The Fashion Perspective by Alexander J Ward

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F A S H I O N P E R S P E C T I V E

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F A S H I O N P E R S P E C T I V E A L E X A N D E R

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C O N T E N T S 08 10 12 18 22 24 28 30 44 46 50 52 54 58 62 64 68 70 74 80 82

INTRODUCTION HEADLINES NAOMI HOOKE POPPY GOODERICK SARAH E BLAKE KAYO TAKASHIRO NIA SAMUEL-JOHNSON T E AT U M J O N E S SARAH HEWSON HANNAH COORG ANTHONY WILKINS ALEX JAMES FAIRBAIRN DIANE SULLIVAN-KAPLAN CYNTHIA WU EVIE EDWARDS B I L L I E - J O S K E LT O N K E L LY C U T R O N E B E N J A M I N T H A PA ZOE SLESENGER J E M M A B I N S L E Y- PA RT I N G TO N CONCLUSION

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

A L E X A N D E R 08

W A R D

The fashion industry; It’s a world that has always intrigued me, yet has always felt somewhat alien. Whilst I may have the ability to string together an outfit every day, I seldom indulge in the consumption of new apparel. And yet we are surrounded by this industry constantly. We see the promotion of clothing in magazines, in advertising, in retail establishments, everywhere. Perhaps my distance from the typical involvement in fashion consumerism is due to the vast majority of advertising being aimed at women. Or perhaps it is simply due to my student budget reminding me that poverty is not restricted to third-world countries. Regardless, my distance from fashion consumerism is not to say that I have no interest in the field. On the contrary, there are aspects of the subject that have always caught my attention and played up to my interests, and that lies in the form of ‘fashion imagery’. Whether in the form of illustration, film, or photography, fashion imagery is all around us, is farreaching, a commercial art form, available to all, and is something that I have always admired and appreciated as beautifully constructed images. However, many see these images to be destructive, harmful and detrimental to society as a whole; Headlines naming fashion as the cause of anorexia fill the papers, blogs condemn the industry’s depiction of women, and Internet campaigns pushing to promote larger-framed models can be found every day. Without denying that problems associated with body image are rampant in our society, and that such accusations may indeed be true, we must ask ourselves, ‘can we ever truly understand the situation without at first hearing the alternate perspective?’ What occurs in the minds of the individuals creating fashion imagery that we see every day? Are they working in one of the world’s largest forms of trade in order to stigmatize certain demographics? Or should they be celebrated simply as creative individuals attempting to express their work and themselves for who and what they are? Or have we been pointing the finger in the wrong direction this whole time and the true problem stems from aspects of society we had never even considered before? The general public, myself included, are rarely informed of the motives, contexts, and narratives from which such images are created, along with the sheer number of individuals who come together to create them. This book’s sole intention is to give those creatives an opportunity to discuss their intentions, their perspectives on the criticism, and their honest views on how the fashion industry fits into our society. If nothing else, please allow yourself to reconsider what it is you think you know, reevaluate the situation, and listen to these very real human voices, because only once you have heard their perspectives can you construct an informed one of your own.

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H E A D L I N E S IS THE FASHION INDUSTRY TO BLAME FOR ANOREXIA? ANOREXIC FORMER MODEL GEORGINA WILKIN BLAMES T H E F A S H I O N I N D U S T R Y. CORONER BLAMES FASHION INDUSTRY FOR SCHOOL G I R L’ S S U I C I D E . W O M E N ’ S SELF-ESTEEM AFFECTED BY IDEALIZED FEMALE IMAGES. FASHION MAGAZINES CAUSING LOW SELF ESTEEM IN YOUNG WOMEN! IS THE HOMOEROTIC PULL OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY TO BLAME FOR ANOREXIC STANDARDS? WOMEN ARE DYING TO BE THIN: ARE 10

THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND MEDIA TO BLAME? PLUS-SIZE MODEL BLAMES DESIGNERS FOR FASHION’S THIN OBSESSION. WARNING: THE FASHION INDUSTRY CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR SELF-ESTEEM. THE FASHION INDUSTRY (STILL) HAS AN IMAGE PROBLEM. DOES C L O T H I N G S I Z E I M PA C T A WOMAN’S SELF-ESTEEM? R . I . P. S E L F - E S T E E M : O N T H E V I C T O R I A’ S S E C R E T FA S H I O N SHOW SAD ABOUT YOUR BIRTH EXPERIENCE? BL AME T H E I N D U S T R Y T H AT S E T Y O U U P F O R D I S A P P O I N T M E N T. 11

Despite popular belief that the fashion industry is responsible for many cases of anorexia among women, ultrathin models are not the main cause for girls trying to starve themselves. Often the reasons for denying oneself food are depression, anxiety, and the fear of being seen as a sexual human being. The impact fashion photographs have on dieting cannot be ignored, but anorexic models are symptoms of the disease, not the cause. It was two days before Christmas, and for the third time in my 20-year-long existence I found myself having my blood pressure monitored, my blood taken for biochemical analysis and my mental state being assessed for risk of self-harm and suicide. Once again, I’d been admitted to an eating disorder unit, rescued from my own little world of self-destruction. The day before, I had filled my every hour with food (or rather the avoiding of it), exercise, my ongoing obsession with academic work and fantasies about a future where I wouldn’t be there to spoil everything. My parents came to visit, my younger sister excited in anticipation of present-opening. It hurt to sit up, and hurt to lie down, yet I refused to believe that this was due to starvation and muscle wastage. My family brought me a stocking, but I couldn’t understand how they would ever think I deserved nice things. I left the presents unopened for over a month. I’d suffered from anorexia to varying degrees since I was 11, hiding food and concealing my body under layer upon layer of clothing, and once again it had caught up with me. As London Fashion Week continues, the controversy surrounding “size zero” models is once again up for discussion. Prompted by the [2006] Madrid ban on models with a BMI [body mass index] below 18.5, fashion capitals around the world have undertaken enquiries into the links between eating disorders and the catwalk. Although any measure to protect models at risk of eating disorders is to be applauded, to believe that the fashion industry causes eating disorders is to completely misunderstand this most complex of illnesses.

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N A O M I H O O K E A N O R E X I A 12

S U R V I V O R

VE DO DIS THE TH

BEAUTY HAS ERY LITTLE TO O W I T H E AT I N G SORDERS, AND DESIRE TO BE H I N I S M E R E LY ONE OF MANY SYMPTOMS 13

At 11, I was showing early signs of puberty, and the prospect of an adult life ahead terrified me. I was afraid of responsibility, of a time when I would have to face the world without my parents’ hands to hold. But most of all I was scared of men and sex. Anorexia has often been perceived as a quest for model-like beauty, as a teenage fad or as a diet gone wrong. It has even been described as a lifestyle choice. Seldom is anorexia acknowledged as the life-threatening medical condition that it is. Many anorexics detest their bodies, refusing even to pose for family holiday snaps. I, like many of the eating disorder patients I have met, never sought beauty; instead, I spent years trying to make myself look as ill as possible in order to avoid male attention. As far back as I can remember, my self-esteem was low and I lacked confidence. Children can be cruel, and although they weren’t the “cause” of my eating problems, the bullying I endured throughout my school days only added to my feelings of self-hatred. It is often assumed that the distress in anorexia revolves solely around food and weight. However, the vast majority of eating disorder patients have numerous other difficulties, including low selfesteem or confidence, lack of self-care, and social difficulties. Sufferers are often presumed to pore over the pages of glossy magazines and starve themselves in their aspiration to become glamorous, thinner-than-thin sex goddesses. From my own experiences and from those of numerous other eating-disorder patients I have met, I can say unequivocally that nothing could be further from the truth. Beauty has very little to do with eating disorders, and the desire to be thin is merely one of many symptoms. Rarely can a single “cause” be identified. On the ward, Christmas had been and gone, and it was beginning to dawn on me that I would not be well enough to return to university. I was convinced that, once again, I had failed. During those weeks, I hit rock bottom. After years of pretending, I finally opened up to staff at the hospital, and began speaking about some of my troubling innermost thoughts. I had never felt so ill; the pain was excruciating. My memories of this hellish period are sketchy, but I have since been told that my kidneys were failing and that I was at risk of cardiac arrest. I had many meetings with the doctors, and eventually I agreed to be fed via nasal gastric tube. It was horrible when they passed the tube, though deep down I know it probably saved my life. It was at this point that something flicked inside my head. It was as though I’d “swapped sides”: I stopped fighting everyone who was trying to help me. As the weeks went on, my stomach ached as it was stretched to accommodate food again. It still took me hours to eat a bowl of soup, and I still had a tube up my nose, but nevertheless, things were getting better.

