Victoire Dauxerre: Model or Hanger?

Jade Kidd
Feb 19, 2017
2 min read

This week Victoria's Secret model Victoire Dauxerre spoke out of her terrible ordeal at the hands of the modelling industry. At just 17, Victoire was thrust into the limelight after she was scouted by a top modelling agency. However, things soon spiralled out of control and just eight months later she was battling anorexia and suicidal thoughts.

Whilst modelling for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Dior and Chanel, Victoire survived on cans of zero calorie Pepsi Max and three apples a day, in order to maintain her size zero figure. She would also take regular laxatives and enemas. At one point her eating disorder became so bad that her hair started to fall out and she was told she had the skeleton of a 70-year-old.

In her latest book My Life as a Disappearing Model, Victoire states:

'It is pernicious. They don't tell you "you have to lose 22lbs in two months". What they say is "you need to be this size to fit into the clothes, otherwise, you don't get any work". Then each time you come back into the agency and you are skinnier they literally applaud you,"

Personally, I feel this story is extremely powerful. Her having to lose weight until her bones and ribs are on display, yet this is what the industry 'applauds' you for. It's a perfect depiction of what the modelling world is: fickle. Models are essentially hangers that clothes are put on with the idea that the audience will only be looking at the clothes instead of the model wearing them.

For more pictures of what Victoire Dauxerre looked like at her slimmest, please visit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4167094/Top-catwalk-model-reveals-starved-herself.html

This is potentially where the 'perfect' image comes from as fashion houses tend to look for models they can change quickly without having to try on different sizes and deciding what suits what shape. However, this, in my opinion is a downside. How are people supposed to know what looks nice on them when all they see are skinny models with unhealthy bodies?

Victoire has since used her story to campaign in the media and make people aware of the harsh realities of the modelling world, the part that the world rarely gets to see. Here is a video of her sharing her experience on Good Morning Britain: