Taking a break from the runway, a flood of stars and icons in the fashion world took to the streets of Paris in an innovative parade on 15th September 2019. There were no size 0 models present, but instead, your more unusual models with a range of different body shapes and sizes. Thin, round, small or tall, every body type was represented at this event which took place close to the Pompidou centre in front of the Stravinsk fountain in the 4th arrondissement in the French capital.
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‘’We are all so unique!’: Skinny, round, tall or small, hundreds of models between the ages of 18 and 65 took part in a parade alongside models of the opposite sex in Paris to promote the #bodypositive movement #AFP.’
Diversity to combat body pressure
Both men and women between the ages of 18 to 65, measuring from 1.45 m tall to 1.85 m tall gathered together for the same purpose: to stand up to beauty standards and the pressure imposed by society for women to look a certain way. One after another, these people from different backgrounds and with different skin colours paraded around in black dresses as a way of symbolising the uniformity set out by the fashion industry. The models then, defying all expectations, took off their clothes and showed themselves off in their underwear in front of numerous intrigued tourists and passers-by who were watching the protest.
‘This was the third parade like this organised since 2018 to stand up to the pressure women feel to look a certain way which, according to the parade’s organiser Georgia Stein, causes a lot of pain for a huge number of women who don’t see themselves as ‘normal’.
‘Models of all shapes and sizes, from 1.45m tall to 1.85m tall, took part in the parade. The oldest was 65 years old. ‘We are all so unique’, declared the model.
Men in their underwear, standing up to all of society’s rules and norms, closed the parade #AFP’
A well-praised event
A wave of positive comments soon followed. All the spectators congratulated them on the initiative originally thought up by Georgia Stein, a model considered ‘plus-sise’ who has dedicated her life to fighting against body discrimination, a truly significant battle. For this Franco-German ambassador for the body positive movement, she believes it is time to put an end to ‘this pressure which causes a lot of pair for a huge number of women who don’t see themselves as ‘normal’, as was later reported by the media.
