Kendall Jenner was recently interviewed by Love Magazine about her modeling career and being selective in participating in runway shows. One comment, in particular, painted Jenner in an unfortunate light: "I was never one of those girls who would do like 30 shows a season or whatever the fuck those girls do. More power to 'em," Jenner was quoted as saying.
Several models were quick to argue with Jenner, as the comment invalidated the reality of working models who did not come from a background of wealth and luxury. What Jenner did not mention was that most models do not have the privileged ability to choose what jobs they can perform. In the world of modeling, you take what they give you.
The modeling industry is extremely exclusive and rigid in regards to getting your foot in the door. Young women and men have to give up everything for a slim chance of paid work, leaving behind their families and education. They lose the authority of their body, their face, and their hair in order to appease modeling agencies and various designers. For those who are not genetically gifted, their bodies are abused at the gym and starved, shrinking in the hopes of having the specific measurements to walk in haute couture shows and to pose for designer campaigns. At night, they sleep in shoebox-sized apartments, crammed in with several other hopeful models, while by day, they march all across the city to visit photographers, agencies, and designers - only to be critiqued and judged on their physical appearance. All the torment, hard work, and grueling exhaustion is just for one shot at opportunity.
Kendall Jenner's rise in the fashion world is different than the typical model. Jenner's family is a powerhouse in reality television and with that meteoric success comes luxurious resources. Jenner's mother is a savvy businesswoman, who is eager to network and make connections within various industries. It is simple for Jenner to obtain a modeling gig with the help of her family and wealth. Jenner can hop on an airplane, stay at one of Manhattan's best hotels, and participate in a runway show or a photo shoot with the accompaniment of security guards, publicists, and assistants. Jenner's reality is quite different from that of a working model.
When Kendall Jenner was first heralded as a "supermodel," she was met with extensive criticism, and understandably so. By labeling the reality star with the title, Jenner is joining the likes of iconic legacies such as Dovima, Suzy Parker, Wilhelmina Cooper, Janice Dickinson, and Naomi Campbell. These women have shaped their respective decade while constantly being saturated within popular culture and media outlets. To be properly called a "supermodel," one must be an exemplar of the industry, illustrative of a talent that connects fashion, photography, acting, longevity, professionalism, and personality. Linda Evangelista once compared modeling to an actor of films, just like how an actor molds him or herself into a specific character and persona, models act for the camera as well - but only for still photography.
Jenner lacks the skill or work history to necessarily be ranked as high as historic fashion models, despite landing covers on Vogue magazine and receiving a hefty paycheck. Her comment in Love magazine not only exemplifies Jenner's ignorance in the modeling community but her privileged authority to neglect the development of modeling skills and yet still be able to reap the benefits of a well-known luminary.
After receiving an overwhelming amount of backlash for the comment, Jenner claims that the magazine twisted her words from the original interview and that she has nothing but respect for her fellow modeling companions.
