Gaultier Uses Plus-Size Model

Hi, I am very dissapointed that my comments where not included in this blog, I guess that you are using some form of censorship, that is a real shame.

@jusjules: Generally only offensive comments or spam are removed. Your comment was held for moderation - and I just approved it now (there's only one of me)! Great comments by the way!

sorry Jim i just didnt see it for a long time and I was'nt sure what was happening. Thank you for your comments.I feel so strongly about this issue and I feel that we are all being led down the rosy path by so called experts (non of which can agree) we are bombarded by negative images on the one hand, through magazines and media told that to be attractive we have to be slim, and yet on the other hand told diets dont work and its not our fault we are fat! how is anybody supposed to manage with so much confusion, conflicting messages and conflicting advise and so on! I really want to stop the madness.

jusjules, are you actually Susan Powter of "stop the insanity" fame, haha? You're absolutely right about personal responsibility, and I think it's wonderful that you've taken the steps to make yourself healthier. I too was "skinny fat" before and am now concentrating on the health aspect of weight loss as opposed to the beauty aspect, it was a huge(lifechanging) revelation when I finally realised that it was ME who had the power to change my own lifestyle, no-one else.

No unfortunatley she was wrong on 'fat' makes you fat remember, just like no fat high carbs and all you can eat cookie diet (actually I made that last one up) but you get the idea, there is no one majic food or combo or time to eat, or pill or supplement! its just the one thing that most of us for to long have been ignoring, WE have messed ourselves up by eating too much of everything! not being healthy about our choices and instead of saying no now and again its " I want to be able to eat and drink everything AND be slim! we look at slim people and are envious but except for a VERY small percentage of the population who can eat everything and still be slim, we refuse to accept the fact that most slim people work very hard at it! we just would rather blame something else like '......' enter excuse on the dotted line.

"No unfortunatley she was wrong on 'fat' makes you fat remember"

Was she a "low-fat junkie" then? I didn't realise that, I just remember one of my flatmates reading her book and I thought the title was great, very similar to what you said yourself about wanting to stop the madness. Obviously she fueled the insanity rather than stopping it, 'sigh'. Out of interest, have you read about the "No S" diet? I can't remember the guys' name, but on his webpage he says a lot about personal responsibility (I think that was what gave me the final kick in the pants towards my own realisation), his approach is very sensible, not to mention free.

@Caramelle-oh: The No S diet - that's Reinhard Engels - I posted about that here after talking to him about it.

@jusjules:
"to be attractive we have to be slim, and yet on the other hand told diets dont work and its not our fault we are fat!"

This conundrum confuses and astonishes me on a daily basis. My greatest concern is very young women who soak up media images like a sponge. What do they make of it all?

I have'nt heard of the S-diet but just checked out your link it is similar to a program I read about a few years ago but can't remember the name, but you basically watch what you eat and exercise Monday thru Friday and then have the weekend off and eat what ever you want. You know really i think that it goes back to what I said diets do work you just have to make them work for you! its what keeps people searching for the next quick fix we have gotten so used to not taking responsibility that we will just lap up the next round of diet books and wonder drugs and they all basically say the same thing in small print {diet & exercise} but they put it in gobbldy gook so people will be hooked by the expert sounding terms.
jim I so argree with you, as a mother of teenagers (1 a girl) I have tried to teach them to like who they are because they are nice people not because of how they look and unfortunatly boys now are just as concious as young girls, my eldest son had issues with his weight when he was young and it made him miserable and I know he tried to get rid of it in the wrong way, like skipping meals and not eating. god if I pick up another magazine at the checkout with an emaciated star on it I think I will scream, what are they doing to our youth! pushing impossible images of impossible bodies, touched retouched and telling us this is how we should look.

jusjules--great comments, btw. I agree with you very much about the fact that many people don't accept the fact that most slim people do indeed work quite hard at it. I get it all the time. People tell me I'm "lucky" that I'm thin and that I can eat "whatever you want" because I'm thin, etc. I tell that the reason I'm thin is because I eat relatively healthy (lots of fruits, veggies, lean protein, etc.) and I run almost every day. Lots of people just "wish" they were thin and don't do anything about it, which isn't going to change anything. You have to think a little bit about what you're putting in your body, just like you devote a certain amount of time doing your job, paying your bills, cleaning your house, etc. Health is something that we need to be a lot more proactive about as a society.

Reinhard, that's it, thanks, I knew it was an uncommon name. Of course, it was on here that I first read about No S. =)

Maybe the point he was trying to make was that fashion doesn't revolve around the size of the model. You can have a size 20 model or a size 0 model and still show off your clothes if you're good.
Haute Couture is an art like any other. This isn't ready to wear you're talking about. Like in art, it is not necessarily representational of real life; models shouldn't have to look like real people.

Frankly, I couldn't care less about the models, it's about the clothes. Those who can't handle it, shouldn't be in the business. Otherwise, you can be fat or "normal" and choose to be a model, you'll work yourself to the bone (literally) and very likely develop health issues but oh well- that's the trade-off for the high life. Harsh, but true.

