The fashion industry is constantly criticised for presenting a glamorous façade, behind which are young models who continue to endure the pressures to obtain the perfect figure.
In 2017 an ABC article reported that only four countries around the world have laws to protect against the acceptance of unhealthily thin models, and Australia is not one of them.
Bronte James entered the modelling industry at the age of 15, becoming the youngest model to work for the Brazen Models agency.
She says she has always enjoyed her work, but does admit that the misunderstood physical and mental factors associated with the business can be challenging to navigate.
“Even if I tried explaining it to someone they never understand unless they have been through it themselves,” she told upstart.
Eating disorders are a prevalent and ongoing issue associated with the business. A 2017 study among professional models found that eating disorders continued to exist within the industry. Based on 85 working fashion models included in the study, 62.4 percent reported they had been asked to lose weight or change their body shape or size.
This was expressed to them by either their modeling agency, casting agent, designer, or others involved in the modeling industry over the past year.
For Victorian-based model Frankie Evans, the negative treatment she endured while working as a teen model still haunts her.
When she was 16 and still “discovering” herself as a person, she experienced this kind of criticism, being told by an old agency that she was too fat.
“I know that I’m not, but it plays on my mind sometimes. I have an hourglass womanly figure, small waist, massive bony hips that I can’t change no matter how much I exercise. I was scared going to the agency because they’d check my measurements and tell me they weren’t good enough and [that] no client would want me,” she told upstart.
Evans also felt the pressures of body expectations overseas when given the opportunity to join an agency in Milan.
She said that other models begged her not to go, as they recalled their experiences with international agencies. The agency in Milan requested that Evans lose 3-4cm off her hip measurement.
Some industry figures are advocating for models, including Simone Murcutt, the marketing and talent manager at WINK Models.
“I never envisioned myself working in the modelling industry as I’m a big positive body-image advocate and believed that the industry causes a lot of damage to the minds of a lot of boys and girls,” she told upstart.
“The models we represent are absolutely beautiful people who are healthy and strong. They egg each other on to also love themselves and are possibly one of the best support groups I have ever come across.”
With the popularity of social media, the modelling industry has become a platform for digital media allowing constant access anytime, anywhere. In some cases, it is the foundation of a model’s popularity and success, with 91 percent of retail brands using social media channels.
However, Bronte James argues that this ultimately creates a false ideal of women that some models, perhaps unknowingly, perpetuate on their social media platforms.
Simone Murcutt agrees, and also believes that the constant editing and manipulation of images is a large factor when it comes to mental health and body image.
“I feel very strongly about social media’s involvement in triggering mental illness. Nobody is stopping the fitspiration posts. There are a lot of high profile Australian models out there who work out for hours every day and are strict with their clean eating, who then take to social media to tell their followers to love themselves as they are,” she said.
James’ exposure to some of the negative sides of the modelling industry has helped her to form some strong beliefs.
“Embrace yourself, there is only one of you, and as long as you are healthy and happy that’s all that should matter,” she said.
- Lifeline: 131 114
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
Megan Lansbury is a VCE Plus Media and Communications student.
Photo supplied by Ed Purnomo.
