Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier was controversial yesterday at his 30th anniversary show during fashion week in Paris. Amidst all the size 0 models, Gaultier included one size 20 woman, wearing a sexy black corset. Some writers have said that this is a positive development for the fashion industry, opening our eyes to different images of beauty.
I frankly think it is a gimmick, more of a joke at the expense of those wanting to ban “underweight” models from runways. Everyone knows that size 20 is not going to be the norm for fashion models, so this is just a one-time gag. It would have been a serious move to actually USE a size 12 or size 14 model, but no way — that would freak out the industry. Here, everyone can play with the concept in a cute way, but not really do anything about it.
In other news, CNN, in a attempt to add more diversity to their broadcast, has signed a prominent African-American to read the news on Friday evening.
Thank you and thank your sensitive soul, Neil! I totally agree! It would have REALLY made a point had he put an actual “average” woman on the runway and made HER gorgeous… but instead, to put an outlier really just makes it sad.
HMPH!
She doesn’t look like she enjoys the role she’s been given.
I’m with you on this. And I really can’t say anything else.
That is wrong on so many levels. What I want to know though is how did you get a pic of my sister in law in her corset?
She looks humiliated…so sad.
(I have to laugh at the thought of Snoop Dog doing the news…would we get subtitles for all the “izzle” words? News might not seems so depressing with him delivering it.)
spell check Jules…”SEEM so depressing”
The fashion industry annoys the hell out of me. Do you know how many girls in my daughter’s high school have eating disorders? It’s ridiculous.
I’m thinking that lady is bigger than a size 20. I agree with you that it would be a lot less shocking and more appropriate to use a size 12 model. That wouldn’t be so horrible, would it? I love how they always have an article in magazines about how some ex-model decided to give up modeling and let herself get HUGE–size 12!!!! Shocker!!!
I’ll agree that it doesn’t seem serious. I think he’s just trying to play a joke, and I’ll also agree that it would have taken a lot more huevos (and would really have made a statement) to send out an entire show of size 10 models.
she looks sad. it’s ball-sy to actually strut down the catwalk with so many people being judgmental.
it would have been a bigger statement to have all types of women (young, old, fat, skinny, black, white, brown, yellow and red).
Does anyone remember Sophie Dahl?
http://www.sophie-dahl.com/misc.htm
She was size 14-16 and absolutely gorgeous…She did those naked “Opium” ads and recently I’ve seen her advertising for Accesorize, alongside Naomi Campbelll and other top models. I’ve always wanted there to be more models like her, but she seemed an anomaly.
Arghh..I just loaded your page. Not first thing in the morning! Exploitation! Argh! My eyes!! My eyes!!!
Gaultier is sending a message? I’m sending one back–
I hope that bitch in the black corset pulls out a whip and uses it on his arrogant ass before grinding her pretty silleto into his foot.
P.S. Neil, you look great in pink : D
Oh my
Can’t wait to see Snoop reading the news. Will he be doing it with his usual verbal style?
They could start by using someone who is a size 6 or 8. Or by picking someone who isn’t 5’10 or above. See if anyone notices a difference and then keep moving forward.
Anna Nicole wasn’t exactly skinny when she became the Guess? model, and the ads were so sexy, beautiful…
I’d totally watch CNN if Snoop Dog reading the news!
Tootie from the facts of life is going to be on CNN? Cool!
Seriously, though. Who decided to call that character Tootie? How terrible.
Hello, Neil.
Devils Advocate here…What is an AVERAGE woman? What is beauty…and…why the slightly..um..mean comments about the model..So Chubby is ok..and big is not? Maybe..just maybe..he found beauty in this girl…as for exploitation..What do you think they are doing to the skinny modles with the huge silicon orbs on their chests..That’s certainly some kind of sick joke also….Brave post Neil…
V-grrrl – Excellent comment! I was going to write one along those lines, but you did it way better than I could have done it (except that the model would have been grinding her pretty stiletto into another part of Jean-Paul Gaultier’s anatomy.
if i want to see fat girls strutting their stuff i can go to any mall in middle america.
i want to see skinny models that look like hangers walking down the runway. there goes one of the last Un-P.C. places we had left in the world…
I wish he would make a statement not about width but height; most women aren’t 5’10! I wish the designers would incorporate more petite models. Even though I am 5’0″, seeing a model at 5’4″ would be refreshing!
First, I think this model is much larger than a size 20. Second, the mere fact that you’re writing about it is already good, even if it was a gimmick. Third, someone wrote that the model looked humiliated. She does not. Models often are told to look upset and obnoxious, that’s just part of the act.
By trotting out unhealthy versions of womens’ bodies at both ends of the spectrum, Gaultier has obviously missed the point. We just want to see models that look healthy. You’d think designers would want this too; otherwise the fascination with the model’s protruding rib cage (or in this case protruding thighs) takes our attention away from the clothes.
I’m with Rach2, she’s much bigger than a 20.
She certainly looks larger than a size 20, but that may be because she’s pear-shaped. They couldn’t have done her hair/makeup any worse, could they?
