Jo Ellison, former features editor at British Vogue and current editor of HTSI, discusses the fashion industry's complicated relationship with weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. She highlights concerns about a potential return to glorifying thinness and the societal pressures surrounding beauty standards. The conversation touches on the accessibility of Ozempic, revealing stark disparities between wealthy celebrities and the general public. Ellison reflects on how these trends impact individuality and the evolving perceptions of body image in today’s culture.
The fashion industry's renewed focus on thinness, fueled by weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, threatens to undo recent progress toward body inclusivity.
Societal perceptions of weight loss now intertwine with moral judgment, complicating the narrative of self-discipline and reinforcing socioeconomic disparities in access to weight-loss treatments.
Deep dives
The Shift in Body Ideals and Trends
The fashion industry has increasingly favored thinness, with supermodels and industry professionals prioritizing a slim physique. Observations during recent fashion months reveal a troubling trend of significant weight loss among many individuals, indicating a possible reliance on weight loss medications like Ozempic. This reliance raises concerns about the normalization of unhealthy standards in fashion, particularly among those at an average weight trying to shed a few pounds. The return of extremely thin aesthetics on the catwalk signifies a regression from recent movements towards body inclusivity, which had promised greater representation in the fashion space.
Cultural Perception of Weight Loss and Morality
The discussion surrounding weight loss has shifted, with thinness now often perceived as a moral virtue associated with self-discipline and control, while being overweight is stigmatized. The emergence of drugs such as Ozempic complicates this moral landscape, as those using the medication are judged based on their perceived effort or legitimacy in their weight loss journey. This cultural judgment creates a hierarchy where weight loss is seen as acceptable when achieved through traditional means, but raises questions about fairness and morality when aided by medication. Overall, this serves as a reflection of society's long-standing biases towards body image and weight.
The Socioeconomic Divide in Health Choices
Access to modern weight loss treatments like Ozempic highlights existing socioeconomic disparities, as these medications are often prohibitively expensive and not available to everyone. This creates a gap where only the affluent can afford to pursue certain body ideals, further entrenching notions of privilege associated with being thin. Additionally, there are concerns regarding the long-term health effects of these weight loss drugs, as insufficient research raises questions about their safety and efficacy. The potential consequences of a thinner population reestablishing outdated beauty ideals underscore the challenge of achieving a more inclusive and diverse representation in society.
Before she was the editor of our luxury magazine HTSI, Jo Ellison was features editor at British Vogue, which means that throughout her career she’s had a front-row view of the fashion industry’s love of thinness. In recent years, fashion began to embrace more diversity in body shapes and sizes. But with the rise of Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, Jo is seeing the industry fear fat again. She worries that as Ozempic becomes more mainstream, fashion will come full circle, back to placing a premium on rail-thin bodies and judging those who don’t conform. Today, she talks about what this could mean for beauty standards, and how it may trickle down to the rest of us.
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– Check out our colleague Brooke Masters’ recent column on how GLP-1 drugs are changing gym regimens and food industry planning: https://on.ft.com/4050Cdl
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Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Clips this week courtesy of Capitol.