When The Perfect Female Model..Is A Male!

Andrej Peijic, if you’ve not heard the name already or seen this high cheek-boned, blonde-tressed, colt-limbed model strut the catwalks showing the most lusted after designer fashion for women, then you will. This Australian model is being hailed as the hottest thing in fashion right now, even scoring the grand finale spot at John Galliano’s show in a bridal gown. Only thing is…that this model parading female fashion is a man!

From the industry that bought us heroin chic and the size 0 culture, comes the latest in fashion world lunacy. A 19-year-old male model who is the talk and flavour of fashion as the poster-boy for designers like Galliano and Gaultier…or should that be poster girl? I am utterly confused because this strikingly beautiful young man is being used to model women’s clothes?

Andrej is undoubtedly a beautiful MAN. So, why oh why is he the next big thing on the catwalk, in WOMEN’s fashion shows, WOMEN’S fashion campaigns and WOMEN’s feature spreads in magazines???

As if it wasn’t bad enough that the fash pack has for years thrust in our faces impossibly thin, androgynous-looking women as the ideal to showcase designer fashions, now they’re bypassing the girls and going straight to the boys! Afterall, a beautiful boy is likely to much better show off women’s clothing than…a woman?

Critics have warned that this new fashion phenomenon sets a new benchmark for impossible standards. If the body standard for women is a young man…what on earth are we meant to take from that?

The fashion industry, in embracing a young man as the face and body of female fashion, is promoting the ideal of a body shape that is, quite simply, not natural for a woman.

It is sad. Because, by the very nature of their influence over fashion and culture, the designers and the media that splash their campaigns across their pages, do have a direct influence on women’s self worth.

The evidence of this: the number of models with serious eating disorders, young models dying as a result of said eating disorders; girls as young as 7 presenting with eating disorders; low self esteem being the major issue affecting both young girls and women…the list goes on!

How on earth do we embrace our natural feminine form when the message is that beautiful clothing is shown better on a beautiful boy?

This messaging is confusing to me….as a grown woman. I hate to think what a young girl thinks when she sees those in the “know” in the fashion world holding up this young man as the example of how to look.

And, how are we supposed to imagine this clothing on us…women and girls of diversity in shape and size? Does this really make girls want to buy clothes showcased on a boy? Or, is it simply a case of headline grabbing? Using this young man to grab media attention?

Do you think it’s cool or weird to have a male model show off female clothing? Do you think that using a male model to sell female fashion sends a message to you that his straight up and down physique is something you would love to have? Love to hear what you think!