Is a Size Four too Fat?
Model Coco Rocha (who’s apparently gigantic as a Size Four at 5’10″ tall) is being told she’s too big for the runway. Rocha told the New York Times, “I’m not in demand for the shows anymore.”
But instead of starving herself or smoking a pack a day to keep her weight down, Rocha said, “If I want a hamburger, I’m going to have one. No 21-year-old should be worrying about whether she fits a sample size.”
Coca Rocha believes part of the problem is the most recent group of runway models are 14 and 15 years old and haven’t even hit puberty.
(God forbid when they actually start looking like a woman. We can’t have that now, can we?)
“A lot of people don’t take into account the vulnerability of these young girls,” Rocha explained. “They are children.”
The part I found most disturbing is even when she was at her thinnest, thanks to starvation and diuretics (108 pounds at five foot ten), she was told she needed to lose weight…….because the “look this year is anorexic”. They told her “we don’t want to you be anorexic, we just want you to look that way.”
So what do you think — Should Models just accept having to be unrealistically thin as part of the job, or do you think the fashion industry should revamp their weight requirements so models are literally dying to have a job?
This sort of thing pisses me off. WTF is WRONG with these people??? And this is what young girls – and let’s be honest, us women – are aspiring to look like?
I think the fashion industry should get a clue and stop making women starve themselves almost to death. Or like you pointed out, worse than almost. Some actually die. Seriously – WTF.
I just don’t even know what to say about this. It’s sick, really.
I do have to comment though that she looks a bit smaller than a size 4. And at 108 and 5’10″, she was DEFINITELY smaller than a size 4.
I think it’s a shame. This is why young girls have eating disorders and are so screwed up. Shoot, this is why women are so screwed up!! Notice how I refrained from the cussing…I’m trying to be a lady.
To some extent, I understand the fashion industry’s standards. Generally speaking, tall, thin people with flat chests, broad shoulders and narrow hips display couture clothes best.
But while that’s a very specific body type (let’s face it – at 5’4″, me and my large-ish chest are never going to be asked to model for Chanel), I don’t think it’s necessary for models to be unhealthily thin to achieve it. Yes, if you’re going to be a model, you must watch your weight and concern yourself with your appearance more than other people. Those are facts of life and requirements of the job. But encouraging models to “look anorexic”? That’s just gross and completely unnecessary.
I saw something on TV that Angie Everheart sometimes used to not eat for 3 – 4 days in a row to keep her weight so low.
I agree with Bachelor Girl. It’s one thing to mandate being thin and entirely another thing to ask them to look like one of the undead.
I just wish it were realistic to ask the fashion industry to have different categories. I know there’s a “plus size” industry (albeit a small one), but really, couldn’t they have models that aspire to show couture only and others that show regular clothes? Or maybe require that designers have various sized models/designs in every line/season?
It’s a tough one. I mean, I totally see how a TINY woman ends up looking like she has curves with certain clothing, so you’d want your models to be as small as possible to get the most bang for your buck and have them all start out small, but at the same time, watching shows about fashion, you hear things like, “Okay, now don’t eat or you’re going to pop this seam,” and it seems so unrealistic.
I guess if there were an easy answer, someone would’ve solved the problem already.
I am excited that there is a trend in “life-size” models, women with real curves, realistic looking bodies.