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Why runway shows need tall models:
DISCLAIMER: . Jan 24 07 01:28 pm Link not trying to start shit, just playing devil's advocate... i understand the height thing, but why do they have to be stick figures? what makes a size 0-2 model carry the clothes better than, say, a size 4-6 model, assuming both are of the same height? Jan 24 07 01:39 pm Link Mandy McKeating wrote: Good question. (I'm a size 2 so I'm not disagreeing with either statement but I have always wondered that) Jan 24 07 01:41 pm Link ANNABELLA wrote: ya, my question does not come from sour grapes, simply curiosity. Jan 24 07 01:45 pm Link Mandy McKeating wrote: Designers have learned over the years that they make the most money with those models. When they used other models, they didn't make as much money. Jan 24 07 01:51 pm Link Jan 24 07 01:53 pm Link Mandy McKeating wrote: In general...thinner girls can pull off more styles. You don't have to worry about "Will this dress make her legs look thick?" "Will this top make her belly look poochy?" Jan 24 07 02:00 pm Link Mandy McKeating wrote: The primary reason for this is, these women (0-4) are as close to a "walking coat-hanger" as the designer can get. When designers send their clothes down the runway, they don't want you to look at the model. They are not selling the model! They want you to see the clothes. Jan 24 07 02:00 pm Link thanks all, that puts it into perspective. not that i had ever argued or disagreed with any of it, just wondered why. Jan 24 07 02:03 pm Link Mandy McKeating wrote: It's cool...it was something I wondered for a while...I'm not even sure my answer's the right one...it's just the one that makes most sense to me. Jan 24 07 02:06 pm Link Kaitlin Lara wrote: i figure there isn't one answer, but all of them put together have made things the way they are. they all make sense. Jan 24 07 02:07 pm Link Well i've seen plus models on runway and thought they looked amazing...oh well ! It shows a difference with her being shorter than the other models, but what if you put a platform up and had all the same height model at let's say 5'5 what would be the difference then? This is just curiousity Jan 24 07 02:15 pm Link It is also interesting that the 5'2" designer, who presumably has something to say about this, chose models that are literally head and shoulders taller than her to show off her clothes. Jan 24 07 02:21 pm Link Ivan123 wrote: Didn't the show provide the models you have to select from? I understand that it's that way because it has been that way, i'm just asking if you make the models uniform in whatever you choose what would be the difference? Jan 24 07 02:24 pm Link it's totally because I'm biased but I would love to see a show that uses all short models every now and then. even it's a gimmick I don't care. I think there is something special and idealistic about being petite and I think it should be shown off by designer clothes in a runway show. Jan 24 07 02:29 pm Link Mandy McKeating wrote: Think about it, runway models are human clothes hangers. The designers want the clothes to be the show, not the models body. Jan 24 07 02:33 pm Link thinner, and also models with small breasts allow the clothes to be worn more as they look on the hanger, which is what the designer is going for. Jan 24 07 02:34 pm Link Kaitlin Lara wrote: Good point. Also besides the fact the designers make the clothes to fit the "hanger"- maniquin- the material they use in not cheap. Again, economics. Jan 24 07 02:34 pm Link I too would assume that there is some pool of models to pick from. And if you are getting your first chance to display your designs to the fashion press you might want to go with the flow rather than make a statement by hiring only 5' 2" models. But she might have had some leeway if it had been a big deal to her. It would be interesting to ask her her opinion on it. My guess is that she doesn't think her height is a big deal or particularly relevant. She obviously doesn't think her own clothes are relevant. Like most fashion designers she looks like she got dressed out of a dumpster. I don't know anything about fashion or makeup but I can't help but notice that those who are expert in producing it seem not to indulge in it themselves. Jan 24 07 02:36 pm Link Ivan123 wrote: Usually folks are running around in the back and are trying to be comfortable. Jan 24 07 02:46 pm Link People do not want to see the average or the normal on the Runway ( or in the Fashion World in general) and that includes average height ,body shapes or looks Tall , beautiful , impossibly thin ( and generally young ) models play perfectly to the Nuerosis of the Fashion consumer - the older ( ie over 21 ) year old woman who at some level believes that in buying the right clothing , accessories or perfume - she will somehow be transformed somewhat from reality into the idealized Jan 24 07 02:56 pm Link to the post above me (sweetface) about "running around in the back" maybe they arent so cramped when the models are sticks, they can just breeze pass when other "curvy" women would have to move slower because they have to keep saying "excuse me" when trying to run around he he just a silly thought Jan 24 07 02:57 pm Link cynthiacoops wrote: Jan 24 07 03:01 pm Link lol (i know i know) Jan 24 07 03:02 pm Link cynthiacoops wrote: k, let's not do that again oh, if you ever need retouching help on newer pictures I know a couple people who can do it! Jan 24 07 03:05 pm Link SWEETFACE SHOTS wrote: Because no one wants to buy clothes from ugly people. Kind of awful...but very true. Jan 24 07 05:17 pm Link Kaitlin Lara wrote: *giggles* Jan 