First, Louis Vuitton sent curvaceous women down the runway during Paris Fashion Week. Now, it seems our friends across the pond are embracing curvier women in editorial as well.
Enter the April issue of French Elle. The entire book is dedicated to the full-figured fashionista. It will include spreads with voluptuous models and tips for curvy fashions from plus-size focused bloggers.
The cover features model Tara Lynn, who also appeared in V Magazine's Size Issue, in a gorgeous white curve-hugging jumpsuit. Inside, the site promises an editorial with Lynn in everything from sexy swimsuits to body-skimming dresses.
Though my gripe about the isolated, "special" plus-size issue still remains, I'm thrilled to see the French celebrating curves. Their culture is notorious for shunning voluptuous shapes. If they can embrace plus-size fashion, that means the industry is truly shifting. Now if only we can get regular, and not just special, coverage of full-figured fashion...
And a curvy figure isn't all that the French are embracing. French Marie Claire is championing natural beauty by ditching Photoshop for their April issue.
But don't get too excited! Though subtle flaws like an ill-fitting strapless dress on Cover girl, actress Louise Borgoin, are left untouched, old tricks like overexposure are still utilized to make the celebs/models seem unattainably perfect. Here's a quote from photographer Benjamin Kenare via Stylelite about the pre-Photoshop techniques used:
Turning the pages of the April issue of French Marie Claire I see that the photographers had to use the old technique’s [sic] before Photoshop existed…
Burning out the skin using overexposure, soft light, adding a half blue filter to whiten the skin, pulled back images, large smile’s for celebrities so their nasal labial folds are hidden, pulled back hair with hands stretching the skin and smoothing the wrinkles. Using grainy film and converting the images to black and white to neutralize the skin tones.
I'd still rather tricks like overexposure and soft light than a model photoshopped to look like a twelve year-old.
The fashion industry has had a notoriously rocky relationship with Photoshop. Most recently, Ralph Lauren had a public battle with model Fillipa Hamilton, who claimed she was airbrushed to look dangerously thin. And we all saw a mysteriously thinner and paler Kim Kardashian on the cover of Complex Magazine.
What do you think of French Elle and French Marie Claire embracing natural beauty and women of all sizes? Is the industry finally making real strides to celebrate everyday women?
Discuss.
Kisses,
Coutura