Liposuction, eating disorders and sexual coercion: High fashion’s ugly secrets

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.salon.com/2014/02/13/liposuction_eating_disorders_and_sexual_coercion_high_fashions_ugly_secrets/

Thursday, Feb 13, 2014 07:30 AM CST

Sara Ziff was once the face of Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic. Now she tells Salon the hidden truth of modeling

Josh Eidelson



Sara Ziff (Credit: Jeff Tse)

“We’re working in an industry that is perceived as frivolous, and so our concerns are not taken seriously,” says model Sara Ziff, who’s been the face of Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic and walked the runway for Calvin Klein and Chanel. A model since age 14, Ziff exposed ugly industry stories in her 2009 documentary “Picture Me,” then founded the non-union workers’ group Model Alliance two years ago this month. In a fashion week interview with Salon, Ziff described largely unseen sexual coercion, wage theft and eating disorders; discussed her efforts (in a personal capacity) to foster solidarity between U.S. fashion models and Bangladesh garment workers; and considered what clout her group can bring to bear on the trillion-dollar industry. A condensed version of our conversation follows.

How different is the fashion industry from what most people imagine in the U.S.?

The modeling industry seems very glamorous, and part of a model’s job is to make the work invisible. It’s to make, you know, being beautiful and glamorous seem effortless.

And so it’s not surprising that most people would have trouble seeing modeling as a job, and that the issues like difficulty in some cases getting paid for your work, long working hours, sexual harassment on the job — those are things that are hidden from view. And so I think often people are unsympathetic to models’ concerns because the very nature of the job is to exude sort of effortless beauty and glamour.


FULL story at link.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Thank you for posting this! nt

[Jefferson23]

2. The exploitation is criminal. K&R

snip*They’re valued for that sort of androgynous, tall, skinny look. And so they’re often, you know, working in an adult environment, with adult pressures that they don’t have the maturity to handle. And they’re also pressured to maintain that physique, which in most cases is almost impossible — because, of course, you know as you get older your body changes. And so there’s a huge amount of pressure on girls to essentially prevent their bodies from developing …

[nikto]

3. You mean...

Being 5'10"/98 lbs isn't normal?

Who knew?

[riqster]

4. Good on her! K & R