|
STYLE REPUBLIC MAGAZINE.COM: FASHION - NOVEMBER 2009 Zero Tolerance: Karl Lagerfeld & the Great Weight Debate TEXT: Jemima Codrington Coco Chanel once said, "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." 
What is happening to fashion in 2009 is causing a stir in the media, the general public and amongst designers - namely Karl Lagerfeld. German magazine, Brigitte, announced plans to use only "real women" on the cover as opposed to models - a declaration that didn't sit well with Lagerfeld, as was made apparent during a recent interview with Focus Magazine. Lagerfeld stated, "No one wants to see curvy women. You've got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying that thin models are ugly." The latter part of Lagerfeld's quote is unfounded and rather juvenile - it's not worth responding to. But the first part of the quote, "No one wants to see curvy women", raises an interesting question. Who doesn't want to see curves on the runway, or on the front cover of a magazine? Is the fashion industry scared of real women? It seems that fashion is struggling to allow the concept of an "every day woman" into its realm. The more women seem to be gradually coming to terms with the falsehoods and misrepresentations of body image in the media, the more the fashion industry battles to uphold and promote these misrepresentations. Withstanding the pressure to be on a perma-diet and stick-thin is a constant challenge - one that Karl Lager failed to beat. Eat or be Eaten. Lagerfeld was once "curvier" himself, and is no stranger to the pressures of body image and severe weight loss. Now weighing 60 kilos (132 lbs) and standing at 5"11, Lagerfeld fits the description of what many would describe as a, 'Manorexic'. Lagerfeld confesses to losing 40 kg simply so he could wear clothes from appropriately named designer, Hedi Slimane. Dr. Jean-Claude Houdret designed the diet for Lagerfeld (which allows you to indulge in "homeopathic granule" to snack, yum), which was then termed the "3D" diet, signifying a Designer, a Doctor and a Diet. "3D" is also ironically titled, seeing as Lagerfeld went from being 3D to 2D. The diet then became the subject of the book, "The Karl Lagerfeld Diet", which provides "dieting tips" as well as a healthy dose of social commentary. The book suggests that your weight and place in society are equal, and that to be popular or powerful, one must be slim. Lagerfeld claims, "In order to have a place in society, both men and women have to be active, good looking and above all young - and therefore slim." All this time I thought Doctors recommended an active lifestyle and healthy BMI to reduce risks of heart disease and stroke, when really it's to move higher up the societal food chain! Hear that kids? Lose weight to be well liked. Doctor's orders. Perhaps Lagerfeld's attacks on others stem from his own insecurity and/or self-loathing? In an interview on Larry King Live, he admitted, "…and so, I lost first 20 kilos. Then I was back to 80 kilos, which was what I was 15 years ago. I put on my old Karacini suit and all this, but suddenly I looked like somebody from my own past, and I hate nothing more than my own past." How is Lagerfeld going to accept the dawn of women whom are comfortable in their own skin, when he seems so uncomfortable in his own? Beware - Curves Ahead. It's no secret that the pressures to aspire to physical perfection are greater than ever. The diet/health & fitness industries are booming; the magazines and supplements keep selling, and we keep buying. Unhealthy weight loss practices such as fasting, laxative abuse, and vomiting are increasingly common, particularly in younger women. Remarks from Karl Lagerfeld & quotes from his book only propagate the notion that the 'perfect physique' will bring with it the 'perfect life'. While this concept is still believed by some, many are starting to see through the illusion of perfection. It seems as though us mere mortals are slowly coming to terms with realistic expectations regarding body size, image and healthy eating. The immense popularity of Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty speaks volumes about how people feel about seeing curvy women. The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London hosted a fashion show featuring zero size-zero models, instead opting to feature dancers with a more realistic, vivacious physique. It seems as the end of 2009 approaches, people are finally starting to get the message that labels are for clothing, not for women. Everyone but Karl Lagerfeld, that is. He's even upset the models. 22-year old Wonderbra model Katie Green recently shot back at Lagerfeld's claims. "I'm in absolute shock at Karl Lagerfeld's comments. The guy is seriously deluded and irresponsible. He makes me sick” she responded. Green may be right – the notion that thinness constitutes absolute popularity and that curves are out are both misapprehensions. The concept of what is beautiful, attractive, accepted and warranted both in fashion - and in life - is constantly changing. The 1850s saw women squeezing themselves into tight corsets and metal hoops to achieve the illusion of a barely-there waistline. The thirties brought the emergence of a softer appearance, and outfits that hugged to the bust and hips became fashionable. Dior's H, A & Y line cuts brought versatility to the female wardrobe in the fifties, while pin-ups such as Marilyn Monroe championed the hour-glass figure. The idea of what's fashionable and beautiful is ever evolving, a fact Lagerfeld himself acknowledged during his CNN interview, stating, "There is this idea of classic beauty and there is an idea of beauty, but fashion and beauty are something very special and sometimes, especially in art, and I don't know if fashion is an art, things can look ugly first and become beautiful after in people's eyes because they are used to it." While perhaps the idea of models that wear above a size 0 is shocking or offensive now, if history repeats itself (and it usually does), the concept one day will be normal, accepted and dare I say, fashionable. The percentage of people averse to seeing curvy women will eventually become slim to none. MORE FEATURES ON STYLE REPUBLIC MAGAZINE.COM
|
Subscribe to Style Republic Magazine.Com's online newsletter to receive updates, special offers, and more! 
|
|
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Style Republic Magazine.Com. |