I second Rach2 on the “model face.” Have you ever seen a model walk down the catwalk looking happy? No.
What I find offensive is that the plus-size model is dressed in a dominatrix-style corset, etc. The idea of her cracking a whip and stomping on Gaultier, men in general, etc. in a stiletto makes it even more ridiculous. If the only way Gaultier can show a size 20 (or more) model is by throwing up a stereotype/cliched gag fantasy, then it’s not even a cutesy joke, it’s just disgusting.
I’ll go with Snoop reading the news anytime. But I thought he gave up on the milk weed?
Until the world finally recognizes that a size 14+ female is the norm, not the exception, it will never happen.
Never.
Wendy — big is fine in the real world, but let’s take this one step at a time in the “fantasy” world of fashion. It is baloney to believe that models are going to go from size 0 to over size 20 overnight. Is fashion supposed to be a freak show, only with extremes? Let’s get used to models being a size 8-10 and slowly work our way up the spectrum over what is “acceptable” in selling women’s clothes to consumers, most of who are size 12-16.
And yes, Sophia called me and said she is NOT a size 20. I’m not sure why Reuters said she was size 20. Maybe not enough female reporters.
I agree with you, E.–the outfit is completely different from the rest of the clothing line; Gaultier wishes to make fun of women who are larger than he thinks they should be. If size matters, he should whip it out–I’ve got a ruler fo’ his ass!!
Lux Lisbon: This doesn’t have anything to do with being P.C., it has to do with eating disorders which are life-threatening and very difficult to recover from.
Yeah, Snoop! Finally, I will watch CNN.
i agree with you neil. i love how you are a male voice in the fight for body acceptance. thanks for posting this.
Ms. Sizzle — don’t think me very noble. I just like women with nice asses.
I am mostly concerned with the rats nest hair-do they gave her. Regardless of her size how can anyone think that hair looks pretty or sexy?
Perhaps she does look sad – but don’t all models?
Interesting.
How about girls under 5’5??
Yep. Weirdness.
I am most average-sized chick ever (5’5″, 128 lbs) but I can’t find a pair of jeans that fit right to save my life. Pisses me off.
I think it is an attempt by the fashion industry to show it is listening to the world. All it does is make a whole joke of size. I agree with most others, stick size 14 women on the runway, and then we will believe they are making an effort.
And I will say this, she looks humiliated and not really having a very nice time of it
Wait, you’re saying that I still don’t have a chance at becoming a model in Pairs??? And finally I thought this beer belly would be good something! dah!
good post. Size twenty or size zero – I can only shake my head at the world of fashion. I want to see what real clothes look like on real women.
I vote to see Jean Paul Gaultier or Snoop in a sexy black corset. Then we can all look upset and obnoxious.
Mari, isn’t Sophie Dahl super skinny now? I believe she is although I admit I’m more interested in her grandparents’ Roald Dahl and Patricia Neal (and Stanley Holloway on her father’s side) than her weight. Too bad she didn’t start a trend when she was heavier. It wasn’t all that long ago when “full-figured” woman were the beauty ideal. Wouldn’t Marilyn Monroe be considered “plus size” today?
I don’t think that model above looks more miserable or humiliated than any other model on a runway.
La Coquette, I’m waiting for you.
Even if it is a gag, as you said and you are no doubt right…I still think it is GREAT to see ANY WOMAN of ANY SIZE other than the Biafria-Like Starving-Bodies that have now become the ‘norm’. Deliver me, please!
Here’s a funny thing. I am 5’10″ and wear a size 4. I rarely buy pants. Why? Because they are too short for me. If I am the designer’s perfect size, or at least very close to it, then why can’t I find pants that are long enough?
I have no problem with them using thin models for fashion. Obviously not anorexic, unhealthy ones, though. The size 20 model is overweight and, therefore unhealthy, right? It’s the same thing. I agree about putting a normal-size 12 or 14 up on there. Someone who is in shape, just not a twig.
I
Well…Freak show..Neil is a bit of an overstatement…but I loved that its both of the extreems you are including here. Perhaps the designer is purposely working that angle..rather than playing a joke. Isn’t he known for blurring the lines..in his fashion…ANYWAy..’nother shout out for you, my friend, on mee little blog..crush…um no..just respect. Sophia, Quite a man you’ve got there…Todays poetry thursday…maybe you’ll get more poets..Anything I can do for you..Neilochka!
I…
I’m…
I feel like I should have more to say about this.
I think you’re right Neil.
And I feel sad that you’re right.
And I feel sad that the fine readers of your blog are preoccupied with whether or not she is a size 20. If you said a skinny model was a size 4, when she was really a 2 or 0 or 6, there would not be such a debate.
I feel sad that I found her unattractive, and not just because of her bitchy (albeit typical for runway) expression and beastly hair.
I feel sad that I have to endure this world, where fat is a joke and calling it out takes balls.
I’m just sad.
And sad as it makes me, here I go: She’s a tough size to call, because of the aforementioned pear shape. From the waist up she appears to be a 16 or 18 at the most, from the waist down, 26 or 28.