Essay

To what extent is the Relationship between Food & Fashion a positive one?

The extent to which food and fashion has cohered in today’s world is undeniable. Fashion is food in many senses of the term; we even see some of our pop icons taking it quite literally. Icons such as Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj have been seen wearing food as fashion where as companies for example, Moschino (Telegraph, 2014) have designed whole ranges on brands like McDonalds and Budweiser. As highlighted, food has a very strong relationship with fashion and this essay will look to identify the different aspects of this relationship. It will look to discuss key themes and issues that have been brought about by the ever-changing relationship that is food and fashion.
One aspect of food and fashion that has previously been noted is the use of food as fashion. A survey conducted by the Mirror, 2014 revealed Lady Gaga’s meat dress from the 2010 Video Music Awards (VMAs) as the most controversial dress whilst Time Magazine, 2010 voted it the most outrageous fashion statement of 2010. This shows how much food has infiltrated the world of fashion however this is not to say it does not cause controversy. Many issues were aroused particularly by the meat dress worn at the 2010 VMAs were to do with animal rights and other ethical concepts. PETA or the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals slammed Gaga for taking fashion too far and said that it impeded on animal rights, stating that it was meat from a tortured animal and came from bloody violence and slaughter. This case study demonstrates only some of the arguments that have been brought about by fashion and food and although this is fashion as food not all are like this.
Perhaps the most debated on topic when talking about fashion and food is the notion of size zero models. Renowned author Jessica C Scott argues that “A fit, healthy body—that is the best fashion statement” in our contemporary world it is hard to deny that this statement is true. Size zero is far from ideal in regards to being healthy and “the fashion industry is not a pretty business” according to ex-Vogue editor Kirstie Clements (Guardian, 2013). We can take this as a valid and accurate opinion being that it comes from one of the most notorious fashion magazines in the world. The demands for skinny and petite models become so high that illness quickly became an issue. An ideal catwalk model is proposed to be approximately 42kg – this alone is a worrying statistic as it is well below recommended weight guidelines. Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia have been known to bring models even below the 42 kilogram which is of great cause of concern. There has been a correlation with time and weight also, after the 1960s models began to lose weight much more quickly (Fay, 1994). Obviously this didn’t stand well with much of the media and it developed much of the media frenzy we still see today as to why size zero is wrong. Those in the fashion industry responded by claiming that “the changes in body-shape have been emphasized by changes in pose and camera angle”.
Clements also went on to describe how staple foods were common. Diet coke and cigarettes became dietary replacements for other food groups and it wasn’t uncommon to see tell tail signs of anorexia. Health problems are only further implicated when models come begin dieting at a later age. The fashion industry as a whole has been known to fund surgery for many of its models in order to work on reducing for example the breast size of models and in other cases, taking or removing fat from various parts of the body. Poor health and diet combined with the addition of surgery presents problems in many forms. The models themselves lack energy and struggle to conduct the most basic of day to day tasks. Information from top agents provided Clements with a
true insight into the fashion industry. The agent spoke of having four girls all in hospitals that had resorted to eating tissues in order to survive. The fact that models are getting younger and younger is also a problem that needs to be highlighted. Being so thin at such a young age not only causes problems at the time but leads health problems in years to come. Body disfigurement and dysmorphia are specific types of problems that are common in models when they become older. Abnormal body parts and limbs in later life can severely impact on a person’s way of living.
Problems in later life are obviously issues that should be accounted for, however many issues are evident when the model is in their working career. In a Fashion Week hosted by Uruguay, 2006 model Luisel Ramos died of heart failure as a direct result of the anorexia disease. Weighing a small 44 kilograms she had not eaten for several days and for the three months prior lived only on a diet of lettuce and diet coke. This brought into light just how far the relationship between fashion and food had gone. Food or lack of became such a problem that illness lead to death creating the unhealthiest of relationships between the two concepts. The following year Ramos’ sister died of a heart attack which was allegedly related to malnutrition she too died of a heart attack. Such tragedy could not be ignored by those in the industry and yet again a media storm was unleashed. Precautions were made in order to combat illness and death in the industry with measures banning size zero models and minimum Body Mass Index ratings of 18 being put into play. This however not deter away from the fact that some models are still worrying small even in 2014.
Size zero models suffer regularly for their weight to remain so low and yet are constantly spotlighted by the media and are often portrayed as idealistic in terms of body shape. A big matter that has been aroused by this is the message it sends to people who are indulging in this media. Presenting the size zero body shape as ideal to the public has been reflected in how the public then see themselves. It would be misled to suggest that those following fashion trends are equally tempted by the food trends. Again we see how fashion and food are so intertwined. People are inclined to try and present themselves in a similar way to the models they see on the runways and catwalks which can cause a far more wide scale problem. This is not the healthy and fit image the media should be portraying, research shows how someone with a Body Mass Index of 21 is regarded as ideal and yet many people in the fashion industry promote models with a Body Mass Index of 14 and sometimes even lower. This should not be seen as unhealthy, this should be viewed as dangerous, a serious health risk. Therefore should it be promoted by the media? Many contemporizes smear this idea and dismiss it completely which as previously highlighted has encouraged the fashion industry to follow suit.
One thing however that the disgracing of those promoting size zero models did bring about was a gap in the market. The fashion industry began to look to branch out and it opened the door for plus sized models. Whereas in the past models who were plus sized were shamed and not shown, today we see and ever-growing number of them on our televisions, in our magazines and in the media limelight in general. They promote and stand for a far healthier body structure and campaign to ensure people that size zero is not the way to live. Plus size modelling perhaps implies that they model plus size clothing, this however is not the whole picture. Many of them model all manner of things, from watches to footwear which further encourages a healthier body.
In the industry, well known designers such as Jean-Paul Gaultier endorsed plus size models as early as 2006, a trend most continue to follow today. The runway eventually influenced the bigger
fashion magazines and many magazines such as Vogue and Elle had plus sized models featuring on their front covers. This has translated into companies who do not feature a plus size model in any of their works being uncommon and hard to come by. It is thought that most plus sized models featured in magazines in the United States are size 6-12 which doesn’t correspond with the average shopper size. Further disapproval has come from critics who, similarly identified that promotion of larger size models and unhealthy eating patterns is equally not ideal as the promotion of size zero models. Many of the designers themselves criticized the use of plus sized models saying their ranges were designed for the slimmer and more slender body type.
Has the relationship between fashion and food really changed though? It is undeniable that the use of different size models has been achieved but we still see both regularly. And criticism of both size zero and plus sized models is still evident. Perhaps a middle ground may be found in the future. Until this day, the relationship between fashion and food will continue to be dynamic and dietary fads will continue to do so also.
A dietary fad is something that helps people conform to fashion. Fads are a result of the fashion industry presenting people with ideas on how they can diet as well as different types of diet. These produce some dangerous diets that can be harmful to one’s health in general. An example of one of these fads that can be harmful to your health is the idea that eating cotton balls before a meal fills your stomach and makes you eat less. This can be very harmful to one’s digestive system and other replacements such as a large glass of water would work well and not be harmful to your health.
Diets and dietary fads produced by the fashion industry are perhaps more a way of money making schemes in some cases especially when they provide some sort of dietary supplement. Starting these crazes keeps people focused on food and moreover fashion.
What has been discussed in this essay revolves heavily around the negative impact that fashion has on food. Stating that fashion influences the way people eat and how they see themselves in an undesirable way however there is part of the fashion-food relationship that is positive and light hearted. Very recently, fashion giants Moschino did a show on something they called fast fashion. This had a strong fast food theme to it with many of the pieces on display resembling the fast food restaurant McDonalds. As well as this they also demonstrated pieces inspired by the alcoholic lager drink, Budweiser and other confectionary items like popcorn. This was a really light hearted approach to the quite often ridged world of fashion and showed that not all fashion has to be size zero models encouraging stick thin figures. On the surface this may have just been a stunt by Moschino by using unusual clothing to promote themselves. However it could possibly be viewed that the designers are mocking the rigidness of fashion and the foods that people in the fashion industry eat; it would not be out of the question. Moschino may have opened other designers up to the idea that confectionary based products are acceptable in the world of fashion if only very rarely, as their collection reflects.
This is not the only case of food inspiring fashion or in the case of this next example, fashion inspiring food. Fashion graduate Anna Marconi caught the world’s attention with her “Taste of the Runway” blog by not writing about fashion collections but rather cooking them (Dunn, 2014). She looks at her favorite collections from each season and identifies the textures and layers of the clothing etc. Marconi works out of a kitchen in Milan with a small staff cooking their favorite fashion
pieces using the same color schemes as the fashion pieces in her cooking. This is just another example of how the worlds of food and fashion can entwine.
This debate looked to identify whether the relationship between fashion and food is a positive one. The trouble with fashion is it is an ever-changing and dynamic concept that agrees with no norms only those of the time. For instance, the whole idea of having size zero models was acceptable for many years, as was having plus size models. Fashion conforms to what is normal and regular at the time and fashion is a time based thing. Trends come and go and so do fashions. Coco Chanel summarized this in her famous quote stating that “fashion fades, only style remains the same”. This makes assessing whether the relationship between food and fashion is a good one increasingly difficult. In many senses of the statement fashion and food need have to have a good relationship in order for fashion to survive and endure. As measures are taken to improve the health and wellbeing of models there should be a correlation with the public following suit and thus the relationship of food and fashion would equally improve. Perhaps to make the relationship more positive, companies all across the fashion industry should follow the route that meets a middle ground when it comes to food. Promoting new fashions whilst observing a healthy and nutritious diet is undoubtedly the best way to have a good and positive relationship.






Bibliography- Fay, M et al. (1994). Female Body-shape in Print Advertisements and the Increase in Anorexia Nervosa. European Journal of Marketing. 28 (12), p5-18.
Clements, K. (2013). Former Vogue Editor: The Truth About Size Zero. The Guardian Online. 5th July 2013. http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/jul/05/vogue-truth-size-zero-kirstie-clements
Craven, J. (2011). Who’s who? Coco Chanel. Vogue Online. 11th May 2011. http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/biographies/coco-chanel-biography
Dunn, L. (2014). Is this the World’s Most Fashionable Food? Grazia Daily. 24th February 2014. http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/food/cook-the-catwalk
Leitch, L. (2014). Moschino Autumn/Winter 2014 at Milan Fashion Week. Telegraph Online. 24th February 2014. http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/newsfeatures/TMG10653311/Moschino-autumnwinter-2014-at-Milan-Fashion-Week.html
Scott, J. (2011). The Other Side of Life (Book #1 / Cyberpunk Elven Trilogy). Edition. jessINK.
Adams, W. (2012). Lady Gaga’s Meat Dress. Time Magazine Online. 26th November 2012. http://style.time.com/2012/11/19/creative-couture-15-dresses-made-from-weird-materials/slide/lady-gagas-meat-dress/