Australian Meaghan Kausman is the latest model to lash out against the Photoshop-crazed fashion industry after an image of her in a bikini was altered against her wishes.
Kausman posted the original photo on Instagram, expressing her outrage over Fella Swim's decision to shave several sizes off of her healthy 8 without her knowledge.
“I saw that they had practically cut me in half. So it was pretty mind-blowing,” said Kausman. “I think my jaw dropped for about 5 minutes. I was really, really taken aback that they felt the need to do that and that they could take the creative licence to alter it because of what they thought would fit into their cultural ideal of what beautiful was.”
Kausman is one in a growing line of personalities putting pressure on a warped industry to change its ways and promote a realistic body image. Swimsuits, especially, are a sore point for many women who feel so hideously self-conscious they don't even dare to bare on the beach. Women are finally sending the message to retailers that they want to feel good in their skin. But fashion retailers and mags are slow on the uptake.
Following a much-publicized petition, Seventeen committed to depicting more so-called “real girls” in its pages. For its part, Fella issued a shamed-faced apology to Kausman, and removed her image from its site.
It seems to me (caveat: as someone with no modelling experience whatsoever) that such drastic Photoshopping of a model's likeness—without her express prior consent—should be in direct violation of her contract. That may be one way to hold these companies accountable for their damaging handiwork.
And, hopefully, shoppers will put paid to businesses that continue to perpetuate and manipulate unhealthy ideals.
You tell me: are fashion photographers taking their "creative licence" too far? Should models be able to vet images of themselves?
Lorde won us over with this tweet.
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