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male bodies: Hero to zero
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| Published March 29, 2008 |
Instead
of rippling biceps and six-pack stomachs, some designers opted for
pale, young and slender models to wear their increasingly
body-conscious clothes. But as the size zero debate rages in the female
fashion world, will this new trend have an effect on the man
on the street?
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You're looking at Mr World 2003, but this body beautiful could be a thing
of the past.
Male bodies seem to be shrinking.
Matthew Campling is a psychotherapist specialising in body image.
Psychotherapist and Author of Eating Disorders: The Self Cure -
The Matthew Campling Method, Matthew Campling saying "It
does reflect overall the statistics that show over the last 20-25 years
the trend has been to have slimmer bodies and to have more straightup
and down silhouettes and in fact nowadays to be over-muscled seems
narcissistic and unnatural."
During fashion weeks in London, Milan and Paris the chiselled jaws were
replaced by hollow cheeks and the muscles - well, what muscles?
Christopher Sanchez-Vahle is director of the men's division at Premier
Models in London. Director of the men's division at Premier Models London,
Christopher Sanchez-Vahle, Saying "I
think that before it seemed like the male model was more of an
accessory to the women and it was more about just having the typical
Michelangelo body, the ripped and classically chiselled look. Whereas
now
there is a shift where designers are aiming at men who really like tailored
clothes and it's easier to drape clothes and have a nice fitting suit on
someone slim rather than someone who is big and muscly and bulky. The clothes
just don't look the same."
The size zero debate is still raging in the women's fashion world, so are
women the reason men are turning from hero to zero?
Psychotherapist and Author of Eating Disorders: The Self Cure -
The Matthew Campling Method, Matthew Campling saying "Although you've got certain models who appear on the cover of
men's health, men's fitness who have to look good, the more couture models are
trying to get that flat look which is also fashionable with the women. So I
think if there are women standing around smoking cigarettes and drinking
water, you're not going to be tucking into a proper lunch."
10-20 percent of people with eating disorders are men, but how far are men
influenced by fashions.
Psychotherapist and Author of Eating Disorders: The Self Cure -
The Matthew Campling Method, Matthew Campling saying "
I think there is a reflection. What starts off at the catwalk does
trickle down to the catwalk and one can get those skinny jeans in all
the ittle shops now. Which means people come along to them, men will
come along to them, see what's there, what's fashionable, what their
friends are wearing an then yes, they may start - not consciously
dieting - just not eating. A lot of men, especially young men, don't
need a lot of encouragement not to eat properly."
Director of the men's division at Premier Models London,
Christopher Sanchez-Vahle, Saying "I
don't know. I think fashion is an easy target. I don't think that the
average male aspires to a certain body shape. They do look after
themselves much more but I don't know that they would actually try to alter
their body shape."
So even if skinny is here to stay, the overriding message is be
healthy.
Stefanie McIntyre, Reuters
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