by not slamming her agents or criticising other super skinny models (too much). Yes, she notes that being too skinny can be dangerous, but she doesn't "blame" her agents or anyone else. She also doesn't glorify plus size models by talking about how amazing Robyn Lawley is, or that women can be beautiful at any size. Instead emphasises that it's important to be healthy and exercise and she notes that as a model she is careful with what she eats to ensure she maintains a slim figure. To me, this is a much better example of a model who makes the point that models shouldn't have to be super skinny to be considered beautiful. Those other girls need to take note.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/sunday-night/features/a/7391697/a-day-in-the-life-of-jessica-gomes/
 
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This thread is filled with gold. :lol:

I do think these 'models' who lambaste the industry and agencies are doing so with ulterior motives and not just to start some beauty/body image/industry revolution. I think they are riding on the current trend of Average-izing every thing that we once held above ourselves (e.g., see the thread where we now have an obese superhero in a comic book). In doing so, they get media attention and blind praise from viewers, who then can further support the model's new endeavors (like Zuzanna's so-called entrepreneurship of beauty products; see also the thread on a similar experience of Korean Idol Stella Kim, who is also starting a new business I think).

Furthermore, despite their best efforts, 'models' like Zuzanna also just reveal how entitled they are. You think you are so good looking you should be paid to pose for anything? And are mad when industry professionals decide you don't fit the needs of the project? I'm sorry that the industry made you realize you're a plebeian like the rest of us. :nopity: I wish I was more model-esque in appearance, too, but I would never expect an industry to change its ways just to better fit ME (how dare high fashion not use 5'1" models!!!). I wouldn't expect the legal industry to stop requiring the bar if I couldn't pass the bar, just so I could still become a lawyer. If I gave a job a chance and found I was ill-suited for it, then I would take that as a learning experience and move on to something that hopefully fit better, not shit on my employer. geez.
 
She gave many interviews while being in Poland lately. I believe her that she had anorexia and bulimia but it has nothing to do with model agencies, in my opinion.
Even if they told her to lose weight, lose muscles and to stop eating, she could have said "go f*** yourself" and gone back to sport activities (as she was a swimmer for 5 years) eat 2000 calories a day and build muscles.
So I think that basically the problem with eating disorder here is the MOMENT - the moment she could have stepped back and say no, if she, obviously, was not good for that job. And, apparently, she wasn't, if she had to literally starve herself all the time to have satisfactory weight.
She also admit that she started working in modeling to travel a lot as she was born in a small town....oh come on...
Lately, my 300-pounds father-in-law told me that he blaim his parents for his obesity, as they should have taken food away from him and hidden it when he was a kid...An he is now 60 years old....We really should try to be mature enough to take responsibility for our lives.
 
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I swear half the girls who say things like this were girls modelling purely for fame and, having seen that plan go down the drain, decided to cash in their 15 minutes on Buzzfeed instead. It's very unfortunate about her mental health issues, yes, and certainly quitting modelling in order to recover can be beneficial. But if you looked into any industry I'm sure you'd find 'triggers' for someone's mental illness. That's no excuse to shit-talk it and try to make it change into something it just isn't supposed to be. No matter what you choose to do in life, it's your job and your job alone to look out for yourself and your own health. Your employers and contractors are under no obligations to baby you.

For anyone who doesn't live in the UK, usually when British girls proclaim they are "a size 6-8" it's code for "I'm definitely not a size 6 and my body is nothing impressive but I want to sound skinny until I've eaten so much nando's that I physically can't shove my ass into W26 jeans anymore" (unless they're very tall)

I can't like posts yet, but this is so true. Also, I'm pretty sure anyone can be a size 8 depending on where they shop: an 8 from somewhere like Next would be more like a 12 from Topshop.
 
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I hate working for someone. I really do. It makes me uncomfortable and and stressed. I get anxious and, in a long run, depressed, when I have to continuosly repeat tasks given me by someone else for whatever reason. So as much as I would love good, steady income than comes from working in a big company + social care, free gym and all other perks, I don't go searching for jobs in that line of work because I know that it would make me miserable.

Look, I know I'm simplifying, but my point is - every job comes with pros and cons and you simply have to ask yourself a question - is it really for me? Will I really be happy if I do this? If you don't want to lose weight and prefer to maintain what you believe is a healthy figure - great for you, really. You are as justified to be proud of your body as I am for being proud of my independence, whatever it means for me.

So that's my 2 cents :).
 
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I agree and disagree. Your post reminded me of something else that bothers me, and that's that these girls are throwing these highly public tantrums at their agents. Agents are there to provide the kind of "product" that clients want.

My biggest issue with this article tho... She seems to think that agents exist to babysit newbie models and monitor their health. No, bitch. If you think you're old enough and responsible enough to enter yourself into the fashion industry, then you're certainly old and responsible enough to lose weight without having someone run after you.

In the end, aren't agents tasked with efficiently and accurately booking living coat hangers for their clients? Why should they deal with a model's instability when there is another girl - thinner, more disciplined, humbler, less entitled - who can do the job equally as well, or better? Modelling is a temporary career. (I think I'm right, slap me if not.) That's why so many models start out in their early teens: you're basically done by age 25. Not counting VS models, obviously.:eyeroll:

People these days are so petty.
 
God forbid you actually are expected to do your job. I mean seriously I'm so over all of these sorts of attention seeking, woe-is-me, "breaking news, models have to be skinny" stories about people that should instead feel lucky to have been chosen by agencies or designers to model. Oh my god what a horror that you are expected to look good as a model...:eyeroll:
 
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Yup, she gained