Blog 3, All These Skinny Bitches With Just Their Bones To Stand On

For my argument paper I chose the article "British Vogue Editor's Lame PR Coup: No More Size Zero's!" This is written by Foster Kamer. In Kamer’s text he refers to a letter written by an extremely influential fashion personality, the editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman. In Shulman’s letter, written to high end fashion designers, she argues that it is time to stop making models be a size zero.
While Shulman offers a founded argument, Kamer calls “bullshit,” on her letter citing it to be cut and dry to publicity for a time of recession and even commends her on her chosen strategic route. Kamer seems eager to dismiss Shulman’s letter as being a heartfelt text and to submit to his idea of it being for her personal gain. Kamer gives his own opinion of why the letter has come into circulation, but couples it with the fact that he has no knowledge of the fashion world. It is odd to me that he would make such a firm standing on the situation without a more knowledgeable grasp of what he is writing about. Kamer uses observation, testimony, and textual evidence to support is argument.
As a former model, therefore having knowledge of this industry, I disagree with Kamer’s stance of why the letter has come to be written and also leaked out. The people in the fashion industry have been trained to think a certain way. If you aren’t rail thin, than you’re fat. Obviously, this is not a logical pattern of thought, but it is what models, designers, photographers, and magazine editors have been programmed to think. I will give you some personal examples of this. I am the world’s shortest model to ever walk the runway in New York City. I’m 5’1” and at the time of my career I weighed 110-115. This was considered heavy as I actually had breasts. Having breasts was an issue during fittings at photo shoots and I was often “taped down” to fit inside a dress. There was an audition; I once attended, for a campaign for a famous designer. (I will not name to avoid his embarrassment.) The audition process is simple. The designer has decided if he wants to hire you or not the second you walk in the door. However, to keep things running formally you hand them your portfolio and then you try on a garment. When he spoke to me privately he told me he couldn’t use me for his ad campaign because I wasn’t “boyish” enough. What he said I have always remembered and shared with others to offer perspective. He told me “Fashion in New York is run by gay men. From the designers to who runs the hair and make up and runs the backstage area of the show. They want girls who look androgynous, who are skinny enough to look as if they have no breasts and could be in fact young boys. They don’t care how pretty you really are. Make up and airbrushing can make them look like anything they want. You would do better in California because you look like a woman.” I was angry at first by what he said. I only took with me the part about not being the right type of model, not just for him, but all of New York! Yet, when given time to think it over I was able to utilize it as comfort when I didn’t get a job... or even a boyfriend. Just because I wasn’t their type didn’t mean I was hideous or fat.
It will take a lot for an entire industry of people, who have their own way of thinking, eating, and simply interacting to make a unified movement to something so boldly different. I see Shulman’s letter as a step in the right direction to start changing things. I agree that with Kamer that Shulman’s letter probably was not “leaked out.” I am sure she wanted it out to make a statement that she meant business. If she wrote to the designers and models in a discreet way they might take her words as a mere suggestion not a rule of thumb. Now with her statement being made so public it is something that can’t be ignored.
Kamer even tries to argue, like a kid on the school yard that Shulman started the whole thing! Well someone has to stop a fight; even if they were someone who helped started it. People are aloud and encouraged to realize the fight (in this case, to force people to become so skinny and sickly,) is wrong and it’s time to stop. It takes just one person to make a world of change. Yes, during a recession girls can’t obsess as much over the things they want in magazines. But it’s not because of the sizes it’s because of the price. If it’s affordable enough girls will put down the cookie and try to squeeze their curvy butts into that small outfit!
I agree with Shulman we are at that breaking point. Just like if’s time to use new forms of energy it’s time to make a change in the fashion industry, for the better of those who work in it and the people who obsess over it.