Famous designer, Karl Lagerfeld, has been known to push a few buttons regarding the "skinny ideal" of models. He puts pressure on models to be thin because he feels that "no one wants to see round women."
Controversy was stirred when Lagerfeld was interviewed by Focus magazine in response to another German magazine, Brigitte, and their newly stated desire to only shoot "real women" and talk about ordinary lifestyles in comparison to their earlier issues which focused on professional, skinny models.
"These are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly," said Lagerfeld while explaining to Focus what he thought of the women and media criticizing the thin models. He supports the fashion industry and the clothing lines that are made for these size 00 women.
However, a few months later, Lagerfeld shot a spread for V Magazine's "Size Issue." The woman posing for him was Miss Martini, an extremely voluptuous burlesque artist. She was wearing lingerie in the magazine, which showed her curves quite explicitly.
The media was buzzing on whether or not Karl changed his mind about his previous remarks concerning models and their weight. Many people did not think there was any way a designer such as Lagerfeld would go back on their word just to subdue a bad image.
In my opinion, I don't think Karl Lagerfeld will change anything about which models he chooses in the near future. I agree with many critics in that Miss Martini is not an actual model herself and that she wasn't even wearing Chanel clothing, so therefore he wasn't really doing anything to retract former statements.
The skinny ideal portrayed today is definitely improving with certain designers and their strides for a more healthy outlook on women, but designers such as Lagerfeld will continue to exist in the industry and stand in their opinions that a skinny woman is the best fit for the runway.
http://www.stylelist.com
http://www.stylelist.com
Wow. I'm shocked, but at the same time, I'm not surprised. Today's celebrities think that they can say whatever they want; their perception of reality is so convoluted that they believe that whatever they say is THE TRUTH and that everyone else sucks. To them, nobody else's opinions matter. The fact that these people believe that they are gods is so disgusting. Who are they to decide anything?
ReplyDeleteYou mention that he was quoted as saying that his critics were "fat mummies who sit at home..." That old adage says never judge a book by its cover, but if you look at this guy's picture, he looks more like a mummy than just about anyone I've ever seen. As a mummy, he really doesn't look like he's a happy camper, which puts his cynical views on the real world in context.
Phew. If you couldn't tell, I find this blog very interesting!
I can only hope you'd feel the same about my post on the "I Hope they Serve Beer in Hell" film... I'd love feedback!
http://calvinbermanphilosophermoviegoer.blogspot.com/
I completely agree with your assessment of Lagerfeld's model choices. I think the magazine shoot that he did with Miss Martini was a PR stunt in an effort to gain back followers who may have been turned away by his comments about women and the media criticizing thin models. There is no chance he is going to alter the size of his models in the future, and I do not think his idea of the body type for fashion will change either.
ReplyDeletePersonally, his comments will not make me hate Chanel clothing or bags (which I love and cannot wait for the day when I can afford one). Even though I do not agree with anything he said or his views towards women and the fashion industry, I still love his designs. It's a shame that such a talented person can say degrading remarks about people.
I'm curious to know if his clothing is made in sizes available for larger women, women who are not a size 0 or even a 6. After hearing his remarks, I would worry about the thought he put into what clothing looks like on all body types.