User: strangedave Date: 2008-05-15 09:53 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

I suspect the sad truth is that Alexandra gaffe might be inadvertently stating the awful truth in public, which might not really hurting her career at all -- given that modelling is largely about conforming to a culturally specific idealised self-image for use in advertising, hitting a version of that image closer to the perceived as most wealthy and mainstream demographic probably does make her a better model in the mind of advertising execs who will influential on her career.

Reply | Thread | Link

User: whooz_queen Date: 2008-05-15 12:26 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

One of the Vogues is creating controversy at the moment because its doing an all black model issue to publicise the move to put more black women on runways and in editorials/magazines.

Alexandra's awful, but she is illustrating the unfortunate racism present in the industry. The other model has limited opportunities because of how she looks and that's sad.

Mind you, I'd like more diversity in size, shape (to represent the 8 classic shapes and help people figure out what suits them better) and colour in fashion.

Reply | Parent | Thread | Link

User: lauredhel Date: 2008-05-15 17:24 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

If you watch the whole thing here, you'll see a segment where two waif-thin women are picked on for having soft "student bodies". A judge actually gets the measuring tape out and berates them for their hips and thighs. They are told that they're perfect "from the waist up", and that they need to get to work and spot reduce so they can fit into size eight pants.

Reply | Parent | Thread | Link

User: lauredhel Date: 2008-05-15 17:21 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

Yes. I had the feeling from the comments by the judge that it wouldn't harm her. I haven't actually watched any episodes or followed the buzz, though, so it's possible that it did. From the official website, both models seem to still be in the competition after four eliminations.

Reply | Parent | Thread | Link

User: mehitabelmmoss Date: 2008-05-15 11:56 (UTC) Subject: (no subject) Keyword: Emma Peel

Not career-ending. What is she? 17?
She just said out loud what the guys picking the product are saying when they're looking for the right look. Doesn't make her better but better for certain ads. But her answers were lamer overall I thought.

Reply | Thread | Link

User: naturalredhead Date: 2008-05-15 12:07 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

When I first saw it, my first thought was that it might have had something to do with the current idea that paler is more beautiful, something I have been particularly seeing in non-white women.

Modelling seems to be a little different though - they're looking for that point of difference, something that makes the girl (and they're always girls) stand out, as long as they conform to the body requirements.

Reply | Thread | Link

User: pasketti Date: 2008-05-15 13:32 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

That was my thought, too: She was trying to say "paler", but lacked the vocabulary.

Reply | Parent | Thread | Link

User: bardiegrub Date: 2008-05-15 13:44 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

I don't see any difference between 'paler' and 'whiter'.

Reply | Parent | Thread | Link

User: lauredhel Date: 2008-05-15 17:19 (UTC) Subject: (no subject)

Similar comment, different blog. So I'm going to copy what I wrote here, because I'm lazy:

Modeling is inherently shallow; it’s about looks by nature. So I wouldn’t read much into the comment beyond “I have fairer skin.”

The only way this statement can make sense is if there is an underlying assumption that "fairer" = "better looking".

That's the entire point: Western[1] beauty culture has racism very deeply embedded into it. Women of colour are exoticised as temporary non-mainstream fads and fetishes, aberrations from the "normal", default pale skin. This is a well-established enough idea within feminist circles that I took it for granted and didn't spell it out in the post.

And when WOC are "in fashion" as models, they tend to be valued when their features and grooming conform to White norms (see the links in this comment for a start).


[1] And, ?increasingly, non-Western (cf: skin lightening cream marketing).

Reply | Parent | Thread | Link