THIS YEAR’S MODEL: Fashion, Media, and the Making of Glamour

Elizabeth A. Wissinger

New York University Press, New York, USA

Year 2015

Pages 372

Over the last four decades, the fashion modeling industry has become a lightning rod for debates about Western beauty ideals, the sexual objectification of women, and consumer desire. Yet, fashion models still captivate, embodying all that is cool, glam, hip, and desirable. They are a fixture in tabloids, magazines, fashion blogs, and television. Why exactly are models so appealing? And how do these women succeed in so soundly holding our attention? In this book, the author weaves together in-depth interviews and research at model castings, photo shoots, and runway shows to offer a glimpse into the life of the model throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Both a vividly illustrated historical survey and an incisive critique of fashion media, this book demonstrates the lasting cultural influence of this unique form of embodied labor.