Wednesday, March 2, 2011
‘Real Life’ Models Boost Fashion Mag Sales
via The High Low
The narrative of “plus-size” (translation: “normal-size”) models in the fashion industry has built to a fever-pitch in the past few years. Weight has been a powerful force for fashion magazines in particular, showing the ability to boost — or harm — major titles. There was the overwhelming reaction to Glamour‘s inclusion of model Lizzie Miller, shown happily nude at 5’11″ and 180 pounds, in the September 2009 issue. Then 2010 brought a tempest for Marie Claire blogger Maura Kelly, after she openly criticized overweight people on her blog. The retribution was harsh and swift.
At first, the presence of plus-sized models in magazines was dismissed as a gimmicky one-off. But now, curvier models are making serious inroads in fashion publications — and their presence is bringing in dollars. The British weekly magazine Look began regularly featuring heavier models five months ago, and watched their circulation drop a mere .5% in the second of half of 2010 (a period during which magazine sales in general fell precipitously). The Guardian notes that Look, as well as two other women’s magazines that have chosen to permanently include non-models, all show successful numbers:
Still, persuading high-end designers to change their ways remains the hard part — Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue, once complained that the sample clothes she was given were so small that the magazine was forced to find rail-thin models just to fit into them. And there was that nasty blind rumor making the internet rounds about a modeling agency that refused to let its so-called “good” girls be photographed with their plus-sized counterparts.
Money has a way of changing attitudes, and magazines — which are already feeling the pain of the recession and the transition to online media — are looking for ways to keep their product fresh. French Elle, V magazine, and Glamour have all done much-lauded special issues using size 12 to 16 models. And the designers Mark Fast and Jean-Paul Gaultier have had plus-size girls on their runways.
Most tellingly, The Guardian looks to Cambridge Ph.D. candidate Ben Barry’s study of 3,000 women, which showed that “the vast majority of women significantly increase purchase intentions when they see a model that reflects their age, size and race.” We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.
The narrative of “plus-size” (translation: “normal-size”) models in the fashion industry has built to a fever-pitch in the past few years. Weight has been a powerful force for fashion magazines in particular, showing the ability to boost — or harm — major titles. There was the overwhelming reaction to Glamour‘s inclusion of model Lizzie Miller, shown happily nude at 5’11″ and 180 pounds, in the September 2009 issue. Then 2010 brought a tempest for Marie Claire blogger Maura Kelly, after she openly criticized overweight people on her blog. The retribution was harsh and swift.
At first, the presence of plus-sized models in magazines was dismissed as a gimmicky one-off. But now, curvier models are making serious inroads in fashion publications — and their presence is bringing in dollars. The British weekly magazine Look began regularly featuring heavier models five months ago, and watched their circulation drop a mere .5% in the second of half of 2010 (a period during which magazine sales in general fell precipitously). The Guardian notes that Look, as well as two other women’s magazines that have chosen to permanently include non-models, all show successful numbers:
- Brigitte (Germany) – up 4% in overall sales after discontinuing use of models altogether
- Look (Britain) – down .5% in circulation
- Essentials (Britain) – up 12.7% in circulation after instating only non-model covers (first non-model cover up 25% in sales)
Still, persuading high-end designers to change their ways remains the hard part — Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue, once complained that the sample clothes she was given were so small that the magazine was forced to find rail-thin models just to fit into them. And there was that nasty blind rumor making the internet rounds about a modeling agency that refused to let its so-called “good” girls be photographed with their plus-sized counterparts.
Money has a way of changing attitudes, and magazines — which are already feeling the pain of the recession and the transition to online media — are looking for ways to keep their product fresh. French Elle, V magazine, and Glamour have all done much-lauded special issues using size 12 to 16 models. And the designers Mark Fast and Jean-Paul Gaultier have had plus-size girls on their runways.
Most tellingly, The Guardian looks to Cambridge Ph.D. candidate Ben Barry’s study of 3,000 women, which showed that “the vast majority of women significantly increase purchase intentions when they see a model that reflects their age, size and race.” We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.
John Galliano Apologizes: 'I Only Have Myself To Blame'
John Galliano released a statement on Wednesday regarding the events that began with his arrest last week and ended with his firing from Dior on Tuesday. According to WWD, the designer's words were sent out by the law firm Harbottle & Lewis. He is said to be currently en route to rehab.
