A model is an idealized version of how someone or something should look or act, and to achieve this “look,” it has been suggested over time that people must change who they are to become that person or thing they are not. The word ‘model,’ in and of itself, is flawed at its very definition.
Each model on the runway used to be a carbon copy of the last. Every fashion week seemed to feature all the same faces, all the same bodies and all the same definitions of beauty. In recent years, however, these standards have been challenged.
Bill Wackermann, the CEO of Wilhelmina Models, says, “Modeling is the creation of fantasy. If you can capture a moment, create inspiration or desire through an image or person, [then] you are a model.”
Aerie has created a new meaning of what a model looks like through their campaign, #AerieREAL. By showcasing women of different sizes, colors and abilities, the brand is able to promote body positivity and display relatable models.
Nicole Dylinski, a junior marketing major and Aerie employee, says, “Aerie has created a work environment where I feel I can be myself and feel empowered by the women I work with.”
Dylinski has met and spoken with the face of the brand, Iskra Lawrence, who embodies the brand’s image and message.
“I think people really appreciate that they can see themselves in the models Aerie chooses,” Dylinski says. “As a marketing major, I understand the need for a brand to connect with their customers and that’s what Aerie does.”
The fashion industry has recently taken strides toward bringing in a more representative sample of the population on the runway. Diversity and inclusion are on the rise, with Marco Marco using transgender models, Fenty showcasing a range of skin colors and body types, and Claudia Li celebrating Asian cultures by sending only Asian models down the runway. Spring/Summer 2019 New York Fashion Week saw the highest rate of diversity on record with nearly 45 percent of the models being of color, according to The Fashion Spot, an online publication that reports diversity in the fashion industry.
Wilhelmina Models is a leader of diversity in the modeling industry and is at the forefront of this movement toward inclusivity.
“Wilhelmina Cooper, our founder, believed strongly in ‘flawed beauty,’ and that came in all shapes, sizes and colors,” Wackermann says. “That’s why we were the first agency to put an African American model on the cover of Vogue and develop a curve division for girls sized bigger than a 0 or 2.”
The world is beginning to realize that beauty comes in many different shades and many different forms. Wackermann has his eyes set on the future, saying, “It’s about time the industry is embracing how the world really is. I’m excited for a world that celebrates all types of beauty.”