Models Become Even More Unrealistic

Literally. Models are now UNREAL.

The latest controversy regarding fashion, photography, photoshop and models starts with popular clothing store H&M. Their new lingerie models are composites: computer generated models that take parts and pieces of mannequins that are then humanized.

To add insult to injury, they shot real models for the campaign just so they could superimpose the human heads on the computer generated body form. I remember watching a documentary about robots with my son where they specifically talk about the problem humans have distinguishing between real and fake when there are “humanized” facial features.

The press officer for H&M says that most of their clothing is now shot on these humanized mannequins with facial models. Even worse, he argues that H&M’s decision to move its modeling away from actual human bodies isn’t irresponsible. “It’s not about ideals or to show off a perfect body… we are doing this to show off the garments,” he stated.

H&M designs a body that can better display clothes made for humans than humans can, then “dresses” it by drawing on its clothes, and digitally pastes on the heads of real women in post-production.

Oh, that’s right. It’s all about selling the clothes that don’t really look the same on a human figure since you’re not actually having humans model the clothing. Not sure how this is that different than selling mascara that plumps the lashes, when you’ve plumped the lashes in Photoshop, not with the product. You are lying to your consumer… okay, that’s not new.

Maybe the problem is that eating disorders, cutting, depression, dieting, and low self esteem are rampant and getting worse. How can anyone not see at least a cursory link between these issues?

Is it just me or does this seem like a bad road to travel down? What message are they sending to consumers if real life models can’t even be trusted to wear the clothes properly?

If you’re a parent, aunt, godparent or friend of a teen girl… PLEASE share this with her. Most teen girls (and women) don’t know what they’re seeing is UNREAL and then judge themselves so harshly when they think they can’t measure up.

Give them the truth and empower them to find their beauty outside societal ideals.

I want to hear your voice… tell me what YOU think!

Want to read more about it?
Check out the articles below or just Google H&M Computer Generated Models.

http://twitter.com/SecondSightDave DaveWilson

Tasra, where did you source this information from? While a lot of the fashion industry is actually trying to move towards more human ideals, it’s sad to hear that some companies just can’t bring themselves to do that.
- http://tasramar.com tasra
  
  Just do a google search on H&M computer generated models. It’s all over.
  - http://tasramar.com tasra
    
    Added some links to the article for easy reference to more information on the topic. Hope that helps.
http://imahni.com Imahni

Wow… how disappointing. But then again – it makes it all the more easier to stop myself from ever comparing myself to a “model”. Not only can I say, “That’s photoshopped and not a healthy weight” now I can also say, “the model herself doesn’t even look like that. It’s practically a doll!”
- http://tasramar.com tasra
  
  Great points! I definitely agree as long as everyone knows they are like paper dolls, not real people. If they just put a disclaimer on them it’d be a non-issue. Thanks for commenting!
http://www.indiebusinessblog.com Donna Maria Coles Johnson

If this is true, another sign that real women aren’t good enough.
- http://tasramar.com tasra
  
  It’s true. Their press officer confirmed it. I don’t think real women aren’t good enough… I think their clothes must not be good enough to look good on real women!
  - http://www.indiebusinessblog.com Donna Maria Coles Johnson
    
    Hot dang! That was good. Nail on the head.
Jason

I saw something similar to this in an ad at the mall the other day, I literally did a double take to see if the model was real. I read the article. I have to respectfully disagree. This correlations i.e. “Maybe the problem is that eating disorders, cutting, depression, dieting, and low self esteem are rampant and getting worse. How can anyone not see at least a cursory link between these issues?” is shaky at best. First the author only uses opinion and doesn’t cite any statistic to back up the claim. Second I tend to believe, as a father of two girls and having done extensive study in impoverished and economically stressed communities, that insecurities develop at home and in the immediate social and economic construct of the community. What these ads do may add fuel to a fire to specific individuals. I am sure that for some they don’t help. But the article has no factual correlation between the ads in questions and physical and mental disorders. However that is just my opinion.
- http://tasramar.com tasra
  
  Thanks for your comment and subsequent personal message Jason. I appreciate you engaging in the conversation and paying attention to the topic, even if you have a different opinion.
  