MY FALL INTO THE DARK WORLD OF ANOREXIA WAS NEVER INFLUENCED BY FASHION OR WAIF-LIKE CELEBRITIES T H E M A J O R I T Y O F E AT I N G D I S O R D E R PAT I E N T S H AV E N O T B E C O M E I L L T H R O U G H C AT W A L K INFLUENCES

SUFFERERS ARE OFTEN PRESUMED T O P O R E O V E R T H E PA G E S O F GLOSSY M AGAZINES AND STARVE T H E M S E LV E S I N T H E I R A S P I R A T I O N TO BECOME GLAMOROUS, THINNER-THAN-THIN SEX GODDESSES NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH

I wasn’t an easy patient. I cried and screamed and threatened to run away. But in spite of everything, staff at the hospital never gave up on me, and I’ll remain eternally grateful for every hug and kind word. Although my first trip home was challenging, it did open my eyes. At last I began to see how much anorexia was holding me back. I was getting stronger, thinking more logically, and perhaps most importantly my sense of ambition was returning. I started to dream about getting back to university and one day being able to help people with mental illness myself. I spent seven months as an in-patient and two more as a day patient. I regained a healthy body weight, spent numerous hours discussing my underlying fears and was slowly beginning to develop a sense of self-worth. My fall into the dark world of anorexia was never influenced by fashion or waif-like celebrities, though I knew others whose recovery from life-threatening illness was indeed hindered by the Western world’s culture of thinness. I believe that the British Fashion Council’s guidelines will go some way to protect the models themselves (of whom 40 per cent are said to suffer from eating disorders). However, I see problems both with the approach taken in Madrid of banning models with a BMI under 18.5, and the recent health certification scheme proposed in Britain [In 2007, the British Fashion Council sought to require models to provide proof from specialists who treat eating disorders that an individual model is not unhealthily thin]. Although BMI can offer a crude measure of physical health, it can never quantify psychological distress. Despite popular belief, low weight is not the only danger of eating disorders. There have been times in my life in which my BMI has been in the healthy range and yet my eating behaviours and mental state were far from healthy. I would starve myself for days on end before my body gave in to the pains of hunger and I would binge, after which I would feel so disgusted with myself that I would make myself vomit and/or cut myself with razor blades. As for doctors’ certificates, it takes considerable time and skill to assess whether an individual has an eating disorder, not least because sufferers often go to great lengths to hide their illness. I’ve been there, told the lies and tricked the scales. It is a fact that a higher proportion of models suffer from eating disorders than do the general population. The “grooming” and competitive atmosphere undoubtedly perpetuate eating disorders within the modelling profession, but I am personally of the opinion that young girls with existing eating disorders are selected by modelling agencies because of their tiny figures. But, although the fashion industry may be rife with anorexia, the majority of eating disorder patients have not become ill through catwalk influences. And nor are they models.

I think that to some extent responsibility must be placed on the fashion industry for portraying a limited variety of body images within it publications and the images that are created as part of the community. It is a shame that we seem to have reached the point where diversity is less commonly seen across mainstream images however I don’t think that the criticism necessarily falls on the fashion industry exclusively, but the general media as a whole. To me, fashion should be an extension of who are, and an expression of individuality within the context that you live, work and play in. When individuals feel, or are made to feel, as if fashion is an exclusive club that they cannot be part of without changing themselves then I think we need to recognize this and alter the way we create fashion images. When it comes down to it, we all wear clothes- all day, every day. Each day we make choices and create an image, regardless of the motives behind it, and when we are presented with an increasingly limited span of individuals in the public eye to idolize and relate ourselves to, it can be easy to get caught up in the negative battle of body image and self-deprecation that is encouraged by media publications. In my view, as long as there is a diverse range of people buying fashion, there should be a diverse range of people portraying fashion in popular image. It would stop this ridiculous expectation that is cast upon much of Western society to ‘be’ any part of the ideal lifestyle image created by consumerism, including the body image associated with it. Today we have so much variety, so much accessibility to fashion and so much creativity within the industry and it’s not right to only make a minority of people feel as if they’re beautiful, rich and popular enough to be part of it.

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P O P P Y G O O D E R I C K W O M E N S W E A R

F A S H I O N

D E S I G N E R 19

I T H I N K T H AT S O M E T I M E S A L A C K O F KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXACT WORKINGS B E H I N D A N I M A G E C R E AT E D C A N B E A GOOD THING. WE LIVE IN A TIME W H E R E W E H AV E S O M U C H K N O W L E D G E A N D E A S Y A C C E S S T O T H I N G S , T H AT I T I S N I C E T O B E A B L E T O C R E AT E M Y S T E R Y A N D M A G I C S U R R O U N D I N G C R E AT I V E P R O C E S S E S . A T T H E E N D O F T H E D A Y, FA S H I O N I S S E E N A S A N A S P I R AT I O N A L T H I N G , A N D S O I D O N ’ T T H I N K T H AT I T I S W R O N G T O C E L E B R AT E B O D Y T Y P E S T H A T W E I D E A L I S E O U R S E LV E S .

P O P P Y

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BUT I DO THINK THERE IS A LINE- OFTEN CROSSED- WHERE WE ARE SO USED TO T H E S A M E I M A G E S , T H AT W E B E G I N T O T H I N K T H AT I T I S T H E N O R M , R AT H E R THAN THE EXCEPTION. PERHAPS IF THERE IS MORE UNDERSTANDING AND ALLOWANCE FOR A DIVERSE RANGE OF P E O P L E W I T H I N T H E I M A G E S C O M M O N LY C O N S U M E D, T H E N W E W O U L D S TO P C O M P A R I N G O U R S E LV E S T O T H E O F T E N YOUNG, THIN, CAUCASIAN BODY TYPE T H AT W E A R E B O M B A R D E D W I T H , ACCEPTING AND EXPRESSING O U R S E LV E S F O R W H A T W E A R E ; I N D I V I D U A L S I N A D I V E R S E S O C I E T Y.

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S A R A H · E · B L A K E F A S H I O N

D E S I G N E R

I used to believe that the surface tabloid media accusations against fashion and its impact on body image were just wild claims - I personally don’t feel conscientiously pressurized by the media to look a certain way etc. However, having studied the subject a little more, I can now see why people may feel pressurized by the industry. I still don’t think you can just say that fashion causes negative body image issues, they definitely contribute, but I think society in general and the way we are conditioned through media to think plays a big part. From a design point of view, I think it’s not designers who necessarily affect body image, because a designer often designs around a concept and it’s a lot more art and vision based, and you aren’t thinking about body size/shape etc. unless you’re working very commercially. But then from the very beginning as a designer, we’re taught to work on tiny mannequins, illustrate on stick-like figures etc., so it’s all a bit conflicting. I’d like to think I wouldn’t design clothes for an idealized body type, because morally I don’t do that on purpose, but realistically because of how fashion education works, I only make clothes for a standard model body type. Basically I think the accusations are valid, but you can’t take the claims at face value because there is a lot of depth and things to think about and it’s not just as straightforward as the fashion industry being this big bad guy when it comes to body image. I think that those who blame the fashion industry for issues like anorexia, depression and low self-esteem aren’t looking at the bigger picture. Issues like those may be inflamed by the fashion industry, but they are most certainly not the cause. People who suffer with those issues have much more complexity surrounding the causes, and whilst fashion may not help, I don’t think you could just straightforward say that a girl will become anorexic by looking at models in magazines, I think there have to be other psychological issues behind that as well.

I definitely believe that there should be a greater diversity in models. However, I think that this should be a seamless inclusion, not something that is highlighted. By highlighting the diversity, it makes it different, and so undermines the whole point of equality and things that are different becoming normal. For instance photoshoots that play on the fact they may be using a model missing limbs etc. - the model should not be used because of that difference but because they are a good model. It also makes commercial sense - where is the logic in a 60-year-old woman looking at clothes targeted at her age range, but worn on a 30-year-old model? I can however also appreciate the difficulty of this from an artistic and conceptual point of view sometimes a particular type of model might fit the ‘look’ needed for the theme and concept, and as a designer you don’t want to compromise your story by using a model that won’t fit with that. Would educating the general public about the processes involved in creating fashion imagery be beneficial? Yes definitely - not just in terms of airbrushing etc., but I think the semiotic construction of images should also be analyzed and deconstructed, so the public are aware of the messages put upon them in everyday advertising. I didn’t consider the messages underlying in most fashion imagery until the lecture I had from Caryn Franklin, where she showed a series of magazine editorials and advertising, commonly seen in magazines. Naked women with only a perfume bottle covering their modesty and semi dressed women surrounded by men with threatening body language. Flicking through magazines, these kind of images fill them and I wouldn’t take a second glance, it was only when these images were taken out of their original context and analyzed that I clearly saw the sexualisation, masochism and gender stereotypes for both men and women at play, and was actually quite shocked by the motives behind a lot of fashion advertising. If someone was to take a garment I’d made, and use only sexualisation in advertising for it, I’d be offended that they thought that was necessary to sell it, and that it wouldn’t sell on it’s design alone, so yes I think it’s also important for creatives receiving greater appreciation for their work, as people need to see beyond the falsity of body image and see the actual thought behind the clothing.