Just a reply to the person who said the model was probably embarassed . . . she was most certainly NOT.

I watched an interview with her and she is very confident in herself and proud of her spot on the runway.

I get the Lane Bryant catalog. The models in this magazine can't be more than a size 8 - 10. I refuse to buy anything in there because I have no idea what it will look like on ME.

Even the FAT clothes catalogs won't use fat models.

What does that tell us? That they will sell clothes to fat people, take money from fat people, but refuse to use fat models because it makes their catalog look bad?

Gaultier scored with what always works in fashion: extremes. Here's another take:

http://who-knew-the-storm.blogspot.com/2006/10/fatty-on-catwalk.html

I used loose weight by not eating. I used to eat 1 meal a day. So now I eat 6 meals a day and I don't have to just eat 1 meal a day.

Those who admire the massive, rigid bone structures of plus-size models should remember that jellyfish still enjoy their very secure ecological niche.

I think that it makes a very good point, and being a bit chubby at a siz 12 1/2 myself not a size 4 i totally understand the point.
BUT COME ON,
It is very unhealthy to be THAT BIG, it is a bad example showing a women that big on a catwalk..Just as bad as it is showing a size 1-5.
I think she is a beautiful girl, but she needs to loose a bit of weight, for her insides and if she wants her out sides!!

Well come on, noone is going to look good in lingerie if they are a size 20 HAHA!
she needs to get healthy and lose some weight or she could be putting her life in danger in the future!
also come on victor THATS SEXY lol ;-)

really, she is unhealthy, looks bad in lingerie, and could be putting her life in danger looking that big!
she is settign a bad example, and wat exactly was she gaining doing that, giggles behind her back, harsh comments..YES!
she shouldnt model untill shes normal size 14-16 again for all of us.
Im not a snob, or up myself, its just VERY UNHEALTHY AND UNSIGHTLY

I think she's beautiful. The media should use models of all shapes and sizes more often.

I hope this wasn't meant as a joke, though. If it was, it's a real shame.

i dont see what the whole fuss is really about, im 16 years old and i had to do this presentation on him for my fashion class. the whole thing about models being skinny or what-not is just stupid. i think Jean Paul Gaultier was just showing the world that you dont have to be skinny to model his line clothes. but thats how i see it.

I think this is just Jean Paul Gaultier being obnoxious.

i think although plus size modeling is a big step up from the materialistic habits of americans way of thinking, i think agencies need to put more average size girls and guys up thier, not because of looks or anything but because of health issues. Being over wieght is just as unhealthy as underweight girls.American kids today need more role models with good habits and not sterotyped unhealthy ones. Includeing plus size.

The choice of clothing for that model is not flattering. Why can't there be an actual realistic plus sized women modeling clothes that are flattering to body shapes. I am 180lbs and carry my weight around my waist, and have smaller hips and thighs.
I don't want to see a skinny person modeling a top that may look good on her and look like a maternity top on me or they are spandex and rise up and show my belly or see someone modeling a bikini and the only thing plus is her chest. There are round young people that want to look stylish also and don't want clothing that look like something Grandma would wear.

just out of curiosity why people care so much about someone's size anyway is beyond me. No one is getting out alive, so no one is perfect, no matter how big or small they are on this planet. The only reason size matters is for health, beyond that, its all an illusion to think that someone smaller is superior, there is way too much judgement going on in this world to begin with. I am a size 22/24, I bike, swim, and do other exercise, its ridiculous to judge a human being based on size. People do it all the time, but those kinds of people I really think have a problem if their focus is really that narrow. Pretty sad. I have always been sympathetic towards anyone, including when i was thin, no matter how they look , etc. I am no better, no one is.

I'm a size 22/24 and I love how people assume that being over a certain size is being unhealthy. But this doesn't surprise me considering the average American's IQ is 115 and Forrest Gump's is 74. It also doesn't surprise me seeing how there has been an increase in the fascist American media's influence over what's considered beautiful. It's also really sad, people's comments. I eat healthy, try to avoid fast food as much as possible and drink water. But no one would ever know that because people assume what I eat based on my size is usually wrong.

I think the plus-size model is great! But I have to think maybe there's so underlying jealous on the part of thin women. Like, how dare fat women eat and enjoy their life. Why should they be able to do that when I starve myself to stay small? Of course, if there weren't fat women like me, who would all you thin women have to look down on? I think this whole fat hysteria movement is crap. If the American media is so concerned about people's health, why aren't they putting pressure on Congress to make health care more affordable? Why can't the money in Iraq (all 710 billion dollars of it!) go towards that, or bringing back after-school programs, or boycotting fast-food restaurants? Because they don't really care!

If you don't believe me, then read The Obesity Myth by Paul Campos. Otherwise, get over it!

Signed,

Fat and Happy

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yUTJQIBI1oA

Mari said:
But I have to think maybe there's so underlying jealous on the part of thin women. Like, how dare fat women eat and enjoy their life. Why should they be able to do that when I starve myself to stay small? Of course, if there weren't fat women like me, who would all you thin women have to look down on? I think this whole fat hysteria movement is crap.[...]

