The internet has been raving and applauding LVMH and Kering over the last two days on the terms of their new charter. It seems that finally two of the major fashion conglomerates are now a voice for models. Society is hoping that the rest of the fashion industry would do well to follow in their footsteps. While this new charter seems to be a step in the right direction, it fails to address a whole lot of other issues in the industry. The two brands signed a charter that prohibits the use of underweight and underage models for their fashion shows and shoots. Under this code, there is also a ban on portraying teenagers under the age of sixteen as adults.
One has to wonder why there is no clause addressing the racism issue? Even though it’s just an itty bitty one?
The use of anorexic models to represent a healthy and society-accepting lifestyle has been going on for as long as anyone can remember. Despite numerous attempts by various bodies in France, Spain, and Italy to minimize this cruel practice over the past few years, little change has been seen in the industry. In May Louis Vuitton was condemned by Ulrikke Hayer for ordering her to live off water for 24 hours so she could be considered for a shoot. You just have to wonder what these models go through.
Modeling is a job that looks glamorous on the outside but it has its perks and they aren’t nice. The various inhumane practices that go on in the fashion industry does not affect just the models but society at large. In February, an Instagram post by James Scully exposed how Balenciaga casting directors left models in a cramped and dark stairwell for hours while they went for lunch.
The need to succeed and become the next supermodel drives them to starve, be anorexic and bulimic. They are given various unreasonable conditions to get one job and the reasons why they don’t make the cut for others. They are pushed around by their agents, managers and still underpaid. The charter addresses the issue of unhealthy work conditions as models have to submit a medical certificate obtained in the last six months attesting to a clean bill of health. LVMH and Kering believe that this would help to curb those unhealthy practices. Which brings us to another part of the charter that restricts the use of models in the smallest clothing size: for women, a US size 0 and for men, US size 32.
The impact these practices have on society is huge, a major percentage of preteen and teenage girls look up to these models. A lot of these teenagers get bullied by society when they cannot meet up to this societal standards. While some fall into depression, a few end up committing suicide.
Models have to be a certain size, colour, look or height to even have a chance at getting a booking.
Talking to the New York Times, Precious Lee states that, ‘we don’t see enough black models, and we definitely don’t see enough black plus-size models. I am definitely more than likely always the only black model on set. Sometimes I’m the only black person on the entire set or on the entire floor’. Various other interviews reveal that most casting crews do well to discriminate against blacks on stage. She explained that ‘people aren’t seeing different types of beauty because the publications, the designers, the people that are actually in the power to make it happen, aren’t making it happen.’ It is time these brands begin to investigate and understand the people that are representing them. The goal is not for other races to be tolerated, it is for them to be accepted. In the end, some people begin to hate their color, they no longer see it as the norm, they make every attempt to change their color.
They bleach and laser to become just like the models they look up to.
Despite all this, it is nice to know that Africa is not entirely influenced by the cancer that is eating up the Western fashion industry. Various Fashion houses have always done well to expose and embrace the beauty that is black.
From South Africa to Nigeria, all shades of Black are used on the runways, in magazines and billboards across various African nations. In recent years there has been a spike in Africa embracing not just people of all colors but also all sizes in the industry. The just-concluded Plus Size Fashion week is a major highlight. Others are the numerous and diverse pageants for plus size ladies.
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More and more enterprising minds come up with new ways to expose the beauty that is the Negro race to the world and it is beautiful to know that while others see being black as a curse, others know the blessing it is. Social media has also presented a platform for exposure. As Sara Ziff had to say, “The charter is an important step toward moving the industry in the right direction”. “That said, we look to Kering and LVMH to back up this action by evaluating enforcement of the policy and identifying additional improvements to promote meaningful change.”
We hope the racist attitude of the casting crew would be one of the additional improvements. Since LVMH and Kering (including all the brands under them such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Christian Dior) have passed this ban, there is hope that this will inspire other members of the industry to follow suit.