2 0 1 4 K A Y O T A K A S H I R O D E S I G N E R / / O W N E R 24

O F

D R E S S

W O R L D

特に女性のファッションに対して、全ての「差」というものに敏感になりがちだと思います。どの業界にも批判的な意見を述べる人々が存在します。ファッション業界に於いては、視覚的なものを重要視する要素も多い為に、反対派の議論を招く事ありますが、同時にマインド的に自由を好む人々が多く存在するため、批判的な意見に対してネガティブになる事はあまりありません。この世界的な不況下に於いても、人々がファッションに対して購買の意欲を失ったわけではなく、消費のスタイルが変わったのだと思います。産業としては顧客のニーズに対して、的確な提供を行う事が使命でしょう。元来ファッションというのは、被服、体を覆うものに自己表現や創造が加わる事で、機能としての存在以上の意味をもたらすという事です。人々の身体のバリエーションに対しその数だけ必要性があり、形や表現も広がりを持ちます。実際にある一定の人々の形に特化し、ビジネスとして成功しているケースも沢山あります。私が昨年訪れた世界各国の国々、ヨーロッパからアメリカそしてアジア諸国に於いて見た現状としては、その国の成長度合いに差があれど、ほぼ世界的に平等に取り巻く膨大な量の情報や、人々の感性の高まりにより、自主的に知識や見識を高めており、全体としての質は底上げされていると言えるでしょう。 When it comes to fashion, people care about the visual so much that it is expected to spark a debate in certain issues. On the other hand, most people in fashion have a liberal view. Whatever the critical opinions, they aren’t going to be too negative.

In the midst of the current global recession, people did not lose their willingness to buy into fashion. I think that their style of consumption has changed. The mission of the fashion industry is to perform a precise offer to the customer’s demand.

Fashion brings meanings more than function and practicality by implementing self-expression and creativity. It’s not only covering up the human body. With the physical variation of people, there is a need for a wide range of forms and expressions.

私が昨年訪れた世ヨーロッパからアジア諸国に於いては、その国の成長ど、ほぼ世界的に膨大な量の情報や高まりにより、自を高めており、全上げされていると

世界各国の国々、アメリカそしてアて見た現状として度合いに差があれに平等に取り巻くや、人々の感性の主的に知識や見識体としての質は底言えるでしょう。 As for Europe, United States and Asian countries where I looked into last year, though there are differences in the growth degree of the country for the present conditions, it may be the whole quality is voluntarily enhanced equally by their knowledge and judgment, by their sensitivity and also by the fact that people are surrounded by an enormous quantity of information regarding fashion. It’s a worldwide range.

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N I A S A M U E L - J O H N S O N P H O T O G R A P H E R / / S T Y L I S T â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fashion imageryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; encompasses such a wide spectrum of things. I agree that a lot of high-end fashion magazines such as Vogue or Elle portray an unrealistic representation of women. Editing and air brushing is rife, and nearly all of the models are unrealistically skinny. However I would argue that although these magazines may be the most prominent in mainstream culture, they are a very small part of the fashion industry. I believe there is a larger percentage of fashion magazines and imagery that do not portray this predictable aesthetic.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think the fashion industry can be blamed for things like depression and anorexia. In some cases, it may affect people, but they are probably people that already have underlying issues with weight or self-esteem. There are more people in Britain with weight problems on the other end of the scale, so would introducing larger models not have a negative effect on this? I do think there should be a more diverse range of models in the higher end fashion magazines, as these are the ones that most people read.

However, with that in mind, as a fashion communicator myself, I am very aware of the problems faced when finding a model. Most fashion advertisements are there to showcase clothing in the best possible way, and I hate to say it, but the cut and fit of most clothes is best suited to a skinnier body type. I think that there have been a lot of things already that have been aimed at educating people about the process of fashion imagery. It would be interesting to show the difference between clothes on skinny models and larger models. This might create more of an awareness and appreciation of the work that goes into fashion imagery and why.

C A T H E R I N E

T E A T U M

From a designer’s point of view, what we are putting out and creating – and this is particularly relative to our end of the industry, which is the luxury designer end of the industry – you’re putting out something that isn’t necessarily reality. You’re selling… it depends what brand you are. You’re selling escapism, you’re selling something that sometimes is unattainable. Because, for me, that’s basically what ‘luxury’ is. Why it’s luxury, why it’s so desirable is because it’s slightly unattainable for the vast majority of people. So it’s not a real projection of what everybody is and what everybody looks like.

R O B

J O N E S

Or what you have to be. I’ve always had the thing of, growing up, making my own decisions, and have confidence in that and I always find, with any kind of industry, even in the music industry where people are put as role models and they’re blamed for things - even as a boy growing up I saw a lot of imagery about boys’ football, boys sports, that kind of thing. I didn’t like it so I didn’t do it. I went into fashion so I made that decision, I wasn’t led by anyone. Just personally. And I’ve always found that if I look at a fashion image, I can look at it in an art-based way, I can see it for what it is and I can look at it and enjoy looking at it or not, and have an opinion on it.

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T E A T U M J O N E S L U X U R Y F A S H I O N D E S I G N E R S

It’s an exaggeration. I’ve never felt like I have to be that. And I always find that, I think to blame it on anyone… I think it’s more about people’s characters, whether they’re led by things or not, and I’ve always found that quite strange because it’s quite alien to me. And also a lot of people around me, and also with my family, it’s just that… So essentially it’s like a shared responsibility. It’s not just advertisers or big brands that are responsible for showing young people – if that’s the kind of demographic you’re talking about – what they should and shouldn’t look like, it’s a shared responsibility between the people that are raising those people who are – yeah I do understand that they are vulnerable to a certain extent but then I do think that if you move down the scale and you look at companies that are creating collections for, let’s say, high-street companies, perhaps they have got a responsibility, and perhaps they should be more inclusive of different sizes, of different looks of people. Have you seen the recent catalogue that Debenhams have put out? They’ve used amputees and elderly models... Yeah. No, I haven’t. That’s interesting. What’s your opinion on that? Well, I haven’t seen it, so I can’t give you a fully informed opinion but I think that’s brilliant, I think that’s challenging a lot of perceptions, especially when you think about the idea of the Debenhams customer, and who they would be… Yeah, that’s great. I can’t really comment too much without seeing it but it sounds like it’s challenging, which isn’t something you’d expect from somewhere like Debenhams. They have their toe in ‘designer’. Yeah, and also they sell the Diffusion lines for the London Fashion Week designers so they do have a hand in it, but I wouldn’t refer to them as luxury. When I think of luxury, I think of the Village at Westfield, I think of the second floor at Liberty, which is where we sell. Bond Street, you’re kind of looking at… Bond Street, Sloane Street… The unattainable for the vast amount of people. That, to me, is luxury. It’s where I used to go a couple of days before Christmas, with my brother, he’d take me and look at all the big designer brands and it was like, ridiculous, I was sixteen, there was no way I could afford it. But it’s aspirational. I remember being younger - seventeen, eighteen, just about to go to fashion college – and went up to Sloane Street for the day and just went in all the shops and ask for any kind of look-books or anything. And some of them tell you to get out and some were really nice – Armarni were really nice, they gave me some marketing stuff – but most of them gave me a carrier bag.

[laughs] And I remember loving having the carrier bag. Carrier bags were massive at that point, as well, do you remember? The carrier bag you took to school was really important. But it’s like I had an Armani one… Who else was big at the time? Calvin Klein was down there, Versace… And then I remember getting… the one shop that was really welcoming was Westwood. But in Westwood there weren’t any uptight shop assistants, they were still old punk kind of people that had obviously worked there since twenty, thirty years ago and they were really friendly. But it’s that thing again, I remember, I couldn’t afford anything, but just having a bag or having something of it, because it was so unattainable but you felt special for having it. And I know what you mean about the whole - I didn’t really look at fashion images when I was younger, it was more an awe and inspiration, it wasn’t ‘Aw I wish I looked like that’ or ‘I wish I could get that skinny’ or ‘I wish I could be that tall’ because there was a sense of reality that was ingrained into me from a very young age – not like ‘you’re never going to be that good’, it was a case of there being more important things going on and ‘I don’t need to look like that to be successful or happy. But isn’t that an amazing, image. Isn’t that an inspirational image.’

