Model: The Modern Powerhouse: From canvas to powerhouse, the modelling landscape is evolving and it’s up to the professionals to keep up. Alina Kulesh explores how Web 2.0 culture is equalizing the runway. (The Genteel)

Fashion has always been a very big part of my life. My mother was a Fashion Technician; she led a very fruitful business creating clothes for her clientele. Luckily, this also meant that my brother and I wore custom-made outfits earlier than we could remember. Her workspace was filled with magazines, especially Burda.

Growing up in the 90s, Supermodels dominated every image. I remember being in awe of these beautiful women never fully grasping the meaning of their dominance of our beauty ideal. When I became a teenager, I used to study the pages of monthly Vogues. Especially the editorials and advertisements; I would dissect the colour composition and draw conclusions on what is being “said”. But I didn’t care for the celebrities in the ads, I paid attention to models.  You see, I didn’t grow up in a celebrity infatuated society, they were not the signifier of the “ideal” to me.  Not to mention, growing up in Ukraine made North American celebrities kind of out of reach.

Writing this piece hit a few nostalgic notes, but most importantly it had also made me realize how much more autonomy social media has given everyone.  That’s simply why social media spun off so quickly–it makes participating individuals feel in control, heard, important, and validated. But that’s nothing new.

You can read the full piece on how Web 2.0 culture is equalizing the runway here.

 

Well, which one is it? Which one are you supposed to feel OK in? I want to say it shouldn’t matter, it should just be the one YOU feel comfortable in, but that’s not always the case. Especially if you want to embark a journey in the entertainment world.

I have seen some slight changes, where big curves are making a come back, but the curves aren’t even that big to begin with, so is it a start? I’m not complaining, I’m just trying to understand. They say to love yourself, OK, well then let me be straight forward. I want to be that skinny supermodel you see in the magazines. I want to glare into the sun with over priced sunglasses thinking how life grand is and nothing can possibly be better than this moment. Granted I know it’s a picture and once the shot is captured it’s close up shop, but just for that one moment, I would love to feel that glamorous. All eyes on me, wow so beautiful, envious. Is it wrong to want to have that moment?