![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Ok. I know it's a little late, but I JUST got around to reading the latest issue of The Muse, Dreyfoos's literary magazine. I was just reading along and all of a sudden I found an article that did not sit well with me: "Project Runway makes True Fashion Statement". Don't get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE Project Runway (The next season is starting next month; I'm so excited!!). My beef is with the fact that the author of this article basically cut up my OTHER favorite reality TV show "America's Next Top Model". Roxy Shooshani, what were you thinking?!
Project Runway is a wonderful show about designers in the world of fashion. America's Next Top Model is a wonderful show about models. It's two different worlds. The fact that America's Next Top Model isn't a show about designers does not mean that it's posessing any "flaws" as a show.
Project Runway is indeed an excellent show that tests the craft and skill of a handful of designers. It is based on the clothes these designers make and the skilled hand and time in which they can successfully put one of their designs into reality. It's true that there are models on this show. The only reason that the models are placed so far in the background is because the show isn't about them. If these models really want a show to focus solely on them, they're on the wrong show. It's refreshing to have a television show that focuses on the talent of fashion designers.
America's Next Top Model is about just that: MODELS! If it was all about the clothes it'd be called America's Next Top Designer. There's another show for that; it's called Project Runway. America's Next Top Model is about the trials and tribulations of models in the fashion world. Yes, the models ARE important! Models wear clothes, yes. But being a model isn't ONLY about selling clothing. Models are used throughout the merchandising world to sell everything under the sun from clothes to makeup to fragrances to jewelery to even consumeable products like food, beer and even cars! In the 50's there were models advertising washing machines and vaccum cleaners!
Let's talk about Tyra Banks for a second. Ah, Tyra, my favorite model. The way Shooshani talks about Tyra in her article makes it seem like she's only in this to show off. Before each evaluation of the models a photograph is shown of Tyra used as an example of the style or theme of the primary photo shoot. Yeah she is a model. That doesn't mean that she can't participate! I mean, she is a co-producer of the show. What's wrong with showing an EXAMPLE of a photograph? Tyra is a very skilled model; she knows exactly how to portray the feelings that the photographer and the SALESMAN of WHATEVER product wanted in their advertising photograph. It may be harsh, but some of these aspiring models just can't do it right. For a lot of them, it helps to view Tyra's modeling as inspiration and guidelines to better their own modeling. I see absolutely nothing wrong with showing Tyra as an example photograph.
Project Runway is also hosted by a famous model, Heidi Klum, who has generally done most of her work on the catwalk. Tyra models in a different environment mostly, but she still knows what it's like to be a part of it all.
If you haven't realized, Project Runway is a show in which the models are portrayed on, oh, look at that! a RUNWAY! In America's Next Top Model, the girls are generally viewed in photographs. This indicates two different types of modeling, two different aspects of advertisment. But the modeling show doesn't limit the models to photos, they're placed in commercials and on the catwalk. This is really a broad spectrum for the models to cover. The catwalk was primarily intended to show off clothes. Photographs and commercials shocase an endless number of different products. Fashion designers are not the only ones who benefit from the work ethic of models.
Fashion designers don't always come first. You have the technological designers who create all of the industrial designs we see in the world and chemists who dedicate their lives to giving the world a fresh face in makeup and a fresh scent in fragrances. If there's anything to be learned from America's Next Top Model, it's that there's more to modeling than just fashion.
Project Runway is a wonderful show about designers in the world of fashion. America's Next Top Model is a wonderful show about models. It's two different worlds. The fact that America's Next Top Model isn't a show about designers does not mean that it's posessing any "flaws" as a show.
Project Runway is indeed an excellent show that tests the craft and skill of a handful of designers. It is based on the clothes these designers make and the skilled hand and time in which they can successfully put one of their designs into reality. It's true that there are models on this show. The only reason that the models are placed so far in the background is because the show isn't about them. If these models really want a show to focus solely on them, they're on the wrong show. It's refreshing to have a television show that focuses on the talent of fashion designers.
America's Next Top Model is about just that: MODELS! If it was all about the clothes it'd be called America's Next Top Designer. There's another show for that; it's called Project Runway. America's Next Top Model is about the trials and tribulations of models in the fashion world. Yes, the models ARE important! Models wear clothes, yes. But being a model isn't ONLY about selling clothing. Models are used throughout the merchandising world to sell everything under the sun from clothes to makeup to fragrances to jewelery to even consumeable products like food, beer and even cars! In the 50's there were models advertising washing machines and vaccum cleaners!
Let's talk about Tyra Banks for a second. Ah, Tyra, my favorite model. The way Shooshani talks about Tyra in her article makes it seem like she's only in this to show off. Before each evaluation of the models a photograph is shown of Tyra used as an example of the style or theme of the primary photo shoot. Yeah she is a model. That doesn't mean that she can't participate! I mean, she is a co-producer of the show. What's wrong with showing an EXAMPLE of a photograph? Tyra is a very skilled model; she knows exactly how to portray the feelings that the photographer and the SALESMAN of WHATEVER product wanted in their advertising photograph. It may be harsh, but some of these aspiring models just can't do it right. For a lot of them, it helps to view Tyra's modeling as inspiration and guidelines to better their own modeling. I see absolutely nothing wrong with showing Tyra as an example photograph.
Project Runway is also hosted by a famous model, Heidi Klum, who has generally done most of her work on the catwalk. Tyra models in a different environment mostly, but she still knows what it's like to be a part of it all.
If you haven't realized, Project Runway is a show in which the models are portrayed on, oh, look at that! a RUNWAY! In America's Next Top Model, the girls are generally viewed in photographs. This indicates two different types of modeling, two different aspects of advertisment. But the modeling show doesn't limit the models to photos, they're placed in commercials and on the catwalk. This is really a broad spectrum for the models to cover. The catwalk was primarily intended to show off clothes. Photographs and commercials shocase an endless number of different products. Fashion designers are not the only ones who benefit from the work ethic of models.
Fashion designers don't always come first. You have the technological designers who create all of the industrial designs we see in the world and chemists who dedicate their lives to giving the world a fresh face in makeup and a fresh scent in fragrances. If there's anything to be learned from America's Next Top Model, it's that there's more to modeling than just fashion.
