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NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else

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lisas
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
Can we not get to the point where whether or not a woman is beautiful is IRRELEVANT? I don't want this stupid apology that this woman is calling for, that women of all shapes and sizes are beautiful. Who gives a shit what Ralph Lauren thinks?

Maybe instead NOW should tackle the cult of beauty as the be-all and end-all of what any of us women have to strive for. Maybe that would be worth doing. This? Is publicity. #ralphlauren
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LaComtesse
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
This issue is so beyond this issue. This just puts into sharp focus what is happening in this industry across the board, in perhaps a slightly less over-the-top way. And we can get all up in arms about this one incident or we as consumers, artists, and designers can realize this is ubiquitous and harmful and stop being shocked and start being proactive about making changes.

My (very anti-fashion) mother and I had a long discussion about my extremely ambivalent feelings on the industry that I have yet to reconcile. On one hand, you have designers like Alexander McQueen creating what I think is some of the world’s greatest contemporary art (in both his clothing designs and his runway shows), but on the other hand, his models are as skinny as anyone else’s. It’s easy to be dismissive of an individual designer if they’re outlandish and you don’t even love their designs anyway (ie: Christian Louboutin saying Barbie’s ankles are too fat), but when you have incredible designers who are tacitly (McQueen) or vocally (Lagerfeld) going on about women over 110 pounds being "fat" it’s difficult to decide what to do as a consumer/artist appreciating art.

This all reminds me of a sketch from "The State" wherein Ben Garant is a fashion designer who accuses a myriad of skinny models of being cows. Finally, Kerri Kenney brings him a "model" who is finally skinny enough: she’s invisible. Eventually, even she becomes too chunky for Garant’s liking. Fucking brilliant sketch. #ralphlauren
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BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
NOW says apologize.

I say BOYCOTT!

I don't need some flack at RL to disingenuously tell me I'm beautiful. I know I am. Photoshop that, bish. #ralphlauren
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ArtfulSlinger
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
Why do we need to hear from Ralph Lauren and his tired company how beautiful women are? If we are still waiting for the fashion industry to open their doors and hearts to women over size 4, then we will be waiting a long time. The way to hurt Ralph and his company is to avoid buying all of his clothing. And since he has at least three labels that are targeted to women over the age of 25 and bigger than a size 4, like Lauren, it should be easy to boycott him and not fund his atrocious attitude and photoshop disasters. But if NOW is busy bothering Ralph Lauren and David Letterman about apologies, they need better things to do on a daily basis. #ralphlauren
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ
10/16/09

@ArtfulSlinger: What I also love is NOW emphasizing, however tacitly, that women are supposed to be beautiful, and that again, again, still again, that's the most important thing about our gender on which all humans should focus.

Hello, NOW? How about requesting a declaration that if she hadn't been fired, she was smart enough to quit? #ralphlauren
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JessickerFletcher
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
Photoshopping aside, I still say that the most offensive thing in this photo is the outfit. #ralphlauren
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JessickerFletcher
10/16/09

@JessickerFletcher:

Hideous jeans with belt/tail hanging down: $120
Over-ruffled madras-plaid shirt: $80
Photoshopping beyond human recognition: $1000

Paying $1,200 to look cheap and like a pickup truck just ran over your legs: Priceless.

There are bodies things that diets can't fix. For everything else, there's Photoshop. #ralphlauren
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pesematology
10/16/09

@JessickerFletcher: I think "bodies things" is a good descriptor of what is in that picture. #ralphlauren
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JessickerFletcher
10/16/09

@pesematology: I meant to have a slash, but clearly this error fixed itself. #ralphlauren
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funnyface
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't just stop expecting fashion/the industry to change. Their system only makes money if they can make us buy things. The only way to make us want to buy things is to convince us we're not happy without whatever it is, or that we're not good enough without whatever it is. The way to do that is to make us feel bad about ourselves. Why would they change something when we keep spending money?? It's time to stop shopping, folks. #ralphlauren
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bluebears
10/16/09

