BLURRED LINES

Lately I’ve been realizing how blurred the lines have become in this industry. There are no more boundaries regarding personal privacy, like changing clothes without proper cover or showing your underwear. I guess the whole world is trending with sheer tops and beautiful bralettes right now. I know as a model I should probably not have a problem with all of this, and I don’t, I mean as models we are used to introduce the newest trends to the world. But I do believe there is a fine line between exposure and exploitation.

 

Photo by Matt Hind 2015

 

Ok so don’t get me wrong. I love fashion. I love how it evolves and develops. I find it crazy and amazing how a trend just begins like a field fire fueled by the wind. And even crazier how it all cycles back to previous fashion statements.

I watched a video the other day of a model, Cleo Abram, in New York talking about how blurry the lines are. (https://www.facebook.com/rackednational/videos/1918099814886868/ ) She starts by showing what a normal studio set looks like. The camera and lights have their place, there’s a styling area and there’s even a place for models and crew to sit and relax. But the one thing missing from that photo is a changing booth for the models. It made me think. As we get used to how things go in this industry, or the world, we slowly let our walls down. So more and more things that you would have never done before becomes quite normal to do now. It’s scary how easily something becomes a norm to us even if a couple of years or even months ago it was completely inappropriate.

I did a shoot about a week ago. When I got to base-camp everything was set up, tables for the make-up artist, food and snack tables, the styling team had their rails of clothing all packed out. But guess what… no changing space for the models. I laughed a little on the inside, how ironic. The Production manager mentioned to the style team if they have thought about a changing spot for the models and both of them just had a blank stare. It didn’t even cross their minds. I think models and their colleagues (crew and agents)  forget sometimes that models are still human. We have our rights to say ‘no’ or to be unhappy with something if it makes us feel uncomfortable. But it seems that it has come to a point, if you as a model don’t want to do something like get changed right next to the set, you are called a ‘diva’, and in actual reality you are just being human. Take the scenario from above or where the photographer comments on what a model looks like or where the style team or photographer just starts fiddling and touching the model without giving her a headsup, and place that in an office space. It won’t be very appropriate for your colleague to tell you there’s no time to go to the bathroom or just a private area to change, you have to do it in front of the whole office?

 

Photo by Nicole Boekhorst 2016

 

Because most models start at a very young age they are basically thrown for the wolves. They don’t have the emotional or mental maturity yet to stand up for themselves in an awkward situation. I remember, as a 16 year old, how I wanted to do everything right for the photographer. I didn’t realize that we are actually working on the same level. He/She’s not my boss, but my colleague. I’ve been in the modelling industry for about 9 years. I have seen and experienced crazy, uncomfortable and weird scenarios. The amount of times I have been asked to take off my top for ‘one shot’ is uncountable. I have felt the pressure from photographers and/or clients to do something I wouldn’t necessarily want to do. But unfortunately if you are stepping into this world, whether you are a photographer, stylist, make-up artist, actor, performer, whatever it is, this industry is wild and if you don’t learn to stand up for yourself and know your value and worth you will be taken advantage of.

 

Photo by Petra van Raaij 2009

 

On the brighter side… All of this ‘standing up for myself’, ‘saying no when I feel something isn’t to my standard’ and ‘knowing my worth’ has made me the person I am today. I am not afraid to say when I don’t agree or even give my opinion if I feel it’s appropriate. I have learned that as a model I am an individual, my own brand, and I need to set the terms for what I stand for and what I don’t.

I think all of us go through times in our lives where we experience pressure from the outside world. A pressure to mold us into something they want. But if one is truly going to be successful and happy, one needs to know when enough is enough, when you need to stretch your limits or when you can walk away from something knowing that whatever lies ahead is going to be way better than saying goodbye to this. So no matter how blurry the lines get, we can always re-draw those lines, make it clear for yourself and everyone else. Know your worth and don’t settle for anything less.

Photo for Jean Paul Norge (Clothing brand) 2017

 

Images : Matt Hind  –  http://www.matthind.com/

     Nicole te Boekhorst  –  http://dklv.nl/

  Petra van Raaij  –  http://www.petravanraaij.com/#/portfolio/photography/new

Jean Paul  –  https://www.jeanpaul.no/