Does Fashion promoting unhealthy habits need to be reevaluated?

The problem with fashion, today, is that there is too much of it. It's no longer the business of girls from North Campus who thrift on weekends, or the ‘ladies who lunch’ from South Delhi. It's a business, a lifestyle and a platform, all at once. And today, especially, fashion has become one of the most powerful tools of influence. It has successfully brought change, rebelled and influenced. But if there's one thing it as failed to do, it is to hide its own deficiencies. And with growing awareness of conscious millennial watchdogs, it has come under fire several times in the past years.

Fashion has often used unhealthy habits as accessories. And with the influence that the industry enjoys, the habits often brush off on its audience. The entire decade of 90s was signified by the rise of the 'Heroin Chic', a look popular in both India and Internationally. It was characterised by pale skin, under eye bags and angular bone structure. Magazines and runways gave credence to this lifestyle and many models suffered backlash for the same. The trend created an overall moral panic, with people blaming models and photographers for being reckless and irresponsible. The industry can also be blamed for promoting unhealthy and unrealistic standards of beauty. Many people have fallen prey to illnesses such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, body dysmorphia or addiction because the industry often chooses to portray long limbed, thin, airbrushed versions of models. Vulnerable and insecure tweens may not have the experience or intellect to yet realise that there are differences between what we see in magazines and what might be real. Make up, Photoshop and good lighting are all great tools of temporary self-modification, but they also enforce standards that may not always be achievable.

One of the most powerful images in fashion is a portrait of Audrey Hepburn with a cigarette. Many photographers, like Prabuddha Dasgupta, have often featured models smoking in their pictures. Ultimately, the use of cigarettes depends upon an individual. Its use as a sartorial accessory is often argued to be a challenge to the aesthetic or expected 'norms' of femininity. Shalini Garg, a fashion designer says, “ Movies like the 2008 hit, Fashion, have shed light on the dark side of fashion, like drug abuse, chain smoking etc. They could be exaggerated in many respects, but the truth is that such habits are rampant in the industry. Many youngsters, especially young girls have picked up on such habits solely because their favourite models are seen smoking.”

Similarly, in the case of alcoholic beverages, fashion magazines have often made a glass of whiskey or a bottle of vodka into a prop. Many people choose to drink, and the choice is their own, however, such imagery can be promotional, especially in India where such ads have been banned. People have also raised questions as to why Fashion Weeks in India are often sponsored by various brands of alcohol. In a world where eating organic, being vegan and drinking-to-detoxify have become trends, using cigarettes and alcohol to accessorise is almost an act of rebellion.

However, many people argue that cigarettes add to the aesthetic appeal of fashion photography, especially noir photography. “At the end of the day, cigarettes are only a prop. They almost go unnoticed or overshadowed by the clothing, anyway,” said, Meeta Gulati, a fashion designer and stylist. “ In any case, if we're talking about unhealthy habits, fast food and binging are terrible for one’s health, too. But people never take up that case. Props are props, and they hold very little importance in fashion.”

People can't seem to decide whether such portrayal is okay or venomous. It is certain that fashion has considerable influence and the habits of people we see on billboards or on runways can often trickle down into the youth. It is not rational to expect all models and designers to take on the responsibility of being role models. The cigarette or the glass of alcohol adds an aura of glamour to the image, but if it comes at the cost of negative influence, then it must be re-evaluated. In cases where such props are added only for effect, or without context, the director of these photographs should analyse their audience and maybe find a safer alternative.