@funnyface: yep. So long as what they're doing is moving product they wont change. why should they? They aren't guided by morals but by the bottom line. NOW should be urging a boycott. #ralphlauren
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JessickerFletcher
10/16/09

@funnyface: I like your point. I mean, in the end, they have to persuade us into buying new clothes by making our current clothes seem unsatisfactory. And if that means telling us that we're not good enough as is, I'm sure they're more than happy to. #ralphlauren
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Tchotchke
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
To be honest, I don't want to hear it. Ralph Lauren has been pretty blatant in their lack of contrition throughout this ordeal. My issue was not necessarily that I found the photo offensive (though I did), but rather, that their behavior after the fact was abhorrent. They fired a model because she was not thin enough by their standards, and pretty much had the attitude "Would you get over it already, women?" Any apology now would only seem disingenuous and forced. They can go fuck themselves and take their frumpy, wannabe-Great Gatsby-WASP attire with them. #ralphlauren
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keldo
10/16/09

@Tchotchke: *standing ovation* #ralphlauren
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Ipomoea
10/16/09

@Tchotchke: Exactly. RL has done everything but shout from the rooftops that they don't give a shit about peoples' concerns. Despite the fact that they want money from women up to size 22, they seem to prefer a, frankly, unrealistic caricature of "woman" to advertise their wares to all women.

If they don't think their clothes will look good on someone who looks like any of us, we don't need to spend money with them. #ralphlauren
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Tchotchke
10/16/09

@Ipomoea: The advertisement indicates that they don't care to design for human women, period. No flesh and blood woman looks like that photoshopped image and yet, when people point this out to them or get offended, RL essentially tells them to screw off. #ralphlauren
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Island of Misfit Toys
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
This reeks of a desperate public relations repair job...

Check back in 6 months and I bet toothpicked models will be on the RL adverts again. #ralphlauren
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DrunkasaurusRex
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else

did anyone else see this fuckery on dlisted? they should be ashamed of themselves. #ralphlauren
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Zombie Ms. Skittles
10/16/09

@DrunkasaurusRex: Okay, my rule in high school was "once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times and you're Satan."

That, however, ain't no coincidence. #ralphlauren
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linnyt is a walking cliché
10/16/09

@Zombie Ms. Skittles: there are probably more we didn't see. more drafts at least. and i bet at least three people OK'd these images. #ralphlauren
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DrunkasaurusRex
10/16/09

@linnyt is a walking cliché: sad- how could that many eyes look at this and think it was good to go? folks should be getting fired en masse over this.
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Zombie Ms. Skittles promoted this comment Edited by DrunkasaurusRex at 10/16/09 10:54 AM DrunkasaurusRex was starred DrunkasaurusRex was unstarred

Zombie Ms. Skittles
10/16/09

@DrunkasaurusRex: I could understand the logic if it were a more street clothes aesthetic. Someone like Betsy Johnson (who I don't think would do anything like this) could call it a design choice inspired by cartoons. But that's not Ralph Lauren's aesthetic AT ALL. They're Americana and preppy. It makes no sense coming from them. #ralphlauren
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DrunkasaurusRex
10/16/09

@Zombie Ms. Skittles: you're right. Lauren's whole look is aimed at classic- and this does look cartoonish. #ralphlauren
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pantsless economist...access RESTORED
10/16/09

In reply to NOW VP Wants Ralph Lauren To Apologize To Model, Everyone Else
In the words of my high school English teacher--Don't apologize. CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR. #ralphlauren
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bluebears
10/16/09

@pantsless economist...access RESTORED: exactly. just what we need, more insincere lip service. #ralphlauren
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Elaken
10/16/09

@pantsless economist...access RESTORED: My policy on apologies have always been that I only want to hear it if you are truly contrite and would do it differently if you could and you plan to try and not do it again in the future. Otherwise all the apology means is, I am sorry I have to deal with you being upset. #ralphlauren
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