For a long time models, like children, were supposed to be seen but not heard. Stories of bookings drying up or models being banished from sets after being too opinionated or vocal backstage or in the press have always circulated. And while we absolutely agree that a certain level of professionalism is needed by anyone in any profession, criticism heaped upon models by the media and general public can go virtually unchecked. But 2015 has seen a change in that, with some models taking advantage of their large social media followings, unique life experience, and/or high profile status to take a stand. Whether it was Gigi Hadid replying to the countless body shamers on instagram, Nykhor Paul putting makeup artists unprepared (or unwilling) to work on darker skin tones on blast, or Josephine Skriver responding to ‘synthetic’ baby comments, this year has shown more than ever that models have thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences that need to be included in the discussion.
