{"id":14895,"date":"2013-04-03T07:57:40","date_gmt":"2013-04-03T07:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.talentmanagement.com\/blog\/?p=14895"},"modified":"2013-04-03T09:31:39","modified_gmt":"2013-04-03T09:31:39","slug":"models-direct-reviews-sacked-vogue-editors-revelations-about-skinny-models","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.talentmanagement.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/models-direct-reviews-sacked-vogue-editors-revelations-about-skinny-models\/","title":{"rendered":"Models Direct Reviews Sacked Vogue Editor’s Revelations About Skinny Models"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Kirstie<\/a>
Kirstie Clements reveals the scary truth behind size zero at Vogue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Models Direct reviews<\/a> sacked Vogue editor Kirstie Clements’ new book ‘The Vogue Factor’…<\/p>\n

Models Direct were shocked when Kirstie Clements was sacked from her 13 year role as editor of Australian Vogue last year, but apparently not as shocked as she was. She says she had no idea that she would be out of a job in minutes when she walked into a meeting with bosses at the fashion giant one morning last May. But she held her head up and maintained her dignity.<\/p>\n

After a total of 27 years in the industry Clements may be best remembered for banning the use of under-age models and speaking out about the issue of body image in relation to \u201cthe messages [Vogue] are sending\u201d. Now she is the author of a book that is bound to ruffle a few feathers at one of the fashion industry\u2019s most famous and successful publishing brands.<\/p>\n

Graeme Lewsey from the Fashion Journal<\/a> recently spoke to Clements on her move from Vogue Editor to expos\u00e9 writer.<\/p>\n

Graeme Lewsey (GL):<\/strong> \u201cWhat was the process of putting the book together? What did you do? Did it come naturally?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2028Kirstie Clements (KC):<\/strong> \u201cWell, as everybody knows I was spectacularly fired! And the next day I was at my friend\u2019s [house] and we were having a glass of champagne because that was the best thing to do and the phone call came from Melbourne University Press to say, \u201cWould you like to write a book about your 27 years in the fashion industry?\u201d And I said, because I was a bit shell-shocked and I was like, \u201cDo you know I just got fired, did you know that?\u201d And they said, \u201cThis is actually the perfect moment for you to write this book.\u201d So, we stitched it up pretty quickly\u2026 We had that idea that if you left it too long it would be Kirstie who? Quite frankly, things move that\u00a0fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

GL:<\/strong> \u201cDid you find it was some sort of an emotional release?\u201d<\/p>\n

KC:<\/strong> \u201cI did, yeah. For me I found it quite easy… until about two thirds of the way through – and I think this is true of all authors – you go, \u201cThis is the stupidest book that has ever been written. No one is going to read it, I\u2019m bored, I\u2019m boring myself.\u201d It\u2019s emotional at the end because my team was sort of swept out when I was\u2026 it was the end of an era of a beautiful collaborative team that I loved very much and who were very talented. So, it was kind of emotional at the end,\u00a0yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n

GL:<\/strong> \u201cIf it was a tweet, how would you describe the book?\u201d<\/p>\n

KC:<\/strong> \u201cIn 140 characters? \u2018It is a memoir. It is a tribute. It\u2019s a slice of social history and it\u2019s honest.\u2019\u201d
\nPart of that honesty consists of Clements exposing facts about the desperation of some models to remain dangerously thin. She writes: “When a model who was getting good work in Australia starved herself down two sizes in order to be cast in the overseas shows… the Vogue fashion office would say she\u2019d become \u201cParis thin\u201d.”<\/p>\n

She also reveals that models will go as far as eating tissues to make themselves feel full and mentions a fit model (one who provides the body for designers to work with) who was described as being \u201cin hospital on a drip a lot of the time\u201d in a way that suggested this is the norm.<\/p>\n

The book is certainly an eye opener, but is it just the bitter ramblings of a woman with an axe to grind? Book review blog \u2018Sam Still Reading\u2019 says not and gives it 7.5 out of 10:<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the main theme I found reading this memoir is tact. Clements is tactful and discreet, even in situations that would have been hurtful (such as being sacked). She doesn\u2019t share names or spell out who in the industry is horrible. As she states many times, there is an element to Vogue which is to uphold increasingly forgotten values (such as good manners). Nor is this memoir gushing or boastful (although a trip overseas with Giorgio Armani is again something the average person will never experience).<\/p>\n

\u201cClements details many fashion shows, PR events, press trips, conferences and lavish functions. They are stated simply \u2013 no overload of detail or gushing of the expense, even though some of these events must have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars! She doesn\u2019t go overboard either \u2013 not every season of every location\u2019s fashion week is mentioned. There\u2019s just enough to keep you interested and reading.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hear from the lady herself below
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