Why the Return of Gorgeous Curvy Supermodels to Fashion Runways is a Victory for All Women!

Make way for the return of big gorgeous glamorous supermodels!

First, toothpick models were fired by the Italian Prada design house and replaced by Victoria's Secret Angels in a surprising last minute move, the night before the show on Feb. 24. Then influential designer Marc Jacobs, filled his trendsetting Louis Vuitton show in Paris, Mar. 10, with full-figured supermodels -- of all ages -- including Elle MacPherson, 47, new mom Karolina Kurkova, 26, (her little son is 4 months old), Sports Illustrated and Leonardo DiCaprio favorite, Bar Refaeli, 24, French actress/supermodel Laetitia Casta, 31, as well as voluptuous Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima, 28.

As stunning as these women are, they've been pretty much banished from top designer runways in recent years -- they've been considered "too comercial" by snooty fashion insiders. In other words -- us regular women might like to actually look like them and wear the clothes that they're modeling.

That was a no-no for these fashion types.

Now what could account for the sudden re-appearance of "rounder" models as New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn, described them.

Could it be because sales of luxury goods, including fashion, have plunged in the past year? The Camera della Moda, the Italian fashion governing body, released figures showing that 2009 saw the most dramatic drop in sales in 20 years! Revenues were down 15%. Well, if that's what it took to get healthy-looking beauties cataclysmically back in style --so be it.

But it's good news for all us women.

Here's why you should be cheering that the mega-skinnies have been kicked to the curb.

Other links:

More on Why the Supermodels Are Taking the Runway Back from the Superskinnies

Would you wear a Amy Winehouse fashion line?

Jen & Gerard -- Looking Hot & Happy in London!

 

Follow Bonnie Fuller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bonniefuller

Comments

[chillwind]

03:30 PM on 03/15/2010

I'll be glad to see the end of teenage girls driven to anorexia, but gimme a break! Nobody's overwieght because somebody else is thin - they're models and not all of us get to be one. What's next, octagenarians and couch potatoes demanding to be hired to play in the NFL?

[lemondade]

05:14 AM on 03/15/2010

SHE LOOKS LIKE THE FRENCH WEALTHY WOMEN A COUPLE OF CENTURIES AGO. THAT IS WHAT THEY WORE; ALSO, THE BARMAIDS IN ENGLAND WORE THE SAME DRESS TOPS.

"YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY!!!"

[njborne]

10:07 AM on 03/14/2010

The problem with this article truly stun the imagination. It fails to provide the true reasons these designers RELUCTANTLY use real figure women in their shows now, as compared to the unhealthy anorexic women in the past. This article fails to account for the bad press of late the fashion industry receives because some models have come forward to describe the dangerous demands these designers are placing on them, to the point that many were hospitalize. Being a model is a passion for many, their dream. Designers and the industry overall makes it a nightmare. If not, I wish someone write an expose of this industry before more of our daughters fall prey to these vultures. For those unhealthy models out there, you have not been pushed to the curb. You were side-lined for a moment. These desighers will have you back soon, as soon as the furor has past.

[Rubyfoo]

12:35 PM on 03/13/2010

Wow, from a guy's point of view it's amazing that any of this matters to people.

[Feanor]

05:08 PM on 03/24/2010

What I find amazing is that people find the time to comment on things that they claim "don't matter" to them.

[mmonarch]

12:02 PM on 03/13/2010

I want them to define "full figured". Would that be a size 2 instead of zero?

[rcf]

10:35 AM on 03/13/2010

This is a total joke. I had to read it twice to believe what I was seeing.
If these women are "full-figured," what are we going to call any woman who is over a size 4?

[mmonarch]

12:02 PM on 03/13/2010

obese

[MajorKong]

09:16 AM on 03/13/2010

Why do all models seem to a have that same angry expression when they walk down the runway.

If I was going to have someone showcase my product I'd want them to look happy to be wearing it.

[Dionita]

06:21 AM on 03/14/2010

They look unhappy because they are paid to look that way...And they're starving.

[SUSANINCOLUMBIA]

08:53 AM on 03/13/2010

Give me a break. By "full-figured" they probably mean a size 2 instead of the anorexic size 0.
Start using size 14+ models and then you're really talking full-figure.

[hooktender]

09:47 AM on 03/13/2010

We can't have them so appealing that men are trying to grab them off the runway.

[Feanor]

05:15 PM on 03/24/2010

lol

[Feanor]

05:15 PM on 03/24/2010

They're trying to sell clothes. Clothes tend to look not as good on fat women.

[madam cream puff]

03:46 AM on 03/13/2010

This raises a question. Will more women go out to buy boobs now especially the naturally thin women? You see. There is no victory for all women until we celebrate all body types.

We need to remind people that runway models are usually tall and thin because they need that "clothes hanger effect". It's not the only look that can be beautiful. It certainly doesn't mean we should look like that.

Embrace your body type, learn how to enhance it by styling, and have fun with what you have.

[jonathonz]

12:29 PM on 03/13/2010

Yes, that's it exactly...we need to drop the unrealistic compulsion to jump on the next trend bandwagon and celebrate diversity, just as we're doing with fashion trends themselves. It used to be that we had one over-arching trend at a time in fashion and now fashion is pretty much anything goes, it's all about personal style. It's great that the same thing is happening with models. I love seeing a diversity of body types. My personal favorite is the older model. I also love seeing trans-gender models. It's all about diversity!

[cleo murphy]

09:01 PM on 03/12/2010

Why do we need models?? Why do we need to focus, with such intensity, on how big or small anyone's hips, bust, etc. is ?? The way to stop drinking the Kool Aid is to simply say "No Thank-You."
The most destructive critics are in our own minds. We have internalized the oppressors, they are us!

[rivergirl301]

09:01 PM on 03/12/2010

Women are now allowed to have breasts. Stop the presses.

[Mister Biggles]

06:25 PM on 03/12/2010

Wait, how is being "kicked to the curb" could for the mega-skinnies?

It's not.

So, how is "the Return of Gorgeous Curvy Supermodels to Fashion Runways" a "Victory for all Women"?

Or do the mega-skinnies not count?

They are 3/5 of a woman?

[been2there]

12:54 AM on 03/13/2010

The superskinnies can now have a decent dinner.

[Mister Biggles]

12:44 PM on 03/13/2010

On the curb.

[oldgeek1]

06:07 PM on 03/12/2010

If that is a victory, would you send 1 to my house so I can celebrate

[Angelaaaa]

05:45 PM on 03/12/2010

If Elle MacPherson is the curviest model they could find - they should have no problems negotiating any chicanes. The only difference between her and the mega-skinnies is that she doesn't actually look like she is actually starving - just terminally hungry.

And she still stomped around looking bad-tempered.

Smile!

[Trilby]

04:32 PM on 03/12/2010

Good for women? And by "women," do you mean MEN?