The fashion industry is more than just selling clothes; it’s about selling an image. A large part of that image for many in this industry is looking tall and thin, really thin. The argument for desiring the stick-thin appearance is that the clothes look better on skinny models.
Sad when clothes come before the person.
Unless born with supernatural DNA, many fashion models feel the pressure to obtain unnatural thinness. Consuming only carrots and Diet Coke, smoking, and doing drugs are adopted into the model’s lifestyle in order to maintain the skinny image promoted by their modeling agencies.
Take, for example, Hila Elmalich, a 33-year old fashion model from Israel. Hila suffered from anorexia. She died from this disease on November 14 when her heart simply stopped pumping because it didn’t have the nutrients or energy it needed to do its job. Hila weighed less than 60 pounds.
This tragic event seems extreme, but I wonder…just how prevalent are eating disorders among fashion models? How many modeling agencies ignore or even support starvation diets and self-induced vomiting to keep their models skinny?
Yes, there are models out there who, well… eat! And they eat healthy. They take good care of themselves and scoff at the idea of starving themselves, making themselves throw up, or taking drugs just so they can get to an abnormally low body weight. These models look toned, fit, and beautiful. We should applaud these models. However, I am of the opinion that the eating disorders are more common than we'd like to admit.
Thankfully, one individual in the fashion industry is trying to change the way the beauty is viewed and put a stop to eating disorders among models. Adi Barkan is a well known owner of a modeling agency in Tel Aviv, and his work has prompted acceptance of new legislation requiring all modeling agencies in Israel to use the Body Mass Index (BMI) prior to hiring models.
Because of Mr. Barkan's influence, many agencies now require models to pass a health exam and to have ongoing exams throughout the year. Models are educated on nutrition and how to take care of themselves in a healthy way. Other agencies require models to have at least a BMI of 18 in order to work.
I think these improvements are a good start to changing the fashion industry’s view of the ideal model. I hope the trend continues. Being thin in and of itself is not evil. The problem is the obsession and pressure to live up to an unrealistic image and the resulting damage to health and self-worth. Or worse, death. Tragically, Hila Elmalich was lost to the latter, and personally, I'd rather not hear of other models going down that path. Once is too much.
Originally posted 2007-11-28 08:00:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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13 comments ↓
This is quite common in dancing too. You’d think they need the energy, but they need the image. George Balanchine was all about really skinny doe-eyed models. He fostered such stars as Gelsey Kirkland who later wrote Dancing on My Grave about her struggle with anorexia/bulimia and then the uppers he gave her along with other drugs she tried. At one point she was a prima ballerina yet living on an apple a day. I think maybe some cottage cheese with the dinner slice.
I don’t see how can we even think that severity of skinniness is attractive. Good post!
Mrs. Micah: You’re absolutely right! Eating disorders are very
prevalent in the dancing world, especially among ballerinas. I used to take dance when I was younger, and some of the instructors emphasized staying thin.
I saw Gelsey Kirkland in a TV special of Baryshnikov’s The Nutcracker. Beautiful dancing, but I remember she looked very tiny. I think she has been free from drugs and anorexia for some time and is now an instructor/coach. She’s very fortunate.
Pinyo: I agree. Super skinny is scary, not sexy! Thanks for the comment!
Its very unfortunate to see some very beutiful people with this type of issues that can ultimately ruin their lives.
Yeah the above are obviously too thin.
But judging from what I see in most fashion magazines, most fashion models don’t look anything like the women you’ve chosen to show us.They’re fit, to be sure, but hardly as thin as the above.
The fact is that most famous models are in damned fine shape. They’ve typically got curves where women are supposed to have curves, and they typically have excellent muscle tone, too.
Anoxia is a neurotic pathology where the victim is alacting out obsessive power and control issues.
Typically, anorexics are obsessional perfectionists in many other areas of their lives, too.