I always see these images and I’m fully aware that they’re art pieces in themselves and can appreciate them for what they are and I think they’re beautiful. But then at the same time, where technology is increasing, young people spend 8 hours a day attached to a screen and are constantly bombarded by advertising. So what do you think about the argument that, because there are so many adverts featuring these beautifully constructed images, some people are seeing them as the norm and, some argue, that this affects self-esteem? I think that depends on where you’re talking about these images being placed. Just as a point, I think that tabloids have got a huge responsibility to answer for, just in terms of how they project to their readership, what is the ‘correct’ way to look. One week you have them criticizing people for getting too skinny, then literally by the end of the week, ‘hasn’t this person put on weight?’ Those celebrity-driven magazines, and those sorts of tabloids have got a huge amount to answer for. When they do the, you know, ‘creases here’ and ‘spots here’ and do all those red circles – I think Heat started it – blowing up imperfections, that I feel is kind of a bullying tactic. Because when you’re reading it you’re going ‘Oh yeah, that’s disgusting’. It wasn’t showing celebrities for being real, it’s actually saying that was bad, that’s wrong to have that imperfection really. And I kind of find that has a much more of a blame for the bullying culture than the fashion industry... Yeah. ...which has always created what they thought were beautiful images and if you wanted to look at it you could and if you didn’t then you didn’t have to. And also that’s not purely a judgment based on that woman for how she looks, it’s not what she’s doing in her career, I know that they do comment peripherally on the whole thing, but, you know, if she’s a mum, if she’s doing really well, then who cares? She’s got a big load of acne going on in her face. Those sorts of – I hate those magazines, and I don’t buy them and I get really annoyed if I see them being left around any of my nieces and them looking at them, because then THAT’S not reality. Because we ARE imperfect and there are other ways to judge people than pathetic and nasty pickings-out of what is physically and aesthetically wrong with them. So I don’t like those magazines. That’s my little rant over about that. But in terms of kind of what you’re exposed to on screen – I don’t know, it’s difficult because – we’re those people that are on screen ten hours a day, you know. I guess instagram, just as pictorially, is something that I look at quite a lot. It’s a source that I look at, probably more than anything else, that’s just purely images, that’s not necessarily, I mean we’re on a screen ten hours a day but we’re working so we’re maybe not your best subjects for that. I don’t have time just to browse so I don’t necessarily come up against it. We don’t really buy fashion magazines; we’re not really a fashion consumer, in that way. It’s not our life, because we’re working in it. We’re creating it, we’re not necessarily consuming it. I don’t buy Vogue every month, sometimes if we’re at an airport is when, for travelling, you buy a magazine like that but I haven’t got at home Cosmo, Elle, InStyle all stacked up and Grazia.

But I also think our generation and probably the next generation beneath us are way more savvy now, when it comes to having a bit of a thick skin with advertising. I think, personally, in the generation older and above, I think it can probably still have quite an effect on. I think it was advertising in the Fifties and Sixties and Seventies when we look at old photos and think how advertising literally told you, and people accepted it. Because it was there, it was like the truth in a way. And now because of the Internet I think that everybody knows – everybody puts out their own advertising in a way, do you know what I mean? If something is actually written in a paper about someone, like the tabloids... People believe the tabloids, but now, if you have a headline, actually a lot of the time, the actual person it’s about can get in there first and do their own Youtube thing, straight to the public and tell them exactly how it is and then you can make up your decision on that. But actually the funny thing is an older generation, still opinions are formed by the newspapers and that kind of – because they never had the internet where as I think generations younger than us are so savvy to it. I think our generation – when I was really coming through teenage years, people were just starting to get emails and stuff so I think my generation were excited by it and jumped on it… Yeah, the start of ‘dial-up’. ...and probably got too overexcited by it all, where as now I’m seeing my nieces and nephews, it’s just part of their life, it’s not this frenzied use of it. It’s just there and it’s kind of a tool.

And hopefully they’ll be much more thick-skinned and understand a bit more. More educated and informed, and you think of, even the twelve-year-old in my life - I’ve had conversations with her before and told her, ‘don’t look at those magazines, they’re a load of rubbish.’ And she’s like, ‘I know because they just fix them up and they Photoshop them and they can just do things to make them look perfect.’ So I’m like, ‘Even you, at twelve, can understand that that’s not the finalized real image.’ And just from doing shoot ourselves, to get to that takes… it can take anything between four and ten hours of hair and make-up. So when we do photoshoots, the girl is sat in hair and make-up for a minimum - and this is just one single girl - three hours, four hours. And she’s a model, so she’s starting off on a good foot. So any of the celebrities that you see in those shoots, spend hours. And then they all have post on them. So what processes do you guys go through when you make the decisions about the images that you make? For one image you’ve probably got ten, if not more than that, images of that look. Yeah, about twenty-five. All of the same kind of ‘click-click-click’, getting it, then you pick the best one from that, then that’s touched up, then it’s cropped and then, you know, there is a lot of work that goes into creating it. But if you think we’re… It’s touched up but it’s not necessarily… sometimes models have had quite bad skin, and when they’re travelling a lot and they’re doing all of the Fashion Weeks that’s when they just tend to have break-outs because they’re tired, they haven’t been eating properly, they had enough sleep, they’re not drinking enough water so they do get bad skin. So that has to get touched up in post.

TA B LO I D S H AV E G OT A H U G E RESPONSIBILITY TO ANSWER FOR, JUST IN TERMS OF HOW THEY PROJECT TO THEIR R E A D E R S H I P W H AT I S T H E ‘ C O R R E CT ’ WAY TO LO O K .

O N E W E E K YO U H AV E T H E M CRITICIZING PEOPLE FOR G E T T I N G T O O S K I N N Y, T H E N L I T E R A L LY B Y T H E E N D O F THE WEEK, ‘HASN’T THIS PERSON PUT ON WEIGHT?’ C A T H E R I N E

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It’s always happened. Hollywood, in the thirties and fourties, when they found a new actress, they brought them in and the studio said that Ava Gardner or someone, she was a bit Hispanic, she had red hair, so they said ‘We need to whiten your skin we need to give you blonde hair’. Okay they were a different shape, they were of a more volumous shape, but at that time, they still changed them, made all their teeth straight, literally. There was probably a lot. And yeah, we do it on computers – they actually physically changed them and molded them and then people just believe it, what was put out to you. You couldn’t actually get behind it, there was no way of finding out really what the truth was. It was a very closed door. Yeah, and even in that Vogue book, it’s all the edits, where they show you… They used to physically touch up. There’s one and they see how they used to make them, they’re probably bigger girls but they kept the bust size, but they gave them that hourglass figure and you could see them literally cut out and change the picture and it’s all the pictures before they were done. That’s why I think though, with social media, people have Instagram, people have Twitter, they have all of that, they can actually have their own voice. Rihanna’s a brilliant example of it: bad day, good day, fat day, skinny day, she’s putting out images of herself left, right, and centre. She doesn’t give a shit, and whether she does or she doesn’t, that’s the tone and that’s the kind of tone of her brand, and that’s exactly what’s been projected and put out there, but she has an element of control over it, which Ava Gardner wouldn’t have had. In terms of how other people viewed her and what they thought of her, she was really under the control of the studio so they would have put out an image, the public wouldn’t have access to see behind that image and therefore you would have accepted, that is how amazingly naturally fabulous she is. But the likes of celebrities nowadays have social media, they have their own voices, like bloggers have. It’s like a civilian journalism. So everyone has the right to say what they want and have a voice. And I think that’s why, at least with our generation, people are just more savvy to it and PR stunts – you can smell them a mile off. To a point, we get really cynical in here when a certain very very high-powered figure in the music industry exposed a story, I remember the two of us going ‘That’s all planned.’ Probably to cover up another story, to divert your attention to something else. Yeah, to divert the attention and has been negotiated to kind of quiet down something else. I think, as a whole, to blame an industry... I think people need to take responsibility. You need to take responsibility for yourself, and I find that, for whatever reason, that is gradually going, it’s too easy to blame someone else, and that’s what I find. I think it’s shared. It’s a shared responsibility. Yeah, but when it’s, for instance, how many years ago, to blame Kate Moss or blame Victoria Beckham for anorexia, it’s just – you know, I’ve had friends with anorexia and bulimia and actually it’s not because of those images, I mean they might be drawn to those images, but generally the core of it is something a lot deeper and darker to why they’re doing that to themselves. They haven’t just woken up one morning and gone, ‘Oh I want to look like Victoria Beckham’.

