I’m gradually getting tired of all this fuss about plus size and thin models. But it seems that the story has only begun and is to continue for long.
This time it’s Crystal Renn who opens up a new page with the photo shoot for V magazine. She is photographed together with the rising star Jacquelyn Jablonski.
The girls are both 5ft 9in tall and have long straight black hair but that’s all that is similar between them. Jacquelyn is 17 and very skinny, just like any other conventional model of nowadays. And Crystal, 23, is a famous plus-size model.
The shoot is intended to show people that plump girls can look as beautiful and hot as thin ones wearing the same clothes.
As it turned out Renn, who is a curvy size 16, looks as nice and sexy as Miss Jablonski. Both girls wear tribal-inspired outfits by high-fashion designers including Ralph Lauren, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana.
The pictures which were taken by top fashion photographer Terry Richardson, are the latest in a series of campaigns for designers and magazines to use models of different ages and body shapes.
In September we all saw British designer Mark Fast showcasing his creations on skinny models together with ones of a healthier size. The show caused a lot of controversy.
Crystal Renn tries to promote the idea of using curvier models at catwalks and making larger sizes of clothes. She has written a book detailing her own battle with the modelling industry, and the presssure to be thin. The book has already been received warmly by the public. It is entitled Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves.
Current sample sizes that models are all expected to fit into are ridiculous – a US size zero or British size 4 is the standard. They should go up to a British size 16. I’m not saying all models should be size 16, but bigger dresses can be pinned and adjusted, while tiny size zero clothes can’t really be changed. It means all these models starve themselves, like I did, to fit them.’
Recent events prove Renn’s idea is to be considered. This year two models have died from anorexia. Something has to be changed.
But zero size rein is difficult to destroy. Just last month Kate Moss added more fuel to the debate saying her motto is: ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.’ Besides, this week Selfridges, a huge retailer in Britain, dropped plus-size fashion line Marina Rinaldi.
Well, being skinny myself it’s really hard for me to say something againt zero size models, but Renn does look good. What do you think about the shoot and the zero-plus-size-controversy?
