Today I saw a shocking newsflash (in French) which brings the sadness and desperation of anorexia to the frontline.
A controversial ad compaign was launched during the Milan Fashion Week. The ads are aimed at raising awareness about eating disorders and show Isabelle Caro a 27 year old woman weighing only 31 kilos.
The ads were shot for clothing breand NO.l.ita by photographer Oliviero Toscani (known for his controversial photos taken for Benetton) who wanted “to use that naked body to show everyone the reality of this illness, caused in most cases by the stereotypes imposed by the world of fashion.”
I think this campaign is very brave and find it difficult to look at. The woman reminds me of pictures of starving kids in Africa. If it can raise awareness about the seriousness of this illness, fine. Will it cure it? I doubt it. I do believe though that today’s fashion, media and showbusiness have all contributed to the fact that today’s girls want to be skinny. Although it is true that even people who take no notice of fashion get anorexia, it is the overall image of what a woman should look like that is given to young girls that is the cause here.
What do you think? Would such a campaign be allowed in the USA?
I much prefer campaigns that are less shocking but still very much to the point such as the Dove Evolution film. I admit that this is (also) a smart and sneaky way to do marketing, but at least it’s telling the truth as it is and showing us real women.
Interesting read on the subject:
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
TOP PORTUGUESE UNIVERSAL WRITER: CRISTOVAO DE AGUIAR.
He has, also, translated into Portuguese the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.
He has been awarded several prizes.
Don’t forget the name of this great author, you’ll be hearing of him soon.
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I watched the video and it is really shocking…unfortunately we deal with images like these everyday. Until some months ago I thought those images are only seen on TV, but then I saw a girl walking on the street: she looks so extremely thin you could see her spine, just like in the video.
I believe being healthy equals beautiful.
along with self-mutilation, unsafe sex, suicide and drug addiction, anorexia is another recent output of modern culture demonstrating how badly wrong we’ve got it. our children are like the canaries in the coalmines. They are telling us this world we have made is toxic. And they are right.
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