The full text, as it appears on WSJ.com:
The full text, as it appears on WSJ.com:
Since the events of last Thursday evening I have not been able to make any public comment on what took place based upon advice from my French lawyer. However, given the continuing delays at the French Prosecutor's Office I should make my position clear. I completely deny the claims made against me and have fully co-operated with the police investigation.
A number of independent witnesses have given evidence and have told the police that I was subjected to verbal harassment and an unprovoked assault when an individual tried to hit me with a chair having taken violent exception to my look and my clothing. For these reasons I have commenced proceedings for defamation and the threats made against me.
However, I fully accept that the accusations made against me have greatly shocked and upset people.
I must take responsibility for the circumstances in which I found myself and for allowing myself to be seen to be behaving in the worst possible light.
I only have myself to blame and I know that I must face up to my own failures and that I must work hard to gain people's understanding and compassion. To start this process I am seeking help and all I can hope for in time is to address the personal failure which led to these circumstances and try and earn people's forgiveness.
Story continues belowI have fought my entire life against prejudice, intolerance and discrimination, having been subjected to it myself. In all my work my inspiration has been to unite people of every race, creed, religion and sexuality by celebrating their cultural and ethnic diversity through fashion. That remains my guiding light.
Anti-semitism and racism have no part in our society. I unreservedly apologise for my behaviour in causing any offence.
Lawrence O'Donnell Slams Mike Huckabee For Saying Obama Grew Up In Kenya (VIDEO)
via The Huffington Post
Lawrence O'Donnell tore into Mike Huckabee for the former Arkansas governor's false statement that President Obama grew up in Kenya.
Speaking to New York radio station WOR on Tuesday, Huckabee was asked about Obama's birth certificate by host Steve Malzberg. Malzberg claimed that Obama has been sending lawyers to quash people from looking at the certificate, and asked, "don't you think we deserve to know much more about this man?"
"I would love to know more," Huckabee responded. "What I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, very different than the average American."
Speaking on his own Tuesday show, O'Donnell did not take kindly to this mistake. "No, no, no, no, no," he said. "He did not grow up in Kenya. Yes, he did have a Kenyan father and grandfather, but he did not grow up there. This is what we know. This is what is beyond dispute."
O'Donnell noted that Huckabee said Obama's having grown up in Kenya was "one thing I do know."
"If that is the one thing that Mike Huckabee knows, then Huckabee knows less than nothing," O'Donnell said. He also refused to take seriously Huckabee's statement later on Tuesday that he had misspoken and that he was not questioning Obama's citizenship. To O'Donnell, Huckabee was guilty of playing dog-whistle politics with Republican primary voters who doubt that Obama is a U.S. citizen.
"Mike Huckabee desperately wants every one of their votes if he's going to run for president next year," O'Donnell said. "In his ugly pursuit of those votes he has now fallen below the already low standard for integrity that we have come to expect from former governors of Arkansas."
Lawrence O'Donnell tore into Mike Huckabee for the former Arkansas governor's false statement that President Obama grew up in Kenya.
Speaking to New York radio station WOR on Tuesday, Huckabee was asked about Obama's birth certificate by host Steve Malzberg. Malzberg claimed that Obama has been sending lawyers to quash people from looking at the certificate, and asked, "don't you think we deserve to know much more about this man?"
"I would love to know more," Huckabee responded. "What I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, very different than the average American."
Speaking on his own Tuesday show, O'Donnell did not take kindly to this mistake. "No, no, no, no, no," he said. "He did not grow up in Kenya. Yes, he did have a Kenyan father and grandfather, but he did not grow up there. This is what we know. This is what is beyond dispute."
O'Donnell noted that Huckabee said Obama's having grown up in Kenya was "one thing I do know."
"If that is the one thing that Mike Huckabee knows, then Huckabee knows less than nothing," O'Donnell said. He also refused to take seriously Huckabee's statement later on Tuesday that he had misspoken and that he was not questioning Obama's citizenship. To O'Donnell, Huckabee was guilty of playing dog-whistle politics with Republican primary voters who doubt that Obama is a U.S. citizen.
"Mike Huckabee desperately wants every one of their votes if he's going to run for president next year," O'Donnell said. "In his ugly pursuit of those votes he has now fallen below the already low standard for integrity that we have come to expect from former governors of Arkansas."
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