The Business of Beauty is Very Ugly | Carrie Hammer | TEDxSantaBarbara
TLDRThe video script addresses the issue of unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by the beauty and fashion industries. It reveals that only 4% of women consider themselves beautiful, largely due to the false images presented by these industries. The speaker shares her personal struggles with self-image and the harmful effects of striving for an unattainable ideal. She highlights the 'beauty gap' between the manipulated images and real women, which has negative societal impacts. The speaker then describes her journey from advertising to founding her own fashion line, which uses real women as models to redefine beauty. Her brand, along with others, is part of a 'runway revolution' that promotes diversity and authenticity in beauty. The video calls for a new 'Beauty Constitution' that rejects extreme retouching and underage modeling, urging consumers to support brands that empower women and embrace individual beauty.
Takeaways
- 📉 Only 4% of women self-identify as beautiful, indicating a widespread issue with self-perception and societal standards of beauty.
- 💰 The beauty and fashion industry is a 1.3 trillion dollar business that profits from setting unrealistic beauty standards and exploiting insecurities.
- 📚 Society spends more on beauty products than on education, highlighting misplaced priorities influenced by the beauty industry.
- 🚫 The unrealistic images presented in magazines and advertisements are often manipulated and do not represent real people, leading to a 'beauty gap'.
- 👧 Young girls and women feeling unattractive often opt out of important life events and activities due to a lack of self-confidence.
- 👵 The use of extreme Photoshop, body doubles, and underage models in the beauty industry perpetuates an unattainable standard of beauty.
- 📱 Even social media and personal photos can be deceptive with the availability of image editing apps like FaceTune, further contributing to the 'beauty gap'.
- 👚 Carrie Hammer, a designer, started her own clothing line to provide professional women with clothing that made them feel powerful, beautiful, and feminine.
- 🚶♀️ Hammer's fashion shows during New York Fashion Week featured 'role models' instead of traditional runway models, showcasing real women with diverse backgrounds and abilities.
- 💌 The 'runway revolution' inspired by Hammer's approach has led to other brands including diverse models in their shows and ads, promoting a more inclusive and realistic view of beauty.
- 🗳️ Consumers have the power to influence the beauty industry by supporting brands that empower women and reject unrealistic and harmful beauty standards.
Q & A
What percentage of women self-identify as beautiful according to the research mentioned in the transcript?
-Only four percent of women self-identify as beautiful according to the research mentioned in the transcript.
What is the main purpose of the beauty industry as described in the transcript?
-The main purpose of the beauty industry, as described, is to set unrealistic expectations of beauty and profit from these by selling products that promise to 'fix' or alter one's appearance.
What is the 'beauty gap' mentioned in the transcript?
-The 'beauty gap' refers to the space between the unrealistic standards of beauty presented by the media and the true, diverse beauty that exists in real life.
What is the impact of the unrealistic beauty standards on society as discussed in the transcript?
-The impact includes women feeling less powerful, opting out of important life events, and young girls self-selecting out of sports activities or even class participation due to concerns about their appearance.
What was the speaker's personal experience with the beauty industry?
-The speaker felt left out and devastated because she did not fit the beauty mold presented by fashion magazines. She tried to conform by chemically straightening her hair, which led to hair loss and increased self-hatred.
How did the speaker's fashion line, Carry Hammer, aim to redefine beauty?
-Carry Hammer aimed to redefine beauty by providing clothes that made professional women feel powerful, beautiful, and feminine. The brand also made a statement by using real role models, not traditional models, in its fashion shows.
What was the significance of having Dr. Danielle Sheypuck in a wheelchair walk the runway during New York Fashion Week?
-Dr. Danielle Sheypuck's appearance was significant because she was the first-ever model in a wheelchair to walk the runway during New York Fashion Week, challenging the traditional standards of beauty and inclusivity in the fashion industry.
What is the 'Runway Revolution' that the speaker started?
-The 'Runway Revolution' is a movement started by the speaker to challenge the traditional beauty standards in the fashion industry by including diverse models in fashion shows and advertisements, promoting the idea that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and abilities.
What is the 'Beauty Constitution' that the speaker calls for?
-The 'Beauty Constitution' is a call to action for a new set of rules in the beauty industry that prioritizes empowering women,杜绝 extreme Photoshop（杜绝极端的Photoshop修图）, no body doubles, and no marketing of underage girls, aiming to make the concept of 'impossible beauty' a thing of the past.
How does the speaker suggest individuals can contribute to changing the beauty standards?