The people that I know, it’s generally they’re very unhappy so it’s a kind of way of hurting themselves. And I think to blame an image of Victoria Beckham I just find that – There could be more openness and education about how those images come about. I think there’s no harm in that. Like the Vogue book that you’re talking about showing more before and after. And there has been loads of that to be fair over the last couple of years, you see – there was a big campaign – I think it was the Sunday Times Style and they did a whole issue where they weren’t going to touch up any of the images for that issue. And I’ve seen quite a lot of that where, yeah either celebrities or the magazine editors made a decision, ‘this issue we’re just going to have a look at it and see what it looks like with no one touched up’ – which I think is good. But then it’s quite shocking how quickly people can go ‘Oof. That doesn’t look very good. She doesn’t look that good actually.’ And people start to pick it apart and, again, it goes back to the whole reason why I think our industry creates, we’re not creating a realistic image, we’re creating, sometimes, the subject matter or the reference can come from realism – Alexander McQueen, Vivian Westwood, using kind of subjective and submissive references to create luxury fashion – but the end result is always quite strikingly beautiful. So, I think there have been efforts that have been made to do that, but then it’s quite funny how they’ve been picked apart. And how people have not been pleased with them. I think it’s still good to do it though, I think the value is in the kind of principle and the incentive to do it. And I think there could be more of that. I’m interested now to look at the Debenhams, because I think that’s really quite progressive way of doing advertising. And I can see what angle they’re trying to take on that. From what I gather it’s working, because BBC did some interviews with Debenhams customers when the size sixteen mannequins were introduced, and they were all delighted because they were realistic. Yeah I saw that on the news. That’s great. That is good because, actually, I can’t wait for the day when we have to grade up to size sixteen, because actually, at the moment, our customer base, the demand isn’t there for it. So we grade from six to eight, to a size fourteen. I’ve got no problem grading up to a sixteen but once the demand is there. But that’s great that they’re doing that because actually that – I don’t know I haven’t looked at the recent surveys – but that is pretty much, it must be an average, a size sixteen, nowadays. So, that is providing a service for the average sized woman in this country, so that’s only right and I think that should have been done, that should be happening anyway.

But then again I wonder whether those size sixteen mannequins, how effective they are at selling the clothes. I wonder whether that woman who’s walking into that store, she’s a size sixteen, is she looking at the clothes on the size ten mannequin and finding them more inspiring, more appealing or when she sees the size sixteen mannequin with the clothes on is she going, ‘that’s going to expose me there’ or ‘it’s a little bit big on the hips’ or ‘that ruffle or that trim is just going to make me look bigger’. To look into that would be interesting. Because, again, it goes back to that idea of projecting something that’s unattainable, but that’s the appeal. Is the, ‘That’s what I aspire to be. That’s what I find inspirational.’ And then it’s all body dysmorphia. I have the opposite; I think I’m skinnier than what I am. I definitely think I’m taller and skinnier. But again that’s probably because I’ve always been the backseat person – I’m more interested in creating the clothes, I’m not so interested in being the person going out and wearing the clothes. I am as well but just in – I’m driven by creating rather than consuming. Yeah, it doesn’t rule your life. For whatever reason, it’s not something that is your main priority. And it’s like, sometimes, it’s very easy to go ‘Oh my god I’ve put on weight’ or ‘I haven’t put on weight’ or ‘I feel better about myself ‘ and I think everyone has that but it doesn’t completely control us. And I don’t know what it is. I actually don’t know the answer to what it is in some people where they’re led by other people and why some people aren’t. I don’t know what it is and why. Which is why I think it’s too… There are far too many factors; environmental, nurturing, who brings you up… Which is why you say it’s shared. It’s totally shared. It’s an open thing. And I think one big part of it is education with industries and actually what is real. And also for people to be educated to make up their own decisions, and not be led by, say, the fashion industries. They should do that. It would definitely help to see more of that in schools, particularly girls’ schools. Actually, mixed as well, to give the guys a clear vision - to get this beautiful girl looking as beautiful as she does in this image, it takes this amount of time to do that and then you have post and then you have technology coming in and being involved in that too. Thank you for your time.

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S A R A H H E W S O N F A S H I O N

D E S I G N E R

I think body image in fashion has gotten better over the years. There was a time when the whole ‘heroin chic’ look made popular by Calvin Klein was in. Now there are a few more rules, and more awareness about it, which is good. Overly skinny is never very attractive. The fashion industry is a tough business but people shouldn’t be made to feel like this. I suppose people become very insecure if they are surrounded by supermodels every day. It’s a lot of pressure. It depends on what type of person you are, if you are a sensitive soul then the fashion industry isn’t the right place for you its cut-throat and you have to be thick skinned. Somebody will always be criticising something you do, weather you’re a supermodel, designer or intern working for free. There’s a lot of pressure and money involved. The clothes need to look attractive so it makes people want to buy them. Do you feel that educating the general public about the creation process of fashion imagery would be beneficial? I’m not sure, I don’t know if the general public really care enough and they may already know that clothes tend to generally look better on tall slim people (being short myself I know this). Do you feel that the key issues lie within public self-evaluation against fashion imagery? Essentially that the same criticism would exist regardless of body image? Yes I do, if obese were the norm and skinny people were being overlooked there would be campaigns about getting slimmer girls onto the catwalks and in the magazines.

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H A N N A H C O O R G F A S H I O N

C O M M U N I C A T O R

Beauty is becoming much more varied and different forms of beauty are absolutely being more accepted nowadays. I believe society’s perception is changing and, in a way, has to change. If you look at editorials nowadays they are almost always not your usual ‘supermodel’ body. I think it is a very interesting debate between industries concerning the criticism that fashion receives with its portrayal of the body. I defiantly agree that the industry could potentially be sending out very wrong messages in terms of the perceived ‘norms’ of what the human body should look like, however I do think that, actually, it is not just fashion industry’s portrayal. The advertising industry, beauty industry and fitness industry are also industries which seem to create this perception of bodily ‘normality’, so I do feel sometimes that people have to understand that the fashion industry is actually becoming a fine artist’s canvas; meaning that the industry is built upon ‘image’ and ‘looks’ and the reason people buy fashion is because they are buying a lifestyle so they have to have this ‘image’ to look unto. In terms of whether they are sending the wrong image is a massive topic and I think fashion goes through many stages of ‘looks’ and appearance ‘norms’. It just depends on cultural trends, including influences from other industries. What would you say to those who blame the fashion industry for such issues as depression, low self-esteem and anorexia? I’d say, ‘Fair point!’ I once wanted to be a model - for years actually, and always got rejected. I was always either too short or not the ‘right look’. However I’d always been told that when I visited these agencies I would be told that I was too fat, when actually no one ever said anything like that, even though I knew that I would have been too ‘big’ for the industry standards. So there are different opinions within the industry on the ‘norm’ of bodily perception. Rick Owens is a designer known for his use of diversity in his fashion shows, he just used ‘big’, beautiful, confident black women for a show. I think fashion is all about the representation of people, the environments they live in, and the clothes that they wear on their bodies.

I ONCE WANTED TO BE A MODEL - FOR YEARS A C T U A L LY, A N D A L W A Y S GOT REJECTED I ’ D A LW AY S B E E N T O L D T H AT W H E N I V I S I T E D T H E S E AGENCIES I WOULD BE TOLD T H A T I W A S T O O F A T, W H E N A C T U A L LY N O O N E E V E R S A I D A N Y T H I N G L I K E T H A T.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPINIONS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY ON THE ‘NORM’ O F B O D I LY P E R C E P T I O N .

Should there be a more diverse range of representations of the body in fashion imagery? One hundred percent! I think its really narrow minded to keep to one ‘look’. In fact, it’s really f***ing boring. I try to avoid using ‘pretty’ models in my shoots. I feel it’s way more interesting to use a range of different identities as then you have a story or something ‘deeper’ or meaningful to work with, not just a blonde stick with the same expression on their face. Honestly, I think that unless you are in the industry, working within fashion, know people working within it or your just obsessed with stalking fashionistas, I don’t think the general public can ever really understand what happens behind all the beautiful and crazy imagery. It’s a hard industry to get into as it has almost secret codes to it. You have to understand it in a different kind of way, if that makes sense. A bit like what I mentioned about a fine artist’s canvas – I feel that fashion is more and more becoming art. No fashion image is created in the same way; new location, new models, new team and essentially new ‘concept’. The concept is very important nowadays in fashion. The concept has taken over the clothes, which may in turn mean that fashion will accept more diversity of bodies as it now hopes to tell stories. I think this whole image of ‘skinny bitches who don’t eat’ - these gals work only in fashion? Bullshit. I think size zero was one time. They aren’t allowed on the catwalk now. And to be honest there is always going to be a ‘look’. It’s fashion; it’s formulated on trends and the present and future influences. So you’re saying that it’s simply a cultural influence that can’t be pinned down to one subject or industry? Yes, exactly! I think fashion is defiantly on the way to diversity. It will become more and more of a trend. You see, it has to become ‘cool’. So maybe even ‘fat’ will come back in. The problem with our generation is that its obsessed with ‘problems’. It thrives off them, you know? So when we have them in an industry which is considered so bitchy and influencing you have a problem in itself.

