The people behind the upcoming body image doc “Straight/Curve” put together an exhibit and it is so inspiring
It’s always refreshing to hear about creative projects that highlight positive and realistic body image, while still celebrating the fun side of the beauty and fashion industry. Fully experienced in critiquing the toxic parts of the fashion industry while lifting women up, the makers of the Straight/Curve documentary have already stamped their name on another body-posi project, this time putting together a full-fledged diversity exhibit in NYC.
It makes a wonderful amount of sense that the women dedicated to promoting diversity and body-positivity in fashion through the Straight/Curve documentary (which is slated for release in spring 2017) would bring their vision a physical gallery space to share the vision.
The one-day exhibit — Straight/Curve:Fashion Reimagined by Anastasia Garcia — took place on October 26th at the Refinery29 Every Body Beautiful Event, and featured a gorgeous spread of photos from the photographer Garcia and stylist Jenessee Utley.
Garcia shared in an email to HelloGiggles her intentions behind the series, perhaps most notably how she thinks diversity in the fashion industry should be a given:
"Now more then ever women and girls are inundated with confusing messages from the media. We are inundated with visuals of how beautiful women should look. Often only providing us with a single desirable body type. This type of exclusive imagery can have a damaging impact on young girls who are looking to media to understand their own bodies, and their place as women in our culture. Media does not deliver messages that inspire respect, and reverence for the female form (and its ability to sustain life). Instead media communicates messages that leave girls (and women) feeling confused and shameful about their bodies, and the way they look."
The director for the Straight/Curve documentary Jenny McQuaile also shared her thoughts with HelloGiggles, particularly calling out the ways in which a primarily-white thin obsessed fashion world doesn’t accurately reflect the real-life loveliness of many women:
"Women over a size 4, older women and oftentimes black or Latina women are not shot with a high end aesthetic in high fashion clothes, amazing lighting or through the same lens we are so accustomed to seeing straight size models."
Continuing her stream of thought, McQuaile brought up the point that body-positive movement and inclusiveness moves far beyond the fashion-world itself, and overlaps into the freedom and options to wear certain clothing:
"We live in a melting pot society and most people are simply not being represented. Perhaps some men and women don't care about fashion, but everybody has to wear clothes. And everybody has the right to feel good and comfortable in their own body."
We were also lucky enough to peek the latest teaser for the upcoming Straight/Curve documentary!
Straight/Curve Trailer from Jenny McQuaile on Vimeo.
