The fickle world of fashion

The world of fashion is a very fickle one indeed. But we already knew that. Members of its elite however, have the ability to consistently astonish with their amazingly senseless comments at a time when rates of both teenage and adult anorexia are soaring.
Karl Lagerfeld is a man respected by many and disliked by roughly the same number of people. He successfully managed to re-spark the size zero debate with his recent announcement that people prefer to see skinny models on the catwalks. According to Mr. L, the only people who object to these walking skeletons are the ‘fat mummies’ who sit in front of the TV eating crisps (enemy count: +50 000). Now he may well have a point that these ‘fat mummies’ currently watching the X Factor in their jogging bottoms do probably feel a little undermined, even a little bitter, at the sight of such 6ft tall, 24-inch waist creatures gracing the catwalks in dresses that cost more than your average house. But they’re only normal.
Normality, clearly, is not what the world of fashion is about. We all know that, as head designer of the French label Chanel, Lagerfeld has a huge influence on international trends, but also on attitudes. The 71 year old ex-fatty has well-publicised the fact that he managed to lose 42kg after following a draconian diet. So, his female following all wonder in amazement, how on earth does he maintain his slim form at such an age? His response: "I eat next to nothing.”
Encouraging.
But he doesn’t stop there. Oh no. His book offers more useful tips on how to lose weight; in fact the blurb superficially states that, "if you attach no importance to weight problems, if not being able to wear new, trendy small-sized clothes does not cause you any regret, this book is not for you." It’s no surprise then, that his book has not yet gone platinum.
Kate Moss is another downright numpty who recently decided to announce to the population of 16 year olds who hang on every word she says that her motto in life has always been that ‘nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’. That was a smart move now, wasn’t it Kate? While she has made her fortune from eating very little, for the majority of us, eating virtually nothing isn’t actually an option.
Whether or not the issue is obesity or anorexia, life is about balance. As much as I love to look at the exceptionally cut, hand-stitched garments hanging off the bony limbs of the girls staring up at me hungrily from the glossy page on which they are flattened, I can smile back knowing that at least I can enjoy a meat-feast pizza whilst drinking a can of sugary coke, even if those jeans I bought in the summer don’t quite do up… There’s always the New Year.
For the likes of Karl and Kate however, Christmas must be a desperately miserable occasion.