I sometimes don’t really understand why fashion is blamed for issues such as depression, low self-esteem and anorexia. These are mental health issues, I’m not sure if there are any studies out there that can equate the rise of depression and anorexia to the fashion industry, these issues can be made worse from a wide variety of outside pressures and not just fashion. The industry is an easy target because of its association with the body and clothes. I think there should be a more diverse range of representations of the body in fashion imagery, it’s always interesting to see new ways of doing and approaching ideas about the body, and some designers/magazines have been really successful at it: Vogue Italia doing an all black issue so they only used black models, V magazine did a shoot with larger models, designer Rick Owens showed larger models on the catwalks. I do get a bit cynical when I see these, because they don’t really go any further than that, its not like they are communicating that message all the time. I think it goes beyond fashion. You can see it everywhere in all sorts of advertising/television, where the family on the back of the cereal packet are white, the characters in commercials for “washing powder/cereal/Tesco” are white, Anlgo-Saxon, Protestant, so there is that too, its just fashion sometimes shows it to offer something new with a hope that other people will follow.

I think because not many people understand the process of fashion it sometimes becomes an easy target to blame. Educating the general public about the creation process of fashion imagery would be a step forward. It would need to be really clear about where and how moods and themes are generated from, because a lot of that is personal to each designer, but it would perhaps blow a few myths, and make people see that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about some designer drawing dresses all day long, and that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much more.

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A L E X J A M E S F A I R B A I R N H A I R

S T Y L I S T

To be honest, I think that criticism is valid, but only in a minority of cases. Seeing the work that goes into these images first hand I know that almost all of what you see is created by the team on the day and not with retouching afterwards. The team are paid to create what the client wants to promote what they’re selling and they are very good at their jobs. I personally think that a lot has changed over the past few years and we’ve seen a much wider mix of models used for advertising campaigns in general. Ultimately you need that fantasy element to advertising and I think that most people would be able to appreciate that if they weren’t constantly told that they should blame the industry for these problems. Some people have suggested that young people are more susceptible to peer pressure from the styled and retouched fashion images that we see in mass media, simply due to an increase in exposure with the rise of screen-based technology. Others have said that young people are more resilient to it and have developed a form of immunity to these images, with older generations believing the images to be true as opposed to constructed works of art. Where do you stand on this? Which demographic do you feel is impacted the most? I don’t believe in generalisation. I don’t think I could honestly say that a certain age demographic is affected more or less. All people are either more or less influenced by mass media etc. I think that in terms of peer pressure then young people would be more likely to succumb to this as they don’t become aware of themselves until a certain point in life when they’ve seen and heard enough of the world and discovered who they are.

Do you feel that there should be a greater diversity in terms of the models who are used in fashion images? Such as amputees, size twenty models, or elderly people? In fashion images I would have to say no. You have to be careful when shooting advertising that nothing distracts from what you are trying to sell. We reshoot so often after looking back at something and deciding that there are too many accessories to distract you from the point of interest in an image, or too much going on the background etc. An amputee, for example, would definitely be a distraction for me. If there was a point to it then absolutely, I think it would be a great move, but not for fashion. Again with elderly or size 20, this would be distracting. There are many mature models appearing in fashion advertising, but after a certain age then the model would start to distract from the product and that goes against the point of advertising in the first place. I have never come across a model larger than a size 16 and I doubt I would. People have so much to say when a model is too skinny, but what would the difference be if you were using a very overweight person to advertise? This is still not a healthy image to promote. Do you feel that the general public should be made aware of the processes involved in the creation of these images, and told that the images that we are shown are constructed rather than real? I think that this is a brilliant idea, and is something that I come across a lot when I work. There are often behind the scenes photographs and video being taken for use online and from this you can see how little is done in retouching. The main purpose of a retoucher is to create a polished image, not to change the models figure or face. The model and clothing are made to look desirable during shooting by the team. The photographer will decide that a certain angle to shoot at works best. The stylist will make sure the clothes are fitted properly, no matter what the models size or figure. The hair and make up will create a look which compliments the over all look of the shoot. The model knows how to move to make the clothing look good. Everybody plays an important role and they play it well. I think that if more people saw what was involved in the process then they would have a very different outlook on the industry as a whole.

D I A N E S U L L I V A N K A P L A N 2014 FASHION PR & COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

I believe the industry at large is trying to make a shift towards a positive and healthy body image being used. In the past ten to fifteen years I have seen a change in the mindset of stylists, editors and brands, in the models they use and how they would like their product to be portrayed. Institutions across the world such as the British Fashion Council - BFC as well as fashion brands are all taking steps to ensure models they use are healthy, a mix of different backgrounds, and at times different ages (see Marks and Spencer ad campaigns for the past four years), and disabilities (see Alexander Mcqueen). I do think sensationalist press in particular tabloids, such as the Daily Mail, fan the flames of hate towards an industry that has recognised its limitations and is trying to change for the better. The BFC launched a model health inquiry in 2007 and the results lead to further agreement of international brands and magazines to join together to form a health initiative with regards to models they used and their health. To those who blame the fashion industry for such issues as depression, low self-esteem and anorexia I would say that I do not necessarily believe the industry is the sole cause of those issues. As someone who has suffered or witnessed first hand friends, colleagues and peers who have suffered from those symptoms for often extremely complicated reasons, I can honestly say that any of these symptoms can occur for multiple reasons that have nothing to do with the fashion industry. In addition I would ask those people to focus on some of the unreported positives of the industry, and ask them to consider how much GDP the industry generates in revenue for the UK annually, how many people it employs and how important the industry is for global trade and manufacturing and image of the country. I agree the industry ‘at large’ should do even more to try and achieve a more diverse range of representations of the body, as consumer mentality and demand is changing very quickly. With the birth and even changing landscape of digital media and online consumerism the speed of trends and how we receive information is being pushed forward every day - it is taking a while for the industry to recognise these new trends and catch up/ monetise them. I think there is a lot of information available to people if they would like to find out more, I think it would be better for us to educate at a younger age about self esteem and what is/isn’t appropriate in terms of body image. As a woman, and on a related note, I find ‘lad mag’ style misogynistic reporting and images of women more undermining to self esteem than a fashion spread on a model.

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Most fashion images are created for commercial purposes, most of the time they focus on the taste of their target audience and what kind of image they would be attracted to. So unless the public is educated into appreciating a more diverse range of beauty, the fashion imagery is unlikely to change. There is a lack of diversity in fashion imagery for sure, but I don’t think it should be blamed for causing those issues. Just like any form of popular culture, there are always some trends or certain values of beauty that most people follow. It’s part of the culture and it’s normal that some body types are considered to be standard during that time period. Having said that, it definitely does not mean it’s wrong to be different. I do think there should be a more diverse range of representations of the body in fashion imagery. It’s essential to educate the public to appreciate different appearances of ethnicities and body types. The fashion industry can be influential in giving an idea of a more open-minded standard of beauty. In terms of fashion designing, having different representations put into consideration can be interesting. Diversity is always a good inspiration for creating exciting work. There are now lots of clips on the internet showing how those models in the fashion images or commercials are covered with make-up or how they are photoshopped. Some people with low self-esteem with their own appearance might find these helpful, but I think in the end they still have to build up their own confidence and not just by looking at others’ imperfections. In terms of the fashion creatives, I do think they might receive a bit more appreciation. Just like all other artists’ work, the public always learn more about it and appreciate it more by looking at how the piece was done.

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C Y N T H I A W U 設計人

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THERE IS A LACK OF DIVERSITY IN FASHION IMAGERY FOR SURE, BUT I DON’T THINK IT SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR CAUSING DEPRESSION OR LOW SELF ESTEEM OR OTHER ISSUES. JUST LIKE ANY FORM OF P O P U L A R C U LT U R E , T H E R E A R E A LW AY S S O M E T R E N D S OR CERTAIN VALUES OF B E A U T Y T H AT M O S T P E O P L E F O L LO W. C Y N T H I A W U 2 0 1 4

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E V I E E D W A R D S F A S H I O N

C O M M U N I C A T O R

I do agree to an extent with the criticism the industry gets with size zero ect. There does need to be a change in body image on the runway and in editorials. But I think maybe we should not just point the finger of blame at the fashion industry and instead look at society as a whole, with advertising playing a big role in the named accusations above. I also feel like magazines such as hello and heat also play a big part in our self-criticism. I feel the ‘fashion communication’ side of fashion is producing a lot more abstract and creative imagery - maybe this will help with the above accusations? What sort of change in body image are you referring to? Plus-sized models? Ethnic diversity? Yeah, definitely both! I recently worked London fashion week and the size of the models was very depressing - a new healthy image needs to be promoted. I think calling models ‘plus size’ is absurd too. Plus size models are usually like a ten, which is crazy. Would you prefer to see the public express less self-evaluation against fashion imagery? And recognize these images as artistic constructions rather than real-life photographs? Yeah, I guess that’s a good way of looking at it. I guess the artist behind the imagery sees the model in the picture as his muse, not what everyone in society should be like. What’s your opinion on disabled models? Like those in the upcoming Debenhams catalogue? I think its great, we need more diversity in our culture. I think others may find it a shock though - due to fashion imagery always being predictable. Some might argue that this shock value could be what draws the eye to the image. Some argue that a disabled model draws the eye away from the clothing itself, which counteracts the point of attempting to sell the item. What do you think? I guess that could be true - but don’t you think we only find it a “shock” because the small mindedness of our body-obsessed culture? If we showed a variety of bodies, surely that would sell the clothes better as that is much more true to life? I believe these disabled women don’t want sympathy - they just want to raise awareness and be treated with the normality that every other model gets treated with.

