Swimsuit designer Leesa Fogarty has been applauded for standing up for her choice to use average-sized models for her runway show.
Last week, during the Rosemont Australian Fashion Week, Leesa was asked to replace her average-sized models with "professionals," which she refused to do. Her group of amateur, size 8-12 models were told they weren't "fit for the catwalk." She is gaining praise from outside of the fashion industry, namely by professionals in the healthcare field who are speaking out in her support.
The Executive Officer of the Eating Disorders Foundation, Frances Sanders, said "Hooray, we applaud moves to include healthy normal Australian women in the fashion industry... I think it's refreshing what she's done."
Professor Andrew Hill, an obesity expert, was quoted as saying, "Ms Fogarty is to be applauded for using ordinary women to model her swimwear." He states in a study he has conducted that 70 percent of obese 11 year olds saw themselves as unnatractive, but images of super-thin women only made their self-esteem drop lower.
Pictures published of the "models" show them smiling, having fun, of various ages and body types and healthy. They seem to glow and isn't that the best way to sell clothing?
It's steps like this one that Leesa Fogarty has made that can actually make a difference in our body-obsessed world. Let's hope that she can pave the way for others in her position to do the same.
