"It's Victoria's Secret's new range" While watching Selina Thompson perform her one woman show Chewing the Fat I was struck my a particular line she said. Describing a teenage love for high fashion, Vogue and other fashion magazines Thompson explained that she wasn't in the least bit intimidated or pressured by the tall, slim, white models whose bodies her short, fat and brown teenage body didn't match up to. "It wasn't that I didn't look like them; they didn't look like me." It was an attitude I partially identified with as a short, pale redhead who also had a love for fashion. My brain simply said 'that doesn't apply to you', which is not the same as 'you are not good enough'. I bring this up in light of the Victoria's Secret Perfect Body campaign which recently came under fire. A reaction anybody at Victoria's Secret, from the shop assistants to the CEO should have seen coming from a mile off.
The campaign featured ten models, the majority were white, all have long, straight hair and all are tall and toned. They are all in various styles of pants and bra. In case the message wasn't clear then they have in text across the image 'The Perfect "Body".
I am not sure what's going on with those quotation marks. I like to think Victoria's Secret was being a little philosophical with their punctuation there. Perhaps they wanted us to read it as: "Body", but what is a "body"? Or "Body", phh, whatever that means. OR "Body" like body of work, this is Victoria's Secret's body of work, pants and notoriously ill-fitting bras. Maybe the meant "Body" as the best word they could come up with, 'The Perfect "Body" - if you will'. Like they'd rather use the word "flesh casing" but the marketing department said no.
Of course whatever they meant, because all the models' physiques look remarkably similar it reads as an example to us all. If not instructive. This is the perfect "body". In case you didn't know. The campaign claims the underwear is the perfect fit and very comfortable, hence the misguided slogan...somehow.
I am not sure what's going on with those quotation marks. I like to think Victoria's Secret was being a little philosophical with their punctuation there. Perhaps they wanted us to read it as: "Body", but what is a "body"? Or "Body", phh, whatever that means. OR "Body" like body of work, this is Victoria's Secret's body of work, pants and notoriously ill-fitting bras. Maybe the meant "Body" as the best word they could come up with, 'The Perfect "Body" - if you will'. Like they'd rather use the word "flesh casing" but the marketing department said no.
Of course whatever they meant, because all the models' physiques look remarkably similar it reads as an example to us all. If not instructive. This is the perfect "body". In case you didn't know. The campaign claims the underwear is the perfect fit and very comfortable, hence the misguided slogan...somehow.
| If we were all, as a society, able to adopt Thompson's healthier attitude we might be able to see the Victoria's Secret campaign and just think 'what a silly campaign'. Or 'those women look nice, even though they do not look like me'. | Perhaps what would be more suitable would be a #PerfectlyFineThanks campaign. In which everyone can just agree we all look alright |
But we can't, for various and perfectly valid reasons regarding the impression it gives women and men, the impact it has on esteem and the lack of diversity in the image. We have to react, but we have to react with the care and measure not taken with the original campaign.
Fashion Retailer JD Williams responded with good intentions with a counter campaign. They launched the
#PerfectlyImperfect campaign in order to promote body confidence...and also possibly maybe JD Williams. They invited women to share their #FavouriteFlaw on social media. Ed Watson, a JD Williams spokesperson, said: "We have a responsibility as a retailer to promote positive body image to our customers and that means being representative of women in the UK."
This is true of all retailers. They must reflect (in a flattering light) today's society. However I'm not down with this #favouriteflaw thing as it just reinforces the fact that a freckle or line or stretchmark is wrong. Frankly I see it as some kind of 'making the best of a bad job' attitude. JD Williams' models might range from a size 10 to a 16 but from the image accompanying their #PerfectlyImperfect campaign but a quick glance tells me they are also lacking in diversity.
Perhaps what would be more suitable would be a #PerfectlyFineThanks campaign. In which everyone can just agree we all look alright and nobody is demanding we all descend into some mass orgy or win modelling contracts or anything.
It smacks of those effing annoying memes where a row of buxom '50s sirens are juxtoposed next to svelte '00s models whining 'when did this become beautiful'. Hey, memo to everybody: PEOPLE LOOK DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. Do you know what to wonderful thing about that is? THERE IS NO RIGHT BEAUTY STANDARD.
Perhaps what we should be examining - instead of ourselves, is why we care so much?
Squeamish Kate
Fashion Retailer JD Williams responded with good intentions with a counter campaign. They launched the
#PerfectlyImperfect campaign in order to promote body confidence...and also possibly maybe JD Williams. They invited women to share their #FavouriteFlaw on social media. Ed Watson, a JD Williams spokesperson, said: "We have a responsibility as a retailer to promote positive body image to our customers and that means being representative of women in the UK."
This is true of all retailers. They must reflect (in a flattering light) today's society. However I'm not down with this #favouriteflaw thing as it just reinforces the fact that a freckle or line or stretchmark is wrong. Frankly I see it as some kind of 'making the best of a bad job' attitude. JD Williams' models might range from a size 10 to a 16 but from the image accompanying their #PerfectlyImperfect campaign but a quick glance tells me they are also lacking in diversity.
Perhaps what would be more suitable would be a #PerfectlyFineThanks campaign. In which everyone can just agree we all look alright and nobody is demanding we all descend into some mass orgy or win modelling contracts or anything.
It smacks of those effing annoying memes where a row of buxom '50s sirens are juxtoposed next to svelte '00s models whining 'when did this become beautiful'. Hey, memo to everybody: PEOPLE LOOK DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. Do you know what to wonderful thing about that is? THERE IS NO RIGHT BEAUTY STANDARD.
Perhaps what we should be examining - instead of ourselves, is why we care so much?
Squeamish Kate
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