On Brazilian Runways, Transgender Models Are The Norm

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/on-brazilian-runways-trangender-models-are-the-norm-2012-9



With London's summer of sport over, the focus moves to Brazil. The country is hosting the World Cup in 2014, and the Olympics come 2016, and fashion, never to be outdone, is ready to make its own handover.

On course to become the fifth largest economy by 2025, Brazil has the resources to become the next fashion capital, and the international industry is beginning to take notice. Lucas Nascimento, Pedro Lourenço and jeweller Fernando Jorge are Brazilian buzz names, and London's The Shop at Bluebird hosts pop-up Brazil Rising from this Friday to showcase new talent.

Fashion weeks in São Paolo and Rio – previously dismissed as swimwear showcases – are firmly on the schedule of international buyers and press.

What they find, however, is still a little different from the big four of New York, London, Milan and Paris. A film made by Vice, as part of its Fashion Week Internationale series, goes behind the scenes of the hype. Host Charlet Duboc finds transgender models as a matter of course, tensions around race and a disconnect between the lean catwalk silhouette and the curvy body type fetishised in the baile funk scene.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/on-brazilian-runways-trangender-models-are-the-norm-2012-9#ixzz26RU4msqh

[dipsydoodle]

1. Good luck to them

Rather them than me - have you ever tried walking in the manner in which models walk on catwalks without tripping over.

[xchrom]

2. you really, really, really, really, really, really do not want to be near me

if i try that loose legged horsey walk they do....


ass over heels and taking everything near me OUT.

[dipsydoodle]

3. We used to have a fashion channel here on TV

which was largely fashion shows and interviews with designers etc. It was only from watching that occasionally, mainly due to the some of the great music soundtracks they used , that I noticed how the models walk with their feet crossing over each other alternately , sometimes tripping over their own feet or even worse fall off the catwalk on occasions.

I tried and fell over. All four of my cats looked gave me a very funny look.

I don't actually see the significance of some models being transgender - its really only the height and build which seems to matter for catwalk models.

I do sympathise with the models being subject to someone's bright idea of what looks right.

&feature=fvwrel

[xchrom]

4. oh yeah -- Girl Down -- is always fun.

re: transgender on the cat walk -- i have 2 thoughts -- 1 is visibility, it helps when people can actually get to know some one -- and people really do follow models, what they do, where they go, etc.

2 - is it's a 'safe' profession -- and of corse that means more than modeling -- there's make up, hair, lighting -- it goes on and on.
it's a place where trans people can flourish.

[dipsydoodle]

6. btw

The daft shoes they're forced to wear don't help either - increases their center of gravity somewhat.

[xchrom]

8. My mother - bless her - is 102 & wouldn't be

Caught dead without a pair of heels on.

Now I won't tell you they are the dizzying heights they were when she was - oh say - 80 - but damn she's gotta have high heels.

[dipsydoodle]

9. I can't see her being up for this then

Klezmer on stilts.



I saw them last Sunday afternoon at the annual Jewish Music Centre's Klezmer do down in Regents Park here in London along with hundreds of happy smiling people.

My compliments to your mother - 102 is a really grand age.

[xchrom]

10. Klezmer on stilts!11

[qb]

5. Very Cool. Maybe Brazil will be the next country with a transgender Miss Universe contestant!

[William769]

7. Recommended.

[Initech]

11. Why did I read the comments?

I marked every single one as negative. Man there are just some flat out haters in this world...

[xchrom]

12. Yeah - that's never a good idea.

They do it cause they can.

[Initech]

13. Yeah I should go download that comment blocker tool for Firefox.

[xchrom]

14. it helps!