The truth behind the world of Ugly Betty

Author: Malu Fernandez
Column: Life & Entertainment

Many of you who follow the show Ugly Betty may think that the fashion world, being portrayed in the TV series, is a gross exaggeration. News flash--it isn't that far off the mark. In the fashion world, wearing the wrong outfit can sour a business deal in a matter of minutes. For instance, if you're applying for a job in fashion, try getting past the receptionist in a 7th Avenue showroom wearing last season's clothes. If you look like you're wearing the wrong ensemble, you will never make it past the front door. Cruel as it may sound, the only fantasy in the Ugly Betty sitcom is Betty having a job in a fashion magazine.

To be honest, most people in fashion are over the top because they are constantly working in a fantasy world, creating clothes which are tailored to the supermodels. Not only are they surrounded by beautiful models all the time, but they are also surrounded by beautiful fabric, ornaments, and countless items of beauty.

From the very beginning of creating a garment, the woman in the designer's sketch pad is already a fantasy. The moment the designer conceptualizes the design on paper, the fantasy begins. A fashion illustration isn't just a drawing of a garment; it's a stylized long lean figure, cartoon-like character of a lady with a small head and an elongated flawless figure. Doesn't it make you think this is why the fashion industry is obsessed with being thin?

Look at the facts: a few centuries ago, the Gibson girl with the tightly-wound corset and the gigantic bustle was the figure of choice because many of the fashion advertisements were stylized sketches in the New York Times. As you may very well know, photographs were quite expensive back then and still in the experimental stage so stylized illustrations were de rigueur.

Nowadays, the fashion industry's hangers of choice are waif-thin models, which countless of women are trying to emulate. Perhaps as early as a few centuries back, we were conditioned to think that stylized stick figures with miniscule waists and hourglass figures were the choices that were aesthetically pleasing. Today, it's the supermodels who are the icons of the fashion world.

Fashion magazines are the ultimate showcase for the fashion industry with editors like Ana Wintour leading the herd. The glossy magazines like Vogue are responsible for setting the trends and the industry never doubts nor questions its dictates. Wintour, undoubtedly one of the most powerful women in fashion, is who the character of Vanessa Williams in Ugly Betty is trying so hard to emulate. But Vanessa's character seems a bit desperate. The one that hits closer to home is Meryl Streep's portrayal of Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada.

People who think that Miranda Priestly's character in the movie is despicable obviously don't work in the fashion industry. She, in fact, is totally normal for those of us who do work in the industry. It's considered normal for a boss of that stature to be critical of what their staff is wearing. It's almost natural to rise above the ranks because of your image and the clothes you wear. It may all sound shallow and superficial to those outside the industry but the fact is that it's true. In a business where you're selling fantasies and illusions of beauty, it's futile to even wonder why.

As you watch Ugly Betty, you see that she is the only one on the show who actually eats like a normal person and everyone else in the show seems to be obsessed with staying or looking slim. Being in the fashion industry literally means no carbs if you really want to be successful. Look at King Karl Lagerfeld--even he got into the game of looking svelte and slim. Maybe it's not only because of the supermodel images thrust upon us, but the fashion industry's obsession with high heels. Take a look at all the fashion reality shows: everyone is wearing killer heels you couldn't stand in for more than five minutes. But if you weighed less than an ounce, I suppose you could wear them all day and not complain.

With the exception of being skinny and foregoing all carbs, I used to be part of that world. From the major fashion houses in 7th Avenue to the streets of Divisoria, that was my world for as long as I could remember. Now I've gone corporate and I belong to a kinder, more gentle workplace where everyone wears a suit.

I used to wonder why most people couldn't understand Streep's character, she seemed totally normal to me. But after being exposed to another industry I slowly understood why. Although I still have issues about wearing suits, I realized that my fashion philosophies have changed and have now merged into the philosophy of having comfort as well as style--but never as comfortable as Betty in Ugly Betty.

Source: Manila Standard Today