-The speaker suggests that individuals can contribute by being role models, voting with their dollars for brands that align with their values, and sharing the message of the 'Runway Revolution' with peers, friends, and family.
What is the role of social media and image editing apps in perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards?
-Social media and image editing apps like FaceTune contribute to unrealistic beauty standards by allowing users to alter their appearance, creating a false perception of what is considered 'beautiful' and normalizing the use of such tools to achieve a 'perfect' look.
Outlines
🤔 The Illusion of Beauty: Industry Influence
The first paragraph discusses societal perceptions of beauty and the influence of the beauty industry. It highlights that only four percent of women consider themselves beautiful, suggesting that the images we see are unrealistic and manufactured. The beauty industry is criticized for profiting from women's insecurities, promoting a narrow standard of beauty that is often unattainable. The speaker shares personal experiences of feeling excluded due to not fitting the mold and the negative impact this has on self-esteem and self-worth. The narrative also touches on the significant financial investment in beauty over education and the pressure to conform to societal beauty standards.
😲 The Beauty Gap: Unrealistic Standards Exposed
The second paragraph delves into the concept of the 'beauty gap', which refers to the discrepancy between the unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by the media and the true beauty that exists in diversity and individuality. The speaker recounts a pivotal moment in their career when they realized the extent to which the beauty industry manipulates images to fit a one-dimensional view of beauty. The paragraph also provides examples of how photo editing and the use of underage models contribute to this gap. It emphasizes the prevalence of image retouching in advertising and the impact of these altered images on our perception of beauty.
👚 Role Models Over Runway Models: A Fashion Revolution
The third paragraph tells the story of the speaker's journey to challenge traditional beauty standards by starting their own clothing line, which caters to professional women seeking clothes that make them feel powerful and beautiful. The narrative highlights the speaker's decision to use real role models, rather than traditional models, in their New York Fashion Week show. This decision led to a groundbreaking moment featuring a model in a wheelchair, which resonated with audiences worldwide and sparked a movement towards more inclusive and diverse representation in fashion. The paragraph also shares a heartfelt email from a woman inspired by this approach, emphasizing the transformative power of representation.
🌟 The Runway Revolution: Redefining Beauty
The final paragraph calls for a 'Runway Revolution', encouraging the inclusion of diverse models in fashion shows and advertisements. It celebrates the fact that over 30 brands have joined this movement, recognizing the power of media spending to shift societal beauty standards. The speaker advocates for a new 'Beauty Constitution' that rejects extreme Photoshop, underage models, and unrealistic beauty expectations. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for everyone to be a role model and to support brands that empower women, emphasizing that beauty lies in individuality, passion, purpose, and accomplishments rather than physical appearance.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Beauty Industry
💡Self-Identification
💡Unrealistic Beauty Standards
💡Photoshop
💡Role Models
💡Runway Revolution
💡Diversity in Modeling
💡Beauty Gap
💡Inner Individuality
💡Social Media Influence
💡Empowerment
💡Beauty Constitution
Highlights
Only 4% of women self-identify as beautiful according to Dove's research.
The beauty industry perpetuates unrealistic standards of beauty, serving to sell products and exploit insecurities.
Spending on beauty exceeds that on education, highlighting the industry's significant influence.
The speaker's personal experience with trying to fit beauty standards led to self-hatred and harmful practices.
Eight out of ten women avoid important life events when they don't feel beautiful, indicating a societal issue.
Young girls often opt out of sports and class participation due to insecurities about their appearance.
The beauty industry uses extreme Photoshop, body doubles, and underage models to create a false image of beauty.
The concept of the 'beauty gap' refers to the space between unrealistic beauty standards and true beauty.
The speaker's fashion line, Carry Hammer, aims to provide clothing that makes professional women feel powerful and beautiful.
Carry Hammer's New York Fashion Week show in 2014 featured role models rather than traditional runway models.
The inclusion of a model in a wheelchair was a landmark moment, inspiring others to redefine beauty.
The 'runway revolution' is a movement to include diverse models in fashion shows and advertisements.
Major brands like Target, Anthropology, Uniqlo, and even Beyonce have joined the runway revolution.
The speaker calls for a new 'Beauty Constitution' that rejects extreme Photoshop and promotes real beauty in all forms.
The power to change beauty standards lies with consumers who vote with their dollars.
The speaker encourages everyone to be a role model, showcasing true individualistic beauty.
A call to action to share the message and demand change from the beauty industry for a more inclusive and realistic portrayal of beauty.
Transcripts
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