How come I only see plump models in the big women's clothing section of department stores?
FAT FILIPINA MODELS ARE COVER GIRL MATERIAL TOO.
I wonder why teen/fashion magazines keep on trying to sound encouraging to young Filipinas, giving insincere advice and tips on how to love one's body, and how it's cool to be just yourself. If that's the message they want to resonate, then why don't they start including images of women of different shapes and sizes in their magazines? Why don't they take visible action in showing their readers that their wanting for them to feel good about themselves isn't just lip service? Why don't they let beautiful curvy, fat, or plump models grace the cover of their magazines?
I know, I know, you might be thinking, well we all know that fat models will always be outcasts in the fashion industry (or high fashion for that matter). The farthest they could go in being popular is the showbiz industry where they can be comediennes who can be mocked and laughed at.
Well, if that's what you're thinking, I would like to slap your face with the March issue of Elle France of which the sexy and sultry Tara Lynn is the cover. Obviously, big models are making their mark in the fashion industry in other countries, if not here in the Philippines. Vogue Italy has launched Vogue Curvy, a concept that is represented by the slogan “Beauty Comes in All Shapes and Sizes”. Marie Claire France will be featuring women size 12 and up in their coming issue this June (besides, Marie Claire has vowed to include a variety of shapes and sizes of women in their pages before already). V Magazine did an amazing editorial featuring top model Crystal Renn entitled One Size Fits All as well as many other photo shoots with sexy plus size models as the subject. Now, why won't Philippine magazines do the same? We all know for a fact that the Philippines is really good in being unoriginal (DON'T DENY IT), so why can't we follow this new fabulous direction to which the fashion industry is going with bigger and bolder models?
You need to understand that I have nothing against skinny models. I'm not here to bash them and say that all of them are anorexic, emaciated women who must be replaced with healthier and curvier women. No. I know thin models are here to stay. But what I'm saying is, why not let plus size models join the fun and be given the chance to show this country that they are JUST AS WORTHY to be on the cover of high fashion, glossy magazines?
I've been wondering too as to why there's a great lack of plus size models here in the Philippines, until I realized that the root cause is there is NO demand for it. Once magazines and clothing lines start realizing that "real-looking" women also do appeal (I'd even go as far as saying that they APPEAL MORE) to their (target) market, then I think big beauties will emerge and start feeling confident to flaunt their bodies. If the media will start acknowledging the fact that women come in different shapes and sizes and start using them as subjects for ads, photo shoots, commercials, etc., then that's when modeling agencies will start a frantic search for curvier and bigger models. I really do hope that SOON the magazines and the media in general will start showcasing chunky girls as something that are attractive and pleasing to the eyes, other than being used in movies as gluttonous, hungry, food monsters, or any other stereotype that comes with being fat.
What do you think? Do you think the Philippines will start recognizing bigger models any time soon? How?
Zaftig Lovin',
Stacy