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THE catwalk waif may be losing her sway. Miuccia Prada, the most-watched trendsetter in the fashion world, has signalled a move to curvier models by choosing a busty mannequin to parade a new sweater on the Milan runway where before she had stuck almost exclusively to stick-thin girls, writes Maurice Chittenden.
Experts are predicting that Prada’s lead will be followed in Paris this week by designers responding to health concerns sparked by the deaths of three South American “size zero” models and their influence on young girls.
Lara Stone, a size 8 Dutch model with a 34in bust, was cast last week by Prada, head of the label founded by her grandfather, to model a fine-knit but virtually see-through top to show off her breasts. “The casting was personal to her,” said the designer’s spokeswoman in Milan.
The performance by a bra-less Stone, 23, was in stark contrast to the far thinner and flatter-chested models who followed her.
Paula Reed, style director of Grazia magazine who also sat on an inquiry into models’ health for the British Fashion Council, was one of those present.
“It is good to see Prada using healthy-looking models,” said Reed. “Miuccia Prada is such an influential designer that others are bound to copy her. She is a mother too so this is an important message she is sending out to the fashion industry.”
Today, The Sunday Times Style magazine gives Keeley Hazell, whose gravity-defying 32E breasts have made her Britain’s leading glamour model, her first fashion shoot.
Hazell, 21, a size 8 from Lewisham, south London, said: “I love being able to tuck into pie and mash. I love food and couldn’t bear the thought of missing it just to promote a pair of Prada trousers.”
She added: “Guys always tell me they prefer a girl with curves because it’s more natural and womanly. Generally, most guys don’t like girls who look anorexic.
“We should start promoting women like Cindy Crawford again. She maintained a career at the top of modelling for a long time while still looking curvy.”
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I suppose only in the fashion world can anyone claim a girl whose measurements are 85-61-89 as "curvy". The definition of curvy seems to be "has large breasts". I await with bated breath the return of hips and thighs on the catwalk! Then again, perhaps not.
K Charalambous, London,
i agree everyone needs a model and idol they can relate to havin a size 0 role model is not healthy for young girls or women.
BRING ON THE CURVIER MODELS
curvier is sexy anyway
Emily, luton,
everyone needs to calm down about models being so skinny. WHO CARES? fashion has trends, the trend now is to use size zero models. maybe in a couple years they'll be using size four models, i don't know. but people really do need to stop complaining about models not being "realistic" sizes. since when is fashion a realistic representation of everyday society?
kel, madison,
Who ever wrote this article needs a dictionary...The title says to me that he, or she doesn't know what a mold is!
Marci , Prescott,
It's about time. Hope the rest follow! Courage and smarts!
cathy, las vegas, usa
Size 8 is still a model size, should be more size 10's and 12's
alice, london,
there was only one model on the catwalk who had breasts and that means prada is using curvy models now? If you look at the video you can see that the others still look like they haven't eaten for the last 20 years..
inga, stockholm,
These are curvy models? Surely you jest. I've seen more curves (and charm) on a toothbrush.
eugene, heidelberg, germany
Can we see more Keeley Hazells please thank you... gasp gasp pant pant eeeeeeooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww
Randy Andy, HongKong,
I dare fashion designers to sit in a public place and watch how their designs really look on real people in the real world.
Go anywhere where teenagers gather and take a look at "high fashion" on display!
E F, East Greenwich,
Sorry Elise, you confuse me. The size zero debate is not one-sided, it is absolutely ridiculous. How can anyone be a size zero? I shall quote from the Oxford dictionary Zero equals, "no quantity or number".
It is true that clothes do look more imporessive on slim people. However, the world is not full of slim people, it is full of people of all shapes and sizes. These multi-sized people are the ones who spend their hard-earned cash on the clothes that are being modelled. Let's stop making the clothes look impressive and start making clothes that help people to look impressive.
Marc , St. Barthelemy,
Just when I thought we'd got rid of this ridiculous, one-sided size zero debate!
Clothes look more impressive on the catwalk on tall, thin models. Not anorexic, not curvy. Just thin. And some women are naturally thin.
However, I strongly disagree with models being used who clearly have disorders.
Elise, London,
It was just a matter of time!
While some in the fashion industry were/are in denial about the link between eating disorders and the acceptance of unhealthy looking women used in the fashion industry, this is bound to knock some sense into some of them. Still, there will be those who just will not be swayed...Pride is a difficult thing to let go...<><
gwen, wilmington, nc