'It looks like progress is reversing': How fashion lost interest in curves
Sometimes fashion is about clothes, but sometimes it's really about bodies. The Council of Fashion Designers of America awards are the highest honors given to American fashion designers. So you'd expect the star-studded gala in New York to be a showcase for extraordinary clothing. But last week the red carpet was won not by a dress, but by a body. Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox wore a cutout dress that was mostly cut out, with a side dress. Baring Fox from his sternum to his thighs, he revealed a black bikini and highlighted a sculpted, rock-hard midsection, visible ribs and muscular glutes. Her slender body, not the dress, was the outfit.
The star trend on the runways this season was the flat stomach. At Fendi, the ribs were visible under fine knits tucked into cargo pants that hung below the models' hips. At Versace, there was a long shot of bare flesh stretched between the bumster-style belt on a pair of jeans and the tiny bra top. Second-skin catsuits come in black lace at Burberry and crystal mesh at Stella McCartney. All of these were worn on the catwalk by models with the necessary low body fat so that bones, cavities and muscle ridges were clearly visible. spacefinder-role="supporting" data-spacefinder-type="model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement" class="dcr-1sioudk">
The funny thing is that catwalk models don't get skinnier. Tagwalk fashion analyzed the numbers and found that out of 247 fashion shows this season, 90 featured "curvy" (plus size) models, up from 62 the previous season. traditional slimline on their catwalk is slow progress, but the trajectory is curving in the right direction.
So why does it feel like fashion is bringing size zero back? The stats above don't differentiate between obscure designers who embrace a diverse cast but whose shows get little attention, and megabrands who monopolize read mode bandwidth...
Sometimes fashion is about clothes, but sometimes it's really about bodies. The Council of Fashion Designers of America awards are the highest honors given to American fashion designers. So you'd expect the star-studded gala in New York to be a showcase for extraordinary clothing. But last week the red carpet was won not by a dress, but by a body. Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox wore a cutout dress that was mostly cut out, with a side dress. Baring Fox from his sternum to his thighs, he revealed a black bikini and highlighted a sculpted, rock-hard midsection, visible ribs and muscular glutes. Her slender body, not the dress, was the outfit.
The star trend on the runways this season was the flat stomach. At Fendi, the ribs were visible under fine knits tucked into cargo pants that hung below the models' hips. At Versace, there was a long shot of bare flesh stretched between the bumster-style belt on a pair of jeans and the tiny bra top. Second-skin catsuits come in black lace at Burberry and crystal mesh at Stella McCartney. All of these were worn on the catwalk by models with the necessary low body fat so that bones, cavities and muscle ridges were clearly visible. spacefinder-role="supporting" data-spacefinder-type="model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement" class="dcr-1sioudk">
The funny thing is that catwalk models don't get skinnier. Tagwalk fashion analyzed the numbers and found that out of 247 fashion shows this season, 90 featured "curvy" (plus size) models, up from 62 the previous season. traditional slimline on their catwalk is slow progress, but the trajectory is curving in the right direction.
So why does it feel like fashion is bringing size zero back? The stats above don't differentiate between obscure designers who embrace a diverse cast but whose shows get little attention, and megabrands who monopolize read mode bandwidth...
What's Your Reaction?
