Australian swimwear label MaraJoara seems to have set the tone for today's concern over fashion models who may have eating disorders. Before the controversial ban on models with sub-18 BMIs at the 2007 Madrid Fashion Show, before the Academy for Eating Disorders produced their guidelines for the fashion industry and even before Brazilian modeling agencies started to require medical certification of models' health, MaraJoara jarred the fashion industry into examining the issue.
How? By using models who are closer to everyday sizes -- 8 to 12 -- at Australian Fashion Week (AFW) in September 2006. Seen through the lens of eating disorders in the industry, using normal-size models effectively eliminated anyone with anorexia nervosa from participating in the show.
MaraJoara Reportedly Braves Cancellation Threat
Even though AFW's CEO, Simon Lock, denies any interference, and the show went on as planned, according to MaraJoara cofounder Leesa Fogerty, officials at AFW said that they would cancel MaraJoara's swimwear show if they didn't fire the models. In fact, it was also said that the models were told that they were "too fat" for the catwalk.
Vogue Australia covered the event and posted coverage of MaraJoara's show on its website. In a few hours, though, the content was removed with no explanation.
Reactions to MaraJoara Show
As one could have predicted, reaction to the bold use of more normal-size models was mixed. Critics said that the models used were not skilled in performing on the runway and thus looked out of place. They also said that fashion show attendees are happier when viewing the "fanciful" offerings from abnormally tall, thin models.
Whenever someone employs models with realistic proportions for unexpected purposes, though, other responses to critics are also awash with positive relief -- even longing. One example said, "If I had some positive role models in life -- yes, including those wearing skimpy little outfits -- I might actually feel like I could wear a swimsuit and not have to hide behind large T-shirts and oversize bordies to swim in."
Where Everyone Can Agree?
Whether the reaction to using the models was positive or negative, most agreed that the models' catwalk skills needed improvement. Since training will help anyone who wants to learn how to power down the runway properly, then the problem of "catwalk skills" can be easily solved.
The real question is, though, whether this is just the complaint du jour? Will there always be a "problem" worth complaining about when normal-size models are used? If models' abilities were really the major issue in 2006, we should see little resistance to using models of realistic sizes in the future as the pool of talent grows. If not, we may suspect that the real barriers have little to do with models' skills and more to do with their appearance -- as it has always been.
Sources:
Dykes DP. "Vogue Deletes Coverage of MaraJoara Show." At fashionising.com. Accessed 26 May 2008.
Dykes DP. "MaraJoara and Their Everyday Models." At fashionising.com. Accessed 26 May 2008.
Rosendorff D. "Storm in a SEAcup (or C Cup?) Over Swimwear." At heraldsun.com.au. Accessed 26 May 2008.
