Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week launches in Sydney on Sunday; a celebration of fashion in Australia. But for many models the chance to strut their stuff down the runway comes at a cost.
In our latest episode of Let’s Talk, hosted by The Weekly’s Editor-in-Chief, Helen McCabe plus sized model Laura Wells reveals some models are told to survive on just crackers and water in the lead up to fashion week.
“It goes to the extremes,” says Laura. “There’s no food being eaten, prescription dietary pills, agents telling girls that they are only allowed to have one cracker and a couple of glasses of water in the lead up to fashion week per day.”
Laura’s recent inclusion in a campaign for mainstream brand The Upside and her many editorial modelling credits would suggest that the fashion industry is ready to celebrate different sizes but the model says her time at the top has taught her there is still a long way to go.
“It’s completely unhealthy, and not only for their bodies but mentally as well because these girls are going to the extremes… then not being booked on any jobs.”
Her comments come as Australian actor Rachel Taylor tells The Herald Sun she has tried the Hollywood diet – salad and fresh air.
“I dabbled in the LA salad craze and I looked dreadful. It just wasn’t for me,” she told the newspaper.
“I ate mostly salad and fresh air.”
Unlike France Australia hasn’t so far made any grand gestures to ban underweight models from appearing on the runway.
Laura Wells and Sarah Wilson
The Weekly also spoke to I Quit Sugarauthor Sarah Wilson who says her brief dalliance with modelling sparked what she describes as a “hyper awareness” about the way she looked.
“It had for me a lot to do with my anxiety and my sense of control.”
Sarah goes on to discuss how her battle with anxiety, stress and her auto-immune disease caused her to go to some really dark places in her mind.
“I was essentially very alone,” she says. “People get on with their lives, you know? I didn’t have family nearby, I didn’t have husband, children… I couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.”
However, speaking now, she says she isn’t so affected by it.
“It’s really only been in the last couple of years, I’ve found some peace with it.”
Let’s Talk is a Women’s Weekly original series that is released once a week. The Weekly prides itself on being current, and discussing matters that matter to women, now. If you have a story about an issue you think affects women, send us an email on [email protected].
