Do you know Karl Lagerfeld? “Yes of course” you might think, he is one of the greatest designers of recent times, even former chief designer of Chanel! Perhaps you are of the belief that in order to call yourself truly fashion-interested, you have to know who it is. Lagerfeld and his creations were actually the theme of the year for The Met Gala 2023, which is one of the biggest fashion events. But Karl Lagerfeld is not only a top designer who has worked for some of the biggest fashion houses, the German-born designer is and has always been, up until his death in 2019, a topic of conversation, due to his very controversial statements which were often used in his marketing. Lagerfeld has on several occasions lashed out at various celebrities calling them fat ect., and not least criticized the otherwise vibrant metoo movement, which he was tired of hearing about.
But what happens when such a famous and recognized designer makes such statements? In Lagerfeld's case, it is not a big deal, but in the light of a more nuanced and contemporary perspective, it creates a more negative effect both in relation to models, but also especially young people worldwide. One statement that should be emphasized, however, is "Unreachable beauty is a reminder to make an effort" - Karl Lagerfeld, as this forms the foundation for a good debate.
In Denmark, 75,000 children, young people and adults suffer from an eating disorder. Danish research also shows that 28% of Danish young people between the ages of 11 and 20 have a risk for developing an eating disorder, which in itself is completely insane that at such a young age, you are so body-conscious that it goes on and becomes an obsession. Furthermore, a study carried out by the Children's Council shows that 54% of young people in 9th grade have several symptoms of risky behavior - of which 63% are girls and 46% are boys. These are sad figures which indicate that something is terribly wrong - but what?
It is a question that can be difficult to be clear about, but I will make an attempt anyway. In the light of my own experiences as a young individual of 22 years, my thesis is clear that this enormous self-awareness must stem from something that I myself hold most dear - social media. Every single day you are confronted with beautiful divine images of tanned models and influencers who have the "perfect" body and the "perfect" life. There is pressure on you to look a certain way, eat a certain way and to wear the right clothes. This is a problem that should be focused on, as one's self-concept and self-love come under pressure from the day teens become old enough to create an Instagram profile, and a statement like Lagerfeld's can lead to some young girls getting a reminded of starving themself to try to achieve something that Lagerfeld refers to as unreachable.
Despite the fact that for many years it has been considered perfect to be almost malnourished, there has been a shift in the women and role models that young people have, especially on social media. But from one problem to another - it is difficult to put this culture of comparison completely on the shelf. Because today you see more celebrities like the Kardashian sisters, Nicki Minaj etc. who instead show a fuller and curvier body, which is in great contrast to what we are otherwise used to, and these new body types don't come naturally either. Although many celebrities try to refuse, it comes out from time to time that they get expensive plastic surgery, lip fillers and various beauty treatments. But where does that leave our young people? Because won't new "perfect" just be called "Beauty is unreachable" - at least if you're not rich enough. We desperately need new perspectives on the fashion world, we need brands that dare to step forward and show consumers a new perfect!
The new “perfect” is an exciting theme that we saw examples of in Copenhagen Fashion week, with more inclusion and diversity - it is an exciting development that I look forward to seeing more of.
Bibliography:
Foreningen for spiseforstyrelser og selvskade. (n.d.). Spiseforstyrrelser. Retrieved November 2023 from Foreningen for spiseforstyrelser og selvskade: https://spiseforstyrrelse.dk/spiseforstyrrelser
Frost, S. M. (May 1, 2023). Hans udtalelser om MeToo og tykke kaster skygger over modebranchens vigtigste begivenhed. Retrieved November 2023 from Tv2 Nyheder: https://nyheder.tv2.dk/udland/2023-05-01-hans-udtalelser-om-metoo-og-tykke-kaster-skygger-over-modebranchens-vigtigste-begivenhed
Hoskins, T. E. (2022). The Body Politic. In T. E. Hoskins, The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion (Chapter six). London: Pluto Press.
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