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The fashion Bible has declared a new “Health Initiative” aimed at preserving the self esteem of its impressionable young models and readers. The editors of 19 different Vogue editions have agreed to six points in the declaration. These include requiring casting directors to check IDs to prevent underage models from participating in shoots, but perhaps more importantly, it also requires models used to be healthy and not suffering from eating disorders. It also aims at preventing models from working insanely late hours and encourages mentoring programs between more mature adult models and young up-and-comers.
We love love love that Vogue, possibly the most influential name in the entire fashion world, is encouraging healthy body image within its pages, just like how the Model Alliance is encouraging the same healthy body image and good working conditions on runways.
Another important development from Vogue that we adore? The magazine now requests that designers not send such small sample sizes of their wares, that way healthier models can actually fit into the clothes. We think this makes a whole lot of sense, and that it’ll actually be beneficial for the designers themselves. Think about it: If the purpose of models is to sell your clothes, shouldn’t they look a bit more like the person who’s going to be buying them later? Who wants to buy a dress that was modeled by someone who looks sick?
Runway and print models are reforming their business practices to encourage healthy body image and a safe work environment. | ShutterStock
A lot of designers like models who are tall and super thin to the point of looking really unhealthy. This is because their designs, which they view as art, hang better on them. But that’s the thing–women aren’t hangers, and we’re generally not supposed to look like them, either. Clothing shouldn’t hang. It should fit. By Vogue enforcing these standards, designers may be more likely to make clothes that will look good on healthy, normal women and girls–and therefore more healthy, normal women and girls can wear it on the runway and off.
Of course, that’s not to say that Vogue may not take those healthier models and airbrush them down to an impossibly unhealthy size. But since we know what they started out looking like, maybe now all that Photoshop won’t give us the wrong idea.
Do you think the Vogue Health Initiative is a good idea? Do you think it’s important for models to have normal body image? Do you think Vogue’s Health Initiative will encourage healthy body image and cooperation from fashion designers? Tell us in the comments!
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it’s a fashion maigzane. plain janes don’t belong on the cover. and if sitcom writing is a standard for brains today, it’s a sad situation.vogue is now a racist rag and this is their way of keeping things a specific hue. a ridiculously transparent ploy.
Thank you Vogue!!!