Judging by recent events, you’d be forgiven for thinking that perhaps the modelling industry was taking steps in the right direction to eradicate the damaging and destructive body image problems that previously defined the profession. In France, models now have to be above the age of 16, and above a certain BMI to be able to be booked for Fashion Week runway shows. Models under the age of 16 cannot feature in Vogue Magazine worldwide.
But still, we hear horror stories of young models being told by the modelling industry that they are ‘too fat’.
Most recently, model and contestant on ‘Sweden’s Next Top Model’, Agnes Hedengård, released a Youtube video slamming the industry. In a bikini, Hedengård spins around, and points out the areas of her slim, toned body that her agency and clients had problems with.
Previous to the video being published, Hedengård had also posted a number of images on her Instagram account mentioning some of the harmful comments made about her body. For example:
While this is easy to dismiss as an international issue, Australia is not without similar problems. Models are regularly told to ‘lose X cm’ from their hips, thighs or waist, or risk losing jobs or being dropped from their agency. Alex Perry has been criticised multiple times for telling size 8 Australia’s Next Top Model contestants that they are ‘too fat’. Fashion fiends were ruthless when supermodel Gemma Ward gained weight, and verbose about their relief when she went back to a tiny frame. Size 12 model Robyn Lawley is considered ‘plus size’. Australia is plenty guilty for contributing to the body image issues that professional models, (and consequently, women who see their images in magazines and commercials) have to deal with.
The criticisms about weight and fitness are relentless in the modelling industry, so it’s absolutely fair enough that Hedengård is fucking fed up:
“I’ve met with big agencies and clients, and they want to work with me, until they get my measurements and then they’re like ‘Woah, woah, no. Woah, no, she’s too big. Too big.’ […] It’s absurd, and I hate it. And I just want other people to see this.”
via Youtube