How do you feel about arguments that the unattainable factor is what sells the item, and that emphasizing the ‘real woman’ is not necessarily what the public buy into? I guess some people who say that do have a slight point; we all know people always want what they don’t have. Although the women in these ads usually have an unattainable image, for example they have been airbrushed within a inch of their lives - having real people model would be much healthier for all of society. But would you say that this fantasy image would be justified if these images were reinforced with things like disclaimers to make people aware that these are constructs? Even if it’s something as simple as credits (Photographer, Stylist, Retoucher, Assistant etc) being implemented into the image or as a caption? I don’t think people would really pay much notice to them, I don’t think people realize that the teams alter the images as much as they do. Yeah I think that’s probably the biggest issue at hand - that people are left unaware as to how many people and how much work is poured into each shot.

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B I L L I E - J O S K E LT O N A R T I think the blame the fashion industry receives is very farfetched and manipulated by the media. You cannot claim that seeing a skinny girl on a catwalk or in a magazine made another girl looking at it become anorexic. If that was the case then surely the news could not show wars and attacks as they would be promoting violence and raising younger viewers as thugs? Fashion imagery is more than just a skinny girl in pretty clothes. Fashion editorials are thought of months beforehand with concepts and narratives relating to a million different things and are produced to create beautiful images. I’m sure the people with these disorders themselves are tired of being asked, ‘Is it because of the women in magazines?’ People have real issues and problems in their lives, which are more than just fashion clichés!

D I R E C T O R / / S T Y L I S T I think there is definitely a need and a market for more diversity within models, however this is up to a certain point. For example, I would love to see more ethnicities on catwalks and in editorials, as well as disabled models. But I think with age it’s a different factor. Do viewers want to see forty, fifty, sixty-year-old women coming down a catwalk? Plus if there was a lot more variation into who is ‘allowed’ to be a model surely becoming a model wouldn’t be a job anymore. Anybody could be one and that’s where fashion is special. Yes that probably makes me sound like another fashion cliché but certain girls are models because they are special and beautiful and that’s why we want to stare at them in magazines. Its a never ending debate really, we will always be arguing for more equality in fashion and the fight for ‘real women’ but we still be pushing for unreal expectations for women in magazines.

So you want to cater for the older demographic because they are still extremely valid customers. Yet with fashion, what you’re often selling is the image and the fantasy, and often youth is a major factor in that. Is that correct? Yes, exactly. Fashion is a fantasy; magazines are a form of escapism. Girls tear out pages from them and stick them on their bedroom walls because its what they dream of, to one day own that dream Chanel bag, or be as beautiful as the model in the picture. And these magazines are the reasons high-street shops and smaller businesses can survive. What’s seen on the catwalk and the magazines eventually trickles down to the day to day shops every type of woman no matter what age goes into and whether she is aware of it or not she is buying into the industry.

Do you feel that these aspirations, to eventually look like that image, are valid? Despite the unattainable nature of the images? I think so, yes. Isn’t it every girls right to look up to someone? Or want to be like someone? Whether that be a fashion model, an Olympian or an actress. Everything in life is unattainable to someone but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t strive to achieve it. So what you’re saying is that we shouldn’t judge who these girls look up to, because everyone should be entitled to look up to whoever they like? Even if the image of the character is entirely fictional? Yes exactly that. People look up to cartoon characters and TV stars, who are we to say that that’s wrong? Whether its unachievable or not, everyone is entitled to look up to who or what they like. It’s the beauty of free will.

Could you not argue that models featured in fashion imagery however are too often mistaken for real-life? Cartoon characters and movie stars are often emphasised as being entirely fictional, yet the fabricated and constructed nature of fashion imagery is often brushed over. Would you say that awareness should be raised in regards to how these images are created, promoting these images as just that- a fantasy - preventing too strict levels of self-evaluation against these images? That way fashion designers/promoters would receive appreciation for their work and those aspiring to look like these images would be entirely aware of their constructed nature?

I think that’s probably where the main criticism lies, in the difficulty in representing these images as constructs. Yet most people I’ve spoken to are all up for showcasing how they’re constructed. What is warped is how the general public criticize and demonize the industry when all designers and promoters want to do is create visually stunning images. True that, I think nearly everyone you ask working in the industry would happily campaign for the right representation for their images, its just finding the right way to do it.

I guess so yeah, I wouldn’t be opposed to fashion imagery being openly known as constructed and fake but I don’t know how they would go about it. I mean how do you explain through image that what you’re seeing is not real? that’s something for future generations to figure out I guess.

Most fashion models do not look good in bikinis, because they're too thin. Society has a hyper emphasis on thin and that trend comes from the consumers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it does not come from the fashion industry. The fashion industry needs to make money, that's what we do. If people said, 'we want a 300 pound purple person,' the first industry to do it would be fashion. You look at the Dove campaign in Times Square â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it sticks out like a sore thumb. Those girls in the white T-shirts and underwear, next to Calvin Klein [and all the other fashion ads]. As a consumer, it doesn't make me want to buy Dove. I'm all for the real look, but as a consumer it doesn't make me want to buy clothes.

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IF PEOPLE SAID ‘WE WANT A 300 POUND PURPLE PERSON’ THE FIRST INDUSTRY TO DO IT WOULD BE FASHION

A T I T S B E S T, I B E L I E V E T H A T T H E IDEA OF FANTASY AND ITS ROLE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY CAN LEAD TO G R E A T P I E C E S O F A R T. A T I T S W O R S T HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DENYING T H A T I T C A N B E D E R O G A T O R Y, I N D O C T R I N AT I N G A N D H A R M F U L TO SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.

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B E N J A M I N T H A P A D E S I G N E R / / A R T

D I R E C T O R

The creative industries will always receive some amount of criticism due to the exploration of new and unformed territory, (often leading to the investigation of taboos and the socially unacceptable). Fashion perhaps deserves greater attention since its foundation is as a commercial enterprise and its reach is grand, all encompassing and pervasive. Historically fashion in the modern sense of the word came about during the rise of the middle class, defining ‘new rich’ society - as a means of catalyzing shifts in social status. This period also formed the beginning of modern capitalism, an infrastructure based on self-definition through the ability to ‘buy into’ a lifestyle. On its more basic level fashion has been a part of human culture from the very beginning of its existence. Tribesmen and women would adorn feathers, skins or jewelry in order to be distinguished from others and to display social standing. Understanding this history as well as its contemporary context as an integral part of a global capitalism means that you can at least in part justify a concentration on selling people ‘ideals’ and ‘dreams’. At its best, I believe that the idea of fantasy and its role within the industry can lead to great pieces of art. At its worst however, there is no denying that it can be derogatory, indoctrinating and harmful to society as a whole. I feel it’s rather naive to blame a single party or even a section of the industry. If there is a responsibility it is in society as a whole. Powerful as it is, I don’t believe that fashion is a brainwashing machine and that the public are so weak as to not resist it. The extremes that fashion has moved into - as to selling unrealistic ideas of the human body, sexualized images and the imaginary lifestyles associated, are simply based on a formula that has been hard tried and tested; sex sells. However, personally I believe that these are concepts that are rather obvious ones to explore, and that if one approaches a project with the correct mentality, an intelligent and culturally relevant outcome can of course be produced. We should aim to inspire rather than to cause insecurity.

Do you feel that there should there be a more diverse range of representations of the body in fashion imagery ? Absolutely. I feel there has been some movement towards this of late, see Rick Owensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; SS14 Paris show for example. The fact is that fashion is constantly looking for new material; there is so much outside of the clichĂŠs that hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been explored fully. The dynamic of the industry is also shifting hugely; social media and the Internet have been the catalysts for a categorical re-think in terms of what is relevant and what is not. The days of being dictated to by a select few in the industry are fading. Do you feel that educating the general public about the creation process of fashion imagery, along with the number of people who work on each piece, would be beneficial - for the public in terms of preventing self-evaluation, and for fashion creatives in terms of receiving greater appreciation for their work? This is something I can personally stand behind. Coming from a thoroughly non-fashion background and a family based in academics, I think its hard for some people to understand the motivations of the industry. Frivolous as it may seem at times, the industry is here only due to the committed dedication of the countless people involved. They endeavor because they wholeheartedly care about the work they are producing and are often willing to place the rest of their life on hold for its success. I feel this is something that should be respected.

