gilles-marie zimmermann
What with the shocking news of Alexander McQueen's suicide falling on the first day of the Fall/Winter 2010/2011 show season in New York, it's a little hard to navigate around fashion news at the moment. Easy to miss in the deluge: A Supermodel Betrayed, a massive feature on Gemma Ward that has just gone up on The New York Post. Two of my earlier stories (at The Sydney Morning Herald and news.com.au) are referenced in it. It contains quite a few revelations, most of them from anonymous sources, which is pretty typical of the fashion business. I mean, let's not let the truth get in the way of commercial interests. Of particular note:
An IMG insider:
"Her moment's over. She's not coming back."
The reaction of one fashion editor after spotting Ward in Chanel's Spring/Summer 2008 show, in the bikini:
"I saw her on the [Chanel] runway… I almost didn't recognize her... [she looked] big, almost bloated."
Olga Liriano, a New York City casting director and model booker, who does go on the record:
"We have a collective body dysmorphia, where we don't even know what normal is anymore, where a size 6 or 8 is overweight for a model.....there was no compassion [for Ward]".
In November 2009 IMG reportedly turned down a photo-shoot offer for Ward from Harper's Bazaar US:
"stipulating that if she were to return to its pages, it would be on the condition that she be back in modeling shape".
According to one highranking fashion mag source:
"Once these pictures are out of her being big, her brand is diminished, at least as far as her agency and the mainstream fashion world goes. Gemma's torn. In the last few years [her weight gain] was very much her f--k you to the industry. She's rebelling by putting on 30 or 40 pounds, so now going back isn't a straightforward option."
Fascinating. We have yet to check this with Harpers Bazaar - who probably also won't talk due to commercial interests - but if correct, it means that a major magazine wanted to book Ward but IMG refused unless she lost weight. Because she suddenly represents an embarrassing plus size model?
If clients are trying to book Ward, how does that equate to her moment being "over"? And if there is no interest in her, why has a mass market newspaper just published a major story on her?
Sources tell this blog that elsewhere in IMG, other parties have talked of Ward definitely making a comeback.
Frockwriter's take on this is that the industry should be extremely nervous.
Ward is sitting on a goldmine of information about the machinations at its top levels.
She's also a Scorpio. And they're known for the stings in their tails.
11 comments:
Fantastic Patty, you've done it again!
I spoke to Gemma Ward, apparently she's fine with this.
I don't think I could take harsh comments like that, she didn't seem to care at all.
I say good on her!
http://ohjamiee.blogspot.com
I still believe she is one of the top models, she is always on the front page of the fashion spot forum, despite having not worked in years and if you read the posts, people still want to see her face, heavier or not.
I think she looks beautiful the way she is now, more like a normal sized human with a beautiful face, I wish the industry would realise she can do well in modeling as she is now
Great piece!
Agree with what everyone has said.. if she is still making this kind of a stir then why couldn't she go back to where she was? Her looks certainly haven't faded and I still think she has a fresh face!
I hope to see her out there again.
"I still believe she is one of the top models, she is always on the front page of the fashion spot forum"
haha.. so is Shanina Shaik!...
Every time I read crap like this - not referring to your writing, Patty - it just makes me want to have even less to do with the industry than I already do.
I'm now very glad I decided to branch out into general life, style and entertainment stuff on my own blog when I did, because these peripheral fashion a**holes are not the kind of people I want to be around at all.
No wonder the Best Stars are leavng the Fashion Business, it doesnt help with a Fickle Media that is like a Seven Headed Hydra ready to inflict pain & damage at a moments notice. Gemma Ward would be more than entitled to get Compenstaion for Defamation & Slurring her Good Name. What a Ridiculous Industry. Is it Run by the Toddler Group? Honestly stop Exploiting & Bullying Others, certainly shows what a Bunch of Small Minded People You All Are.
So her moment is over (helped along by the mercenary, vile fashion lot who are so unforgiving because they're so unforgiving on themselves inevitably). She had a good run, and got out alive. I mean, what do they want, another Gia? I am sure that would make them a lot happier, because then instead of accepting some responsibility for their part in it, they could blame her for her downfall instead. I guess she's trumped them by getting out first, showing just how smart she really is, and that will only make them more livid.
She was ridiculously skinny to be a "supermodel" when she first started out. It's a shame that she's now considered too fat.
"Always on the front page of the fashion spot forum". I think you give that childish forum too much credit.
is she really over? i read another article saying she's coming back this year..
what a shame if they aren't giving her a 2nd chance. she's a great model!
http://style--cat.blogspot.com
oh please, there are billions of skinny girls if that's all people want. But very few have a face like Gemma's. THAT'S why people want her no matter what.
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