Models, TV, and the Ugly Truth

I don’t usually review TV, but I have something to say. (Hey, I’m only human, I succumb to guilty pleasure television ie. Gossip Girl and the Hills.)

Last night’s CNTM reminded me of high school girlfights – I guess they are only 18/19. So whatever. Looking at these 4 pictures right now and asking myself if I would buy the product that these girls are advertising, I would not give Nikita a second look (she just looks like any girl picked off the street there – pretty, but nothing special), Meaghen’s I would do a double-take simply because it looks amateur for Covergirl. And Linsay’s picture is beautiful, but it would not sell the product to me because somehow she isn’t emanating a Covergirl-esque energy. Maryam, on the other hand, looks beautiful and happy. Isn’t that what they are looking for? Putting all four photos together and my eye jumps right to Maryam.

I’m glad that she’s going back to school. Frankly, I don’t care if she’s the best model in the world. As a model, you have to shape yourself to other people’s demands – you are not ever really free to be yourself, unless that self is lucrative, and then it will only be lucrative for a short while. And then what? You see the ugly side already on television when their job is to make more girls want to apply for the next round so that they get another round of advertisers so they can make money. What is the ugly side? The self-deprecation, the insecurities, the empty determination to be something. I’m sure there’s a lot more about the industry they can’t show to the millions of teenage girls who watch. And the judges seem to point a bad finger at those who don’t seem to “want it” like they should want the holy grail. The glamour of the industry is a lure. I hope these girls see modelling as either a platform to do something else for the world or simply a fun way to make money, not their life-long dream. Because really, at 18/19, do they really know what they stand for? Props to them if they do, but I’m 21 and I am only starting to understand what I stand for.

So in conclusion: CNTM, I am disappointed. I know your job is to make money. I think Maryam’s picture would make more money if that’s the bottom line. But what-evs, I know it’s just TV. That is why I wrote this post, to demonstrate that TV is mostly just entertainment made to make money. If they wanted a true top model, they already have model scouts scanning the globe for tall, beautiful girls with the “it” factor.

Anyway, I decided I’m gonna stop watching TV. Since I’ll be moving out next week, I won’t have a TV anyway. Looking forward to that.

Revisits, Retakes, and Reintrepretations Galore

I am always fascinated by spins, reinterpretations and juxtapositions. Although I think there is the idea out there that remakes and retakes are less creative because they are using old material and simply giving it a new spin, I believe that taking stories and concepts that are so ingrained in society’s consciousness and refreshing them is simply another facet of creativity, one that already has a built-in audience and has the ability to reach and affect more people (and also generate more money). Plus, isn’t this what we are doing with our clothes?

This novel seems interesting to say the least. It could conjure up nightmarish fashion images (long white nightgown stained with blood) but I have to give props to whoever came up the idea.

Who’s this? Why, it’s Robert Downey Jr. as none other than detective Sherlock Holmes, also starring Jude Law and Rachel McAdams. Coming Christmas 2009. Can you already start to see the influence this movie will have on fashion trends?

Tim Burton’s films are always a treat. Up next he’s revisiting Alice in Wonderland, a classic children’s story, and giving it his trademark. I could say so much about this story, but I’ll leave that for another post. I can’t wait to see the costumes in this film.

Project Runway Canada 2.0 Premiere

Just finished watching the first episode, and it was full of juicy television goodness. We have 3 designers from Vancouver representing, and I have to say, going on TV is a good way to lose credibility and gain exposure. I won’t give anything away of course, but I definitely have my picks.

To me, this is mainly entertainment with a dash of design thrown into it. There are good designers on the show, and valuable feedback, but still entertainment. But isn’t fashion all about entertainment?

Haha. Frankly, no. (At least, I don’t think.)

Inter…course

This guy made a robot girlfriend. I shudder at the thought that one day, this will become the norm and there will be such a thing as robot prejudice. But then again, people 1000 years ago probably would’ve shuddered at the thought of face transplants and creating artificial body parts. Or maybe not. Time seems to make anything the norm. That makes me shudder.

This reminds me of the Japanese movie, Cyborg Girl. That guy probably watched this movie.

Actually this reminds me of a lot of movies.

This is where it gets hard to draw the line between ethics and perceived ethics. It really makes my head hurt just trying to think about it. Is there even a truth out there? (Mulder, help me out.) Tuesdays with Morrie claims that love always wins. I believe that because love has always existed (I think), but is it the only concrete truth in this world?

I’m not a philosopher, just a simple fashion student. I’m going to stop thinking about this now, and go on drawing pretty pictures.