F R I V O LO U S A S I T M AY S E E M AT T I M E S , T H E I N D U S T R Y I S H E R E O N LY D U E T O T H E C O M M I T T E D D E D I C AT I O N O F T H E C O U N T L E S S P E O P L E I N V O LV E D . T H E Y E N D E AVO R B E C AU S E T H E Y W H O L E H E A R T E D LY C A R E A B O U T T H E WORK THEY ARE PRODUCING AND ARE OFTEN WILLING TO PLACE THE REST OF THEIR LIFE ON HOLD FOR ITS SUCCESS. I F E E L T H I S I S S O M E T H I N G T H AT S H O U L D B E R E S P E CT E D.

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Z O Ë S L E S E N G E R F A S H I O N

D E S I G N E R /

As with any creative industry negativity and criticism is to be expected, it’s a matter of opinion whether people like what you’re doing or not, as for what it’s being criticized for is another matter. The association with issues of body image I think is in part rooted from both our culture’s approach to communication

i.e. the media’s sometimes twisted representation of what’s happening along with misinterpretation. Magazines and such may be filled with beautiful women in beautiful clothes, which will be primarily to promote the creativity and hard work involved in the garments, the shows or the overall aesthetic achieved.

It’s a shame that these images have been associated with themes of an unhealthy nature but they certainly are not the intention of the designers, whose focus will be on the clothing itself.

/ I L L U S T R A T O R

I T D O E S N ’ T M AT T E R W H E R E A P E R S O N S I T S O N T H E S K I N N Y S C A L E A S L O N G A S T H E Y ’ R E H E A LT H Y A N D H A P P Y It may be overlooked that using smaller sizes for the initial runway samples will of course benefit the company in using less material and keeping down costage, however I think it is important for the industry to recognise the power it has and to take responsibility for promoting a healthy body image. It doesn’t matter where a person sit’s on the skinny scale as long as they’re healthy and happy. What’s your perspective on more diversity in models? For example statements that only 4% of models are non-white, or how Debenhams are using disabled models in their campaigns? Statistics like these seem shocking and of course to see more balance would be nothing but positive, and again, these seemingly negative statements may be down to chance rather than preference. Statistics like these seem shocking and

of course to see more balance would be nothing but positive, and again, these seemingly negative statements may be down to chance rather than preference. Designers might be aiming for a certain overall aesthetic to their collection which could be attained in part through the model’s facial characteristics. As a result this may coincidentally end up in the use of similar looking models within their selection in order to keep a uniform ‘look’ to the lineup, where the focus is intended to be on the clothes not the models themselves. Again issues with size can relate the need to stick to measurements of the samples displayed on the catwalk, this cause stems from practicality, however it would make sense to see this varied to imitate the diversity in the customer base. In a true reflection this would include a broad range of shapes and sizes. As for campaigns involving the use of models who best reflect the general public, I think this is perfect as it suggests the brands recognise who their real customers are, eliminating the idea of being a certain type of woman to be able to dress in the clothes. An ideal industry would recognise and promote that there is no such thing as perfection, diversity is beautiful.

What would you say about people within the industry who state that, with fashion, you’re selling a sense of escapism, and that unrealistic sense of luxury that is being sold is lost when creating ‘real’ imagery? I guess in a way you are, as a consumer you are buying into something to use to your own benefit. Some will invest in fashion purely as a form of peacocking or to seek attention, others will consider it as an indulgence and many as a form of self-expression or even a mask, which is where this idea of escapism fits in by letting yourself think that you are able to change how others perceive you. There’s a phenomenon known as the lipstick effect, where if you can’t afford a product such as a coat, you’ll invest in a cheaper alternative like a lipstick without compromising the ownership of the designer good. It’s a practice commonly used by people to associate themselves with certain brands or level of markets to give an impression they can afford to invest in them. I don’t think ‘real’ images would have an effect on the sense of luxury because it relates to the product as a whole, the luxury is in the quality of goods and the craftsmanship in manufacture, this is only lost if we become too used the high standards on offer and they become the norm, in which case maybe we should be questioning what ‘luxury’ really means.

USING SMALLER SIZES FOR THE I N IT I A L R U N WAY SAMPLES WILL OF COURSE BENEFIT THE C O M PA N Y I N U S I N G L E S S M AT E R I A L A N D K E E P I N G DOWN COSTAGE

Would you say that this sense of luxury and the unattainable nature of fashion imagery is simply there to meet to the demands of those who wish to buy into this feeling of escapism and peacocking - that it is entirely the existing mindset of the individuals which dictates their reaction to fashion imagery? No I wouldn’t at all, again it is a form of creativity and a part of a brand’s make-up. Not only that but a key tool to enhance the business’s capital and market presence. It’s down to each individual how the imagery is perceived and understood. So maybe from the point of view of a customer, if a fashion product seems unattainable, that is something that is down to the person’s mind-set. By understanding a thing to not be a necessity, yet still desirable, is what creates this air of luxury. How reachable it is may be down to the individual’s personal choice and decisions of priority, how important the product is to them and their balance of want and need. Fashion imagery will only meet the demands which the viewer believes that it needs to, differing with every personal interpretation, that is at least before it can be manipulated by other opinions or the media telling us how to think.

Do you agree that the whole issue isn’t to do with size? It’s to do with picking an ideal and evaluating oneself against that and feeling lesser because of it? I guess the issues lies in the idea of a need for self-improvement, and like you say the promotion of these images, whatever they may be, does suggest that they are something to aspire to. I don’t think it is really down to the images but down to pressure from other people to change, be different, or to be more like something else. Once a person has that in their head I think it can be very tough to get them to see that none of that is necessary, no matter what you will always be a form of yourself and that doesn’t have to be anything other than what you naturally are.

I THINK TO POINT THE F I N G E R P U R E LY A T F A S H I O N IS UNREALISTIC AND UNFAIR THE MEDIA IN GENERAL IS TO BLAME BUT WE ALSO BUY INTO THEIR PRODUCTS S O R E A L LY W E A R E ALL TO BLAME

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In some regards, much of the criticism is valid. The fashion industry has exhibited potentially damaging representations of the body, and a greater diversity in the industry’s standard depiction of ‘beauty’ is necessary. However we must also reevaluate our society as a whole. Mass media, Hollywood films, gossip magazines and tabloids have a greater influence on our perception of body image than we might care to admit, and whilst campaigns demanding larger models to be represented in fashion imagery is positive in terms of promoting diversity, the true issues of self-evaluation against fashion imagery will not be remedied. If our society turned on its heels and ‘obese’ were considered the new ‘skinny’, the same issues would be occurring. And whilst a physically fit body ideal would promote a healthy aspiration, individuals who are unable to reach this standard would still fall short and be left in a state of selfloathing. In terms of the arguments over the representation of the body in commercial imagery, it all boils down to this: the whole issue is not to do with body size. It’s to do with choosing an ideal and evaluating oneself against that, gaining self-worth from how accurately you fit a silhouette that is not your own. Only when we recognize these problems for what they truly are, when we see the imagery surrounding us as constructions, can we appreciate fashion imagery as beautiful works of art, and only then can we fully realize our magnificent capabilities, and appreciate our bodies for the individual beauties that they are.

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D E S I G N & I L L U S T R AT I O N ALEXANDER J WARD PHOTOGRAPHY ANTOINE VERGLAS PETER LINDBERGH JEFF ROBERTS ALICE WHITBY CONTRIBUTIONS ROB JONES CYNTHIA WU NAOMI HOOKE EVIE EDWARDS SARAH E BLAKE SARAH HEWSON K E L LY C U T R O N E HANNAH COORG ZOË SLESENGER K AYO TA K A S H I R O B E N J A M I N T H A PA ANTHONY WILKINS POPPY GOODERICK B I L L I E - J O S K E LT O N C AT H E R I N E T E AT U M ALEXANDER J WARD NIA SAMUEL-JOHNSON ALEX JAMES FAIRBAIRN DI ANE SULLIVAN-KAPL AN J E M M A B I N S L E Y - PA R T I N G T O N SPECIAL THANKS K AT E R O G E R S

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THE INDUSTRY RECIEVES SO MUCH CRITICISM B U T W H AT D O T H E P E O P L E C R E AT I N G T H E S E I M A G E S H AV E TO S AY ?

The Fashion Perspective features the views of industry professionals â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from accomplished designers and stylists, to students preparing to make their mark â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who work to construct commercial fashion imagery that we see everyday. Regularly criticised for their portrayals of body image, these creative individuals have been given an opportunity to speak out, inform, and contextualise their work, allowing readers to reconsider what they think they know about the fashion industry and reevaluate the images that surround them every day.