Five minutes with Sarah Davies

Name: Sarah Davies
Age: 16
Hometown: Rockferry/ Wirral
Occupation: student

Tell us a bit about yourself: I am a 16 year old model who is 5 foot 3inches and find it very hard to get work in the fashion industry due to my height. I love modelling and really want to do it as a job. I also love fashion, meeting new people and animals.

What sparked your interest in modelling? I wanted to gain confidence and self esteem and I felt that modelling would help me in improving my confidence.

Can you please give an account of your experience in the fashion industry and as a petite model? I have been involved in various fashion shows, 12 photography jobs, editorial work and a television appearance.

Did you face any challenges or setbacks? And if so could you please state what they were? YES – I have been rejected by agencies such as boss and premier, due to not meeting their requirements, i.e. height.

How did you overcome these challenges/setbacks? My mum helped me through them. She would support me and convince me that there are more opportunities out there.

Can you please give your opinion on the strict requirements that are present throughout the fashion industry (for example, height, weight and body shape)? I think it is really unfair that the industry want models to be of a height and size that everyday women aren’t for example, size 0 and 5foot 8. I think they should give every shape and size a chance to show what they can do. It would be better if they had real women in the magazines to show young people that being a healthy size is the way forward.

Why do you feel that it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle? In order to stay healthy it is important to eat a healthy diet and exercise the right way ensuring that you don’t skip meals and definitely don’t crash diet or yoyo by doing so your body will be better off.

Is there anything else you would like to add? I have suffered anorexia for 4 years. I am in recovery and at a healthy weight. I am finding it hard but I get more work and compliments with me now being at a healthy weight.

Thank you Sarah.

Five minutes with Emily Jung

Name: Emily Jung

Age: 17

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Occupation: Student and Summer intern at Studio Bert Forma in NYC

Tell us a bit about yourself: Standing only at 5'2, I have already accomplished many of my goals as a petite model. I have walked runways, been on billboards, buses, trains and websites. However, I am just getting started and people are about to see more of me. I strive to be the best and most renown petite model and I won't stop until I achieve my goal.

What sparked your interest in modelling? My first spark in modeling was from watching America's Next Top Model. I loved getting my makeup done and being styled in cute clothes! I love being pampered! Also I've always been some sort of a camera whore. I love taking pictures of myself and being in front of the camera. If you see a picture being taken, I'll run to be part of the picture!

Can you please give an account of your experience in the fashion industry and as a petite model? I started out modeling with my favorite mall; Willow Grove Mall, through a volunteer program called; Style Squad. I began walking on runways and then worked as a promotional model for stores such as Bebe and White House Black Market at the Willow Grove Mall. I then was chosen to be a model for PREIT's Back to School Shoot and after that I joined Modelmayhem.com where I worked with many photographers to build my portfolio to what it is today. Sometimes when I'm modeling for Willow Grove Mall, a stylist or photographer will ask to be a model for them.

Did you face any challenges or setbacks? And if so could you please state what they were? My biggest challenge is getting an agency that won't tell me to pay money upfront or that tells me to go into acting. I'm not an actress, I can't act but these agencies try to convince me into acting. I'm the worst actress in this world. I stink at lying! Being in front of a photographer and videographer is totally different!

How did you overcome these challenges/setbacks? I don't sign with anyone who wants money upfront or tells me to go into acting. I avoid them. I run from them.

Can you please give your opinion on the strict requirements that are present throughout the fashion industry (for example, height, weight and body shape)?

It's ridiculous. If you can take great photos and you're only 5'2, then be it! There are so many models who are 5'8 who take crappy photos compared to models who are 5'3. I've seen photos in magazines and thought to myself "if that girl's legs were shorter that picture would have come out so much better!" or "That girl looks too lanky for that outfit I could never see myself wearing it!" Clothes need to be shown so girls can relate to the models. 80% of American women are under 5'6 and not many are a size 0. How can women relate to models and find outfits if we can't see ourselves wearing the clothes because we are too short or too fat?

Why do you feel that it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Eat healthy; lots of veggies, fruit, lean protein and whole wheat carbs. Also try to walk whenever you get the chance. It's the best source of exercise!

Is there anything else you would like to add? I come off very strong but it's because I believe that I am a great petite model. Have you seen my pictures? I can show emotion in every single shot. I wasn't taught, it's the way I best express what I am feeling.

Would like to say a big thank you to Emily for taking the time to do the interview.

What is a healthy body image?

Over the past few months I have been puzzling over the question, "What is a healthy body image?"

So in order for me to understand what a "healthy" body is I did some reading and found a lot of varying answers. This is what I expected to read. We all come in different shapes and sizes yet the vast majority of people tend to want to be tall and thin. Is this partly down to the "strict rules" that the fashion industry have set upon us? Is this the way in which society thinks? Have we become to caught up in what the media portray to be the "perfect" body? All of these questions and many more are what I would like to ask the public.

