A Dream We Can Believe In

The last day of 2009 is filled with hope for change in our visual culture. Today, V Magazine released its second editorial entitled “Curves Ahead” for its upcoming spring 2010 Size Issue on models.com. These images (see all of them on models.com as bloggers were asked to only post two pictures) do anything but cut the models down to size, as was done in the first editorial; they proudly celebrate the fashion of curves. What is more, the images keep with a high fashion aesthetic and aspiration that has, until now, exclusively been reserved for thin models – further demolishing the myth that models need to be a particular size to be featured in high fashion.

My hope is that these images will not only rock our foundation by challenging who we consider beautiful, but it will shift the culture of the industry decisions makers when developing editorials, creating campaigns, and casting models. Living in a culture where we are bombarded by cookie-cutter fashion images, it is difficult for some to imagine what they would look like with different sized (and aged, ability, and background) models. We have not had the opportunity to see these representations in our popular culture. But just as Dove showed us how beautiful diversity could look in personal care advertising, V Magazine is showing us how beautiful diversity can look in fashion editorial. Both are offering us a new way to see. In 2010, let’s use this lens to celebrate diversity and, most importantly, make it an every issue occurrence.