...as well as the same reason for it -
attitude
towards your secret...
“I stopped hiding my handbreadth after it was defined as diversity rather than disability� Says Gabriele -->
The industry of fashion and media has a clear definition for perfection and successfully spreads it over the entire world. As a result, the young people organisation dosomething.org states that ‘‘Today about 90 percent of women are not happy with their bodies as well as 58 percent of collegeaged girls feel pressured to be a certain weight.” The statistics are shocking which leaves us to ask: how does this controversial modelling business still work if it’s so destructive for all of us? Let’s take a look at how girls become supermodels. The majority of successful models were discovered when they were around 13-14 years old; however, it doesn’t mean that they started their career straight away. Usually mother-agents [managers who scout new faces] raise them until they are prepared to meet such a competitive industry. Many try to send the prospective models to work to Asia as it is a perfect place to build a strong portfolio for beginners. This is said to be because the Asian market is very conducive for upcoming models; it is open to girls who simply have flawless skin or desirable features, with little to no experience required to be recruited. Bookers are more likely invest money in these models, so mother-agents have the guarantee that the girls they present will have more chance of becoming successful. Interested to know more, I interviewed model scout Hideto Omura, who works for the Asian agency Satoru, known best for scouting Cindy Crawford.
Hideto confirms that his agency recruits mostly young girls and he has a clear explanation for it: “There is a trend that Japanese [people] like cute girls more, so the clients want to book for them and it happens that cute ones are young” The youngest model Hideto had been working with was just 14 years old. Although the girls are already very young, sometimes the models are instructed to lie to clients and say that they are even younger as it sometimes helps them to get into the casting, and increases their chances of getting the job. Furthermore, I asked Hideto to share his experience and if he feels there have been any changes since he started to work in the industry. He told me “The industry doesn’t change a lot, but some differences can be pointed out.” An example of this would be two and a half years ago, because of the earthquake in Asia, they had to rearrange flights for the models in town to get them back to Europe earlier than originally planned. This resulted in many clients being left who had booked photo-shoots, with no models, meaning they needed fast replacements. At the time, only the Japanese models were available and although they were physically smaller than the overseas models, were the only option. Since then the international models who were only 165 - 170 height started to get work in Tokyo as well. This is how many models start to climb their career ladder in Asia: with a young, clean face, skinny body and as tall figure as
you can get from teenager; although this was then reduced because of what happened during the earthquake.
strict and she has to continue asking the majority of her models to loose weight, even though expectations have become more flexible. We finished our conversation with Ruta‘s confession that working with older models can be much easier as they are already mature and do not have to be protected as strenuously as younger and lessexperienced girls from challenges such as cultural shock, or the dangerously alluring night life.
Therefore, now we are left to question: what happens next? After models have built their portfolio they can start a career in Europe, becoming an icon for other young girls who aspire to be as skinny as the models are. Ruta Bartasiute, who has 17 years of experience in the industry and has run her own modelling agency since 2009, comments about the European market To sum up, it seems that nothing can at present. be changed straight away, According to especially when more Ruta, plus‘‘Girls started to be se- diverse models challenge size models photographers, as well as lected by weight and have recently designers,to make clothes been in high ones that were deemed look good on different demand. This body shapes. As fashion as ‘too skinny‘ were photographer Justina has happened because of the Cha says: “It all comes sent home to eat. ” first flurry of down to the fact that a discussions that lot of standards have to appeared in the media regarding the be changed because they send the eating-disorders surrounding models. wrong message, causing an unhealthy Since then, designers have started approach to body shape in the public to use ‘healthier-looking‘ models, eye, as well as it being destructive to which established some new rules. models. ” The majority of models are Ruta explains that ‘‘Girls started to be still on a diet which isn‘t setting the selected by weight and ones that were right example for the rest of the girls. deemed as ‘too skinny‘ were sent home Nowadays, it‘s normal for a woman to eat. ” to starve herself as she believes that beauty demands victims and only Afterwards, a new law was enacted stalking the body ideal can bring her and girls under 16 were banned real happiness. Now however, lots of from working as models in Europe standing ideals have started to cause and the United States, showing that public outrage, which may end up some important changes are being with some extraordinary changes made. Nevertheles, Ruta admits that and an entrenchment of diversity in the requirements for girls are still fashion.
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Irma V.
Height: 176 Bust: 82 Waist: 60 Hips: 90 Shoes: 39 Hair color: blond Eye colour: blue
‘I surely know who I don’t want to be and I will do my best to avoid becoming it’ Irma Vaidotaite
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Street Style
Street Style How often do you meet a stranger who has a similar sense of style with yours? Those people never met each other; however they have something in common
Models:
Gabriele Akstinaite Irma Vaidotaite Roksana Corojan
Interviewees:
Ruta Bartasiute Justina Cha Hidto Omura
Editor in Chief
Gintare Prialgauskaite