The June edition of British Vogue is out today, with Mario Testino's portrait of the gorgeous Natalia Vodianova looking resplendent on its cover. Alexandra Shulman says the 'Body Issue' explores the body image debate and how we choose to clothe ourselves.
Obviously, it's good they're tackling the sociological impact of image hang-ups for modern women and dedicating a whole issue to the 'celebration of shape and style'; and it's great they're attempting to empower women to embrace their figures.
However, it does little good merely commenting on the size zero, youth and image obsessed culture we live in whilst continuing to contribute offering up airbrushed, unrealistic images of the ideal woman. Fashion magazines reinforce that to be beautiful you need to look like the 16 year old skinny girls Vogue uses in 11 issues out of twelve. It's undermining, patronising and transparent: one 'Body Issue' does not a spearhead for the 'celebration of real women' movement make.
Still, I bet a good read...
Obviously, it's good they're tackling the sociological impact of image hang-ups for modern women and dedicating a whole issue to the 'celebration of shape and style'; and it's great they're attempting to empower women to embrace their figures.
However, it does little good merely commenting on the size zero, youth and image obsessed culture we live in whilst continuing to contribute offering up airbrushed, unrealistic images of the ideal woman. Fashion magazines reinforce that to be beautiful you need to look like the 16 year old skinny girls Vogue uses in 11 issues out of twelve. It's undermining, patronising and transparent: one 'Body Issue' does not a spearhead for the 'celebration of real women' movement make.
Still, I bet a good read...
