When it comes to designers, yes, they are bloody artistic, but sometimes they can be oblivious to the realities of this world. The fashion world is known for being a place that is not to polite to young and budding models, and those in the industry are constantly pressurized to fit into moulds that are tough and really not healthy for the mind nor body. Case in point: supermodel Gigi Hadid.
Now, we all know that Gig is super hot, with a banging body and a stellar career, having modelled for all the top fashion houses in the world. But back in 2015 when she was still establishing herself as a serious professional model, she was still young and losing what she had called in an Instagram post as “baby fat”. But in a recent interview, Tommy Hilfiger openly body shamed her at her first runway with him by saying
“Our casting director said, ‘She doesn’t really fit because, you know, she’s not quite as tall as the other girls. She’s not quite as thin.’ So they put a red, white and blue poncho on her. It covered a lot of her body, unfortunately.”
After getting fit and fabulous like she is today, Gigi walked the Tommy Hilfiger runway again this year, sporting a bikini and in fact, revealing a toned look that no one can doubt she has worked hard on. She even released her own line in collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger, so all’s well that ends well.
Hilfiger himself described her as “an all-American girl-next-door with an exotic twist to her look. He said that soon enough he realized how in-demand and popular she actually is, with her millions of Instagram followers and the fact that she is a Taylor Swift squad member and in the news almost on a daily basis. So he went ahead and signed her on for the designing collaboration, knowing where the cash cow was.
Gigi has been vocal on social media after a number of people body shamed her. In a post to Instagram, she had said
No, I don’t have the same body type as the other models in shows. No, I don’t think I’m the best at any given show. Yes, I want to have a unique walk but I also know I have to improve…I represent a body image that wasn’t accepted in high-fashion before, but I’m very lucky to be supported by the designers, stylists and editors that I am…Yes, I have boobs, I have abs, I have a butt, I have thighs, but I’m not asking for special treatment. I’m fitting into the sample sizes.
Let’s hope this body shaming seriously stops, as it does no one any good and discourages, instead of encourages women to get out there and be themselves.
