«Plus size» models return to television to democratize fashion
Fluvia, Mayara and Nahuane are models, but they don't go on a diet, although they do eat healthy, exercise and from the program "Belleza XL" on channel E! Entertainment, whose second season starts this Thursday in Latin America, seek to "democratize and humanize fashion.
In an interview with Efe via Zoom, the three Brazilian Extra Large (XL) models talk about their careers and the prejudices they have had to face in life and in the fashion industry for being "fat."
proud fat women
It is a word that Fluvia Lacerda, known as the Gisele Bundchen of "plus size" fashion, has no qualms about using when talking about herself and her colleagues, despite the fact that it sounds derogatory to some people and for that reason they use euphemisms such as "plumps".
Fluvia explains that in the first season of the program the audience opened their eyes to the reality of plus size models, something that before seemed "scandalous, absurd and inconceivable", and now in the second it shows the difficulties, obstacles and successes of the races of the three protagonists.
"The possibilities we have as "plus size" models are as immense as those of conventional models," says Lacerda, who has invested in her own line of swimwear, including bikinis, and complains that the manufacturers of these garments don't think about people like her.
"The fashion industry has to exist for all people equally, because as much as there is a prejudice against a fat woman, she will not disappear because of it," she notes.
Beautiful and also healthy
Mayara Russi, who is starting her international career and, like Fluvia Lacerda, is already known to the public, since she participated in the first season of the series, she spoke with Efe about whether it is possible to be fat and healthy.
Mother of two children, the same as Fluvia, she says that her medical tests indicate that she has "nothing that people associate with obesity."
"My nutritionist says that your weight does not define your health, but healthy habits do. If you do physical activity, eat well, most of the time you have nothing to worry about," she says.
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At 21, "new" "Beauty XL" star Nahuane is the youngest of the three and has been in London for a while looking for more opportunities in a growing market.
Fashion is changing and models that conform to the canons of beauty begin to coexist with those that are more similar to real women and men, although that does not mean that the latter do not have to meet some requirements.
Neither less than 115 centimeters nor more than 125
Through this "reality TV" show, the public can learn what it takes to be the "new face" of the Ford modeling agency along with the "Beauty XL" show: 18 to 30 years old, taller than 1.70 meters and a hip width of 115 to 125 centimeters.
"I don't follow a very restricted specific diet, I always try to eat healthy, I exercise. Sometimes I add something to the diet, but not to lose weight, but for my well-being, for my health," says Nahuane Drumond.
After its success in Brazil, the first season of "Belleza XL" premiered in July 2019 in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Panama and other Latin American countries, reaching more than 49.5 million homes.
In the second episode of the series of this new season, a fourth member will be added, chosen in a casting by Ford Models Curve, an extension of the Ford Models agency.
body positivity
"Beauty XL" is an NBCUniversal co-production with Manjubinha Filmes that focuses on female empowerment by giving a voice to a growing number of women who are breaking down barriers to assert their place in society.
"It's a cause, it's not just a job! I need to inspire women. I need women to love themselves. I need women to understand that they are beautiful in their own way," says Mayara Russi.
Fluvia Lacerda explains that "a large part of the program's approach is to focus on all these psychological prisons that women experience in any area of their lives."
"I can be happy as I am and yes, I am a fat woman, I am happy. I don't need to justify my health to other people, because when you talk to a skinny model, you never ask how hungry she is, how many drugs she is using to suppress her appetite, or how much of his hair is about to fall out because he doesn't eat, and so on.
According to Mayara, the audience for "Beauty XL", especially on social networks, is mostly female, but there are men who are interested because "they are concerned about this issue of the self-esteem of their wife, girlfriend, sister or mother."
In addition, the lack of diversity in fashion affects both men and women. "The fat man also suffers from a lot of prejudice and suffers from the scarcity of this availability of fashion," says Fluvia.
The three of them complain that the modeling career is short, but they all have plans for later.
