Coco Rocha: I Was Told To 'Look Anorexic'

Earlier today, we posted on how lanky 15-year-old model Julia Schneider is receiving press scrutiny for her allegedly "too skinny" frame.

And Coco Rocha (with help from her pal, Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes) is speaking out again about weight issues and the industry, continuing to push back against the pressure she felt as a teen -- and now -- to hold her body and weight to irrational standards.

At an event sponsored by David B. Herzog of Massachusetts General Hospital Tuesday night, Coco told the crowd that when she was 15, execs would tell her: "The look this year is anorexic. We don't want you to be anorexic, just look it."

Yikes.

Luckily, some models are fighting back against the body-damaging pressures of the industry. Coco and Doutzen are working with the CFDA's new mentoring program, which pairs new, young models with seasoned model veterans to help them find their way in the crazy world of couture.

Coco has previously stated that even at size 4, she felt sidelined by industry execs, who wanted her to be even tinier. And last month, she told Anderson Cooper that now she hears from higher-ups that she's "too thin" to model. We guess you can't please everyone.

Read more at Vogue's blog.

Comments

[jerabaub]

08:07 AM on 12/10/2011

This is precisely why the fashion industry.

Anorexic looking women are not attractive. They are most unappealing...something to be pitied.

As disgusting as it may be, if the industry wants that "look", just import lots of emaciated, starving women from Africa.

Same nonsense from the fashion industry occurred a number of years ago when the "look" was "heroin chic", to appear to be strung out.

[listgirl3]

10:17 PM on 12/09/2011

We don't want to BE anorexic...just play one on TV...

Excellent tip for teens - models or not. Isn't humanity supposed to get smarter?

[dancerscue]

10:07 PM on 12/09/2011

Fashion industry dominated by gay designers who want women to look like men.

[Netta Chinn]

11:17 AM on 12/09/2011

cry me a river....

You want to be a model
You want to be famous
You want to make Gisselle money by the time your 21
You know the industry and the industry standards when it comes to weight
Why the heck are you complaining and acting brand new when directed to remain skinny, get another job, get married to a well off guy, go to college are become and entrepreneur
real simple stuff

[Ebelskiver]

08:49 PM on 12/09/2011

The point is why should the industry standards be anorexia? There is something fundamentally wrong with that.

[sammyjo1088]

02:30 AM on 12/10/2011

Well, someone has to do the modelling. And eventually, it would be nice if people both within and outside of the industry could stand up and say, "Hey. That 'anorexic' look? No one thinks that's attractive. Why do we force our models to look that way again?"

Your laissez-faire attitude is why unhealthy practices like this go on. What if an entire industry revealed that they made all of their employees receive injections of some experimental "vitamin" that's pretty unhealthy, but makes your skin and teeth look great? And all the employees knew about it before signing up for the job, and they all agreed to it to keep their jobs, despite many of them having misgivings about it.

But, this "vitamin" is clearly an artificial substance, you tell me. These girls are simply skinny. That can't be unhealthy, right? Skinny is good, right? Many of these girls are undernourished, or on extremely unhealthy, low nutrition diets. Others abuse laxatives or emetics or other drugs to get that "anorexic" look that is apparently in this season. And I don't think we should stand by and shrug, especially since there is no need for models to be that skinny, since the general population would prefer their women slightly less skeletal.

[TheCycad]

12:20 AM on 12/09/2011

that's the look

[Stand Up for your Belief]

12:05 AM on 12/09/2011

Just plain silly! Get another job!

[Ebelskiver]

08:53 PM on 12/09/2011

Why is fighting against the insane notion that an anorexic figure is the height of beauty for women silly?

[Stand Up for your Belief]

09:25 PM on 12/09/2011

Again, why stay in an idustry that could possibly kill you? Only those weirdo's wanna be a negative 1. Those who call the shots in this industry and who love the "sick" look are silly and ridiculous! U gotta a problem with that?

[charlygirl8093]

04:28 PM on 12/08/2011

This crazy world of fashion -

[SmartladyDem]

08:48 PM on 12/08/2011

First name La?

[Stand Up for your Belief]

12:05 AM on 12/09/2011

hilarious!

[SmartladyDem]

09:31 AM on 12/09/2011

Flagged, lol.

[oerose]

12:20 AM on 12/09/2011

Yeah, that really is unfortunate.