  As far as your specific comment about insecurities developing at home, I do agree to some extent. However, I will tell you that nearly every teen and tween girl I meet shares how they experience the same feelings of inadequacy, not being good enough, low self esteem and negativity after looking at popular fashion magazines. The idealized images they see, even if just for a brief moment, make an impact and it’s not a positive one.
  
  I left some additional thoughts on the comment below… perhaps they might provide an alternative perspective on the issue. Thanks again for stopping by!
Ben Vigil

Okay, I’m probably going to take heat for this, but I see this as a total non-issue. While I understand the issues that are dear to your heart — and I pretty much agree — in this particular case, H&M’s use of CGI models in this case is an entirely practical issue.

I showed my wife these photos a few days ago (the original image includes additional models, including a black model), and she gave me a blank stare… and replied, “Well, yeah duh. I thought everyone knew that. That’s the point. Have you been to their site? You have to dress the model and all that. I never thought it was real.”

If I was creating the H&M site, as a designer and programmer I would do the exact same thing. I’d shoot one model (or a “humanized” mannequin) and shoot the HUNDREDS of outfits and pieces to one standard. It probably saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It has nothing to do with human standards, but enabling a feature on their site that allows women to play digital Barbie with the widest variety of clothing styles, colors and accessories.

I don’t see it as much more complicated than that.

Ben
- http://tasramar.com tasra
  
  Thanks for the comment Ben.
  
  I can understand why you might think this is a non-issue. However, the truth is that women and girls deal with the comparison issue to ads and media they see on a daily basis. With companies now creating the perfect woman for their ads, it continues to reinforce the “ideal” body type issues that many girls and women struggle with. While looking at these images in an article about computer generated models, everyone notices the uncanny similarities and even as your wife mentioned, when you see them on the H&M site, you might realize they aren’t real.However, if ads like these are in a magazine or on a billboard or in the store window and someone walks by or flips through the pages, they might not even register that specific image. They certainly aren’t studying the images. What they are subconsciously getting is the same idealized figure that is the “ideal” body type. If you ask teen girls, like I have, to look at the images and share their thoughts, they’ll tell you that the fact that they aren’t showing you what the clothes actually look like on people is false advertising. More importantly, they believe it gives people an unrealistic perception of beauty… one that has now become even more fake.Just some food for thought. Thanks again for your comment!
http://twitter.com/AbraMichelle Abra Michelle Morris

Anyone else notice all three bodies are identical just with different heads?!?? What is up with that?
- http://twitter.com/cornicello John Cornicello
  
  That is the point. So that the clothes hang the same on each mannequin. And that’s pretty much what these are. They are doing it to easily compare different styles.
  
  I do understand the body issues and eating disorders and the like. But how different is this from putting clothes on a mannequin in a store display? It is similar, but to me not the same as re-sculpting a body via image post processing. They do, however, need a wider range of mannequin sizes!
  - http://tasramar.com tasra
    
    Difference is because of body issues. When you see a mannequin in a store display you know it’s a mannequin and don’t relate that shape to what you should look like. Not so with ads in magazines or online. I have seen some stores with a wider range of mannequin sizes though… it was refreshing!
- http://tasramar.com tasra
  
  You’re joking right Abra?!? That’s the point of the article! They are computer generated bodies with real models faces attached.
  - http://www.indiebusinessblog.com Donna Maria Coles Johnson
    
    Hmmm, do the models only get paid for their heads and not their bodies?
    - http://tasramar.com tasra
      
      That would be a first Donna Maria… paid for the head (mind) instead of their body!
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Models Become Even More Unrealistic

Tasra Dawson

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Models Become Even More Unrealistic

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Tasra Dawson

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