I have contacted some petite models and asked them to write down what a healthy body image is to them. And the answer's have been so interesting. I have included them below:

A healthy body image means to me not to skinny and not over weight everones bodys are diffrent. the one thing i like about myself is my flat stomach. i think promoting petite modeling is a good idea because its hard for smaller models to get work or do cat wal,k and i think women of all shapes and sizes should be aloud to do work that taller women are doing everyone has fasion in then just because your small doesnt mean you should be excluded from doing what you want to do and living you dream. (Penny Welsh,model)

Standing at a size 8-10, 5'9" you'd think I'd pretty much be sorted in the commercial/ fashion modeling world... but no... I'm not..

why?

Because I choose to modify my body - I have 12 piercings, and quite a few (large) tattoos.... and planning to get many more... To me they are part of me, they make me more complete with every thing committed to part of me, my life story is literally etched in my skin....

With reference to body image - My confidence in my own body image grows with every new modification I get, I feel closer to completion, it's hard to explain - but every step gets me further away from what I aim to do - model.

Now , those of you who know me know I live in the alternative modeling world... which I do fit into... and I am very successful and happy with it - but recently I got an email stating that I wasn't "alternative enough"... and it got me thinking... why the hell can't I go with my modifications to a casting for London Fashion Week any more? (I walked in 2006)...

I'm realising more and more that the never ending movement of discrimination in all of the modeling world, is infecting all the different genres... and there will be rejection at every turn... but it is important that you love what your body image is, as it is weather you have what you were born with or you've added some bits and pieces - you are who you are...

If you throw yourself in with your head and your heart, your body image will be secondary to your passion...

Look at Zombie Boy walking this year at LFW - tattooed head to toe...

Body image is something that should be personal to you and if you are happy then that's all that matters.

It doesn't matter if you are 5'0" or 6'5", a size 4 or a size 20.... tattooed head to toe or a blank canvas.... you are you! (Lisa Heidinger,model).

A healthy body image, is looking in the mirror and loving what you see. You've got to recognise that your body is your own, no matter what size, or shape or colour you are. You should be able to look at those around you, and not see sizes or feel jealousy, you should see beautiful people just like yourself.

By maintaining a healthy lifestyle will keep yourself feeling better and looking more confident. This portrays a healthy body image and is what I believe in.

The one thing I love about myself is my freckles and the fact the come out more when I've been out in the sun. I know that not everyone has them, and it makes myself somewhat more unique.(Morven Robb, model).

A health body image to me is someone who looks after themselves, is the body weight that is healthy for them, who eats enough but not too much and not too little, someone who's weight is just who they are and not from unhealthy diets. People often say they don't agree with size zero models being promoted and would like more over sized models who are clearly unhealthy themselves. Both underweight and overweight bodies can be unhealthy to the person, but someone who's a certain weight who eats right, enough, not too much and not too little, that to me is a healthy body image. Someone who may have curves but be a healthy weight for them, or someone who isn't as curvy but is a healthy body weight for themselves also. One thing I like about myself? The fact I am happy about my weight, I eat enough and I hope I'll never be dragged into feeling unhappy with my body, I always find it sad to see that. (Rebecca Boiston,model).

To me a healthy body image is about looking happy and healthy, no model should be limited to work because she's not super tall and size zero this is not a healthy look at all healthy models should be comfortable with how they look and shouldn't try and change just because there under 5foot 7 if someone has healthy skin etc shouldn't be turned down by an agency I'm only 5 foot 2 myself and I want to be successful so I'm not going to let my height obstruct my modelling career I'm going to dream big and achieve (: ! Sometimes I like the fact that I'm small and wanting to model, it makes me feel different.. And I like that. And I'm willing to give anyone the confidence boost they need if there cautious about there height ! Be true..Be you :) love rebecca x (Rebecca Wales,model).

As soon as I heard about petite modelling, I was extremely happy and excited: there's finally someone out there who is going to put short and curvy people like myself out there for the model industry to finally take notice of! The promotion of petite modelling is very significant not only to me, but also in todays society. There are far too many tall, skeleton-skin models on the front of my favourite magazines and when I look at pictures like this I feel sick and that it is totally unfair that agencies are requesting these types of girls and wont even glance at anyone under 5"8. I am half Asian and so, naturally I am really short: I come in at just over 5"4. I don't at all have problems with my height, in fact I think that everyone should love who they are, but it is so so annoying and difficult when model scouts and agencies wont even look at you if you're not tall enough. Not only is height an issue, but I am strongly against the advertising that skinny is the way to be - heck, it's not even skinny it's deathly looking. I do not believe that young girls should fall pray to horrible illnesses like anorexia and lets be honest - it's because of these models. Where else do you see it? What I love seeing in magazines are healthy looking girls who are happy with who they are. In saying "healthy" I meant that their faces don't look like life has been sucked out of them and their bodies don't have bones sticking out all over the place.....(also, has anybody noticed that most of these girls lack bums and boobs? Just saying.) Referring back to the point I made about feeling that everybody should love who they are, one thing that I love about myself are my legs because I especially hate skinny stick legs with no shape! Love who you are, stay healthy and don't be pressurised into nasty things like feeling you have to be skinny. This is the way to be a happy model and it will show in your work :) (Jessica Poxon,model)

I will be adding to this as soon as more people come forward to be a part of this project. If you would like to get involved please do so. I am looking for anyone who has a view on this.