Anorexia is not a disease caused by the modeling or fashion industries, or, as far as I know (which ain’t much) from the dance industry either.
That is one of the reasons that anorexia is often successfully treated with psychotropic drugs that are also used to treat depression and obsession/compulsive disorders –ironically, the same drugs that are often used for people who are not too thin, but morbidly obese!
I agree with editec, most women I know who have suffered from eating disorders have reasons beyond wanting to be thin. I’m sure images of extremely & unnaturally thin women in magazines and on runways may justify such an ideal in some women’s minds, but I don’t think it is the root cause.
Being a thin woman, I am constantly on the receiving end of rude comments about my size. People make stupid assumptions based on stereotypes of thin women. I am not bony or sickly looking at all, and the reality is I take good care of myself & lead a healthier lifestyle than most of those who criticize me.
There’s a backlash against being thin though because of people’s misconception that skinny is ideal. Outside of fashion though, most men & women tell you they prefer slender & shapely women, not stick thin ones. The worse epidemic in the US is obesity, let’s face it…
editec, in America models with a bit more curve is becoming stylish in some magazines, but especially in other countries and on runway, the tinier you are the better. I’ve got to agree with this post.
You all raise very good points.
Yes, I agree that anorexia is a serious illness. It can be a challenge to treat, and therefore deserves careful therapy, meal plans, support, and the option of using different medications.
I also agree that modeling and dancing in and of themselves don’t cause eating disorders. It is the circumstances, pressures, and lifestyles surrounding these appearance-reliant professions that can trigger eating disorders.
I thought it interesting that a report published in September, 2007 by the Model Health Inquiry stated that approximately 40% of those in modeling have eating disorders. Few agents were aware of any eating disorders among their models; yet, over half the models surveyed felt that eating disorders were quite common among them.
Orangeappled, good for you for taking care of yourself. You’re right. People shouldn’t be making rude comments to you about your appearance (and you don’t even look bony and frail). Even if one actually has an eating disorder, labeling still is not the best approach!!! It’s just as rude as calling a larger person, “Hey, you’re fat! Stop eating!” to his or her face.
Yes, thankfully there are healthy, fit, and curvy models out there! We need more of them on the runway! However, I’m still inclined to believe that the ideal model for most is portrayed as tall and skinny. Regardless of our opinions, they don’t negate the seriousness of the eating disorders that do exist.
Thanks for your comments.
I hope you all know that the bottom image is photoshopped. I saw the original. It and 2-3 other photos were done for a photoshopping contest.. No girl could stand in that condition, and no modeling agency would allow anyone that thin. The press would go nuts.
You bring up an excellent point, jac.
I wonder just how many photos of celebrities or models show what the individual truly looks like?
However, it goes the other way too. There are instances in which digital retouching is used to actually make models look curvier! Oh, the wonders of Photoshop!
Most of the time these super thin models look so unhealthy that it is unattractive. Photoshop is often used to make the models in the photos appear healthier by brightening their skin, making visible ribs dissappear, etc. The end result is a photo of a healthy model with an extrememly thin figure that is normally unachievable– then producers will tell you it can be achieved with their products.
Here is a link to a “before and after” picture of a model that was photoshopped.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/mimodok/eww.jpg
the models are appsolutely beautiful, but they look very unhealthy. They just need to gain weight. you do not have to be extremely thin to be beautiful.
There are no real ideals. Anyone that thinks so shouldn’t be allowed to play with others.
I’ve been to rehab for anorexia. I almost died from it.
On a daily basis, I am called overweight or underweight based on if a person likes me or no. It is disgusting what people will say. I went to a rehab center where I met girls that would exercise in the bathroom. I’ve met girls that had died a few days after I had met them. There were girls sent from India and other countries. It is surreal.
Most models are photoshopped. I’m a model and I would know. People should be healthy: They might be a role model for someone. You only get to live once. Despite what some people may think, it does cut your life short.
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