24 07 05:31 pm Link the designer is actually more around 4'10"- 5 ft because when she was on the show she was also ALOT shorter than the other designers, and they weren't tall. Also, she has short legs... Jan 24 07 05:37 pm Link Kate moss does it, and they accept her, and she is only 5'6"... I know the story behind it though... but still she is fairly short for her market. I am just curious as to why it doesn't bother people. Jan 24 07 05:41 pm Link Muneca wrote: Total fluke. Somebody like Kate Mosss comes around once in a lifetime. There are always exceptions to the rule. But rules is rules. Tall and thin is in, short and fat step back(off the runway that is.) Jan 24 07 06:26 pm Link SWEETFACE SHOTS wrote: Jan 24 07 06:29 pm Link Yea... Sigh... oh well! who knows who the next special one will be... right Jan 24 07 06:30 pm Link Kaitlin Lara wrote: In that case, I'm a total hottie!! Jan 24 07 07:50 pm Link if you're too lazy to eat properly and hit the gym... or if your genetics are HONESTLY getting in the way of hitting the dress size they want... PICK A DIFFERENT PROFESSION! Stupid people don't get to be neuro surgeons (bad example, I know), and people who aren't thin and tall don't get to be models Jan 24 07 08:08 pm Link everything looks better on tall, thin people, except overalls. Only short people and babies look good in those. Jan 24 07 08:26 pm Link I agree with the original post about height. What I don't understand is, with the rather popular exception of Kate Moss, models that are 5'6" or 5'6.5" are more often than not turned away because of their height, when in reality it is very difficult to tell someone who is 5'6" from someone who is 5'7". Working as a make-up artist I often saw extraordinarily beautiful girls that were 5'6"ish and unfortunately would be unlikely to make a career in fashion modeling (although lingerie models are often 5'6" - this was told to me by an agent). I've also worked on girls that were tall and nowhere near as beautiful (as well as some who were). I find that a lot of the girls that are just under that height restriction often want to make it more than some of the taller girls who are "discovered" and get the whole thing thrown into their laps. Jan 24 07 08:26 pm Link Mandy McKeating wrote: Hehe a simpler answer.. (i'm also being sarcastic.) It takes less fabric to make a size 0 compared to a size 4 or 6.. Jan 24 07 09:17 pm Link Kaitlin Lara wrote: Very good points! Jan 24 07 09:24 pm Link you know whats funny i asked myself this question numerous times and i know the answer. but it still makes me wonder. they do it because they want there clothing to look as if it would if they had designed it on a COAT HANGER.. dumb but true... i love tallness (?) lol and i love shape. but if you really think about it i'll give you some instances. 1. tall size 2 model, medium look appeal, beautiful clothes or even not so great clothes 2. tall model size two, very pretty, medium looking clothes 3. tall curvy pretty model size 6-8, beautiful clothes 4. tall curvy ok looking model size 6-8, medium looking clothing now think like a designer, what do you want people to look at? #1 she's ok looking but she doesn't over power the clothing with her look she kind of complements it that's the girl. #2 she takes away from the clothes #3 her curves and looks take complete attention from the clothes. and #4 the clothes don't even exsist! BUT of course i happen to like # 3 because if a chick got in the business before me and shes on that damn stage she better be a bad BITCH!!! cuz i don't know about everyone else but i want a real chick on a stage then an imaginary one whom i can say hey i can do that!! but designers have there reasons well HIGH FASHION designers! cuz hiphop, rock designers don't play that unrealness and hey if you think about it who wears high fashion clothing?????? rich people!! so there you go, they don't want the average joe wearing their clothing.... something to think about!! Jan 24 07 09:48 pm Link I work as a fit model occasionally for a few designers, and this is how the size issue was explained to me. The first stage of design is the sketch. Then comes the sample garment. All samples are made in a size 2. This is universal globally, although in Europe I think it is called a size 4 (same actual size side by side). There are dress forms/mannequins made specifically for this. There are no patterns made for the samples, rather they are fitted to the dress form, sometimes in pieces, pinned then sewn (just like Project Runway). There may be some slight size variations, but basically the clothes are made to fit a 34-24-34 figure. After the samples are made, they are fitted to a real model (size 2) to make sure they hang right. (For those not aware, this is another form of modeling and pays pretty well 2x's a year if you are the perfect size.) The samples are then put into the show circuit (where they are fitted again to the model that will be displaying the garment on the runway) and buyers pick what they want to purchase. Following the shows, some samples are also put on display in the various Merchandise Mart showrooms for buyers to order from. Only after there are orders are the clothes paper patterns made (taken from the size 2 sample then adjusted up/down for other sizes using simple mathamatics). Manufacturing production starts in the sizes purchased by the buyers. Not all clothes in a collection are successfully purchased and go into production. There has to be a standard, and this is it. As stated earlier, using tall size 2's makes the clothes hang well and show better then they would on a shorter model. Jan 24 07 10:45 pm Link |