Our society is moving at rapid paces, always on the move. Especially in the city, where people are always rushing to go places and always looking for “fast” for the convenience of time. Fast food, fast fashion. A relevant theme in this FIT Food and Fashion exhibit that highlights some of the social issues that we have.
From, McDonald’s to White Castle to cup ramen to Coca Cola, fast food has made its presence throughout the exhibit. But what caught my eye was the display Karl Lagerfeld’s diet book and his own personally designed limited edition Coca Cola bottle. As an iconic figure in the fashion industry, he has worked with Chanel, Fendi, Chloé, Balmain, and Patou. Yet, he was also famously known to have lost 80 pounds in 2001 when he was inspired by the slim menswear silhouette designed by Hedi Slimane of Dior Homme. With his dietitian, Dr. Jean-Claude Houdret, they worked together to develop a diet that consisted of “expensive protein packets and meager bits of food” along with ten Diet Cokes a day. This is a very unhealthy diet, but it reflects how the fashion industry’s thin ideal has shaped people to do insane things. In addition to that. Lagerfeld has also made many fatphobic comments in his life to the press. The display of his book and his Coca Cola bottle shows the extents that people were determined to fit in with the fashion trends of being skinny. It is also ironic how fast food is usually viewed as highly processed and high in calorie foods but is also used in a diet that promotes for the ideal of being thin. This made me think of how a lot of the Asian fashion industries are also promoting a thin ideal when they make their clothing sizes relatively smaller than it is made here in the US.
I definitely agree that body images are a major issue in society and has even been turned into a sort of trend. Sometimes overly curvaceous body types, like those of the Kardashians, go into style while other times extremely skinny and unhealthy body types are considered “in.” However, I think it’s good that more brands are starting to promote inclusivity for every body type.