Jealousy? Oh please. Not all "thin" women starve themselves to be thin and you know it. Some of us thin women don't look down on fat people either. I could care less about what size models are, I'd just like to see more diversity in the lineup so I could know what clothes look like on say, a short woman like me instead of a 6' tall Amazon.

There are actually diseases that cause obesity. There's a difference between being overweight and obese. The BMI is not very reliable for that sort of determination. Just because someone has an excess of fat does not mean they are not healthy. They good have great cholesterol, lung capacity, liver function, and all that is not always based off their body weight.

She could be very healthy, so give it a rest. You have to realize this is somewhat of an equal opportunity for that model.

I saw a comment above that said average was 6-14. I would disagree with that. 6 is pretty thin, and women in size 6 clothes tend to look skeletal as well as the models in like...size 0.

The modeling business is always shocking.

And, you dont have to be a clothes hanger, straight up and down to be a model.

you know whats kind of ridiculous? America's Next Top Model says that a size 9-10 is plus size.

Beauty does not have to be conventional. Nobody is pretty to everybody, and I hope we one day can grasp that.

honestly, does it matter what size she is? she is a model and she is doing her job, people should not be criticized for there size. some people don't have control over there size. i think the obbsession with "skinny" people is ridiculous and needs to stop. girls are depressed because they don't think there pretty enough so why add the skinny factor.

It is a sad commentary what the media,fashion industry are doing to these women. I have a friend who is 6'3 at 300 pounds and she wants to be a fashion model. The woman cannot walk, without becoming out of breath. This is about using these women for the soul purpose of making a buck. The fashion industry,the advertisers do not care about the health and well being of these women. How can one be healthy at this weight?

These women are OBESE. And with is comes, diabetes,hypertension,strokes etc.... The fashion indusrty, and the drug companies don't really care about the health of these women. Bottom line, it's all about the mighy dollar. I wnet to a so-called plus-sized fashion show. The things that were said by the promoters of the show. Laughing about how fat women smell, the dimples, and the humps in their back. Any woman who wants to be a plus-size model and want to be put down by the same people who are making a fortune of these women. It is truly sad. And, if one thinks plus-size models are going to out the small petite models. Ladies you are kidding yourselves.

Being a 100% healthy, 6'1 tall, size 19/20 woman of 20 years old, I think that this 'movement' was not only motivational and inspiring to 98.9 percent of the women out there, but it is also refreshing to see something outside the average skin and bones. I think that model looks sexier than those annorexic girls! Being in healthcare and a prime example myself, just because someones heavy, doesn't mean they're unhealthy. That's a huge misconception with weight that originated by none other than weight loss manufacturers! I've been bigger all my life, I'm very physically active, and I have never had an unhealthy moment in my life! I've actually got a flat stomach and an hour glass figure and I know people who are also bigger sizes that look like single digit sizes! But that unhealthy thing kills me! People need to take that spoon fed criticism and shove it somewhere.

I see fashion as art, and art imitates life, and life and art include society and it's many facets...in this age obesity is everywhere and in this case I see the model as a form of art pertaining to the times, and it is supposed to be controversial...when it comes to the idea of a healthy body, I think that the question of what is "average" has to be downplayed. Average exists, but then there are people who are above average and there are people who are below average, just because there is a norm, it does not mean that those who are outside of the norm are not human beings...this woman has a soul and an identity...just like most free people.

and personally...I would wear anything that I think is beautiful on my body, as long as it is tasteful. I believe all women have sensuality to them, whether they have a fatal disease, whether they are third world women or whether they are simply "average". I am 5'7 and overweight, I carry my weight around the middle...I am confident with myself at times and so self conscious at others...I think my face is beautiful, and I like my body, but I cannot understand my weight gain around the middle...it has actually "ruined" my life...my quality of life. But the first time I stepped into a plus size store and started to try on clothing, a weight was lifted off my shoulders, and shopping became VERY fun. I remember when I was younger, shopping with my mom would almost always lead to a bout of tears...I would go home and try not to eat anything, and hoped it would help. I have a love hate relationship with my body like most women, but I still love shoes, and dresses, and doing my hair and being sexy...if someone is obese and unable to move about, they need help, but if someone is being themselves and they are actually excersizing their right to be free it is a good thing. I think people need to reccgnize/realize that accepting yourself and feeling good can only really lead to health. I realized that trying to hide behind baggy clothes wasnt going to make me thinner or fool people, and I noticed that the girls who were fat and wearing shorts and sleevless tops were actually LOSING weight...and hiding behind your fat NEVER helps you lose it, you actually start clinging to it harder as an identity, while also loathing yourself, it is torture...so I think that if naturally thin women have the right to feel attractive, then so do women who are naturally bigger.

I don't HATE it, but I don't think it depicts a normal size. That woman is obviously very over weight and her BMI is probably in a danger zone. From one extreme to the other. Let's get some size 14's or something along those lines going on the cat walk. Healthy is always the most beautiful, most sexy type of woman that could possibly exist.

gross!!!!!!!!!!!fat models are digusting!