A famous saying could be quoted "What is beautiful is not beautiful, but what one likes is beautiful ". Or simply that a precise marketing plan is often hidden behind a choice that makes people discuss. We are of little interest to discover the truth, but to tell what happened to a note company of Italian high fashion. One of our excellence these days at the center of many controversies for the model chosen for the latest fashion shows. We are talking about Gucci and Armine Harutyunyan, a 23-year-old model of Armenian origin from Yerevan.

Gucci high fashion shop
Another shop of the Italian company among the best known internationally

She does not correspond to the traditional canons of beauty, to which we have been accustomed by many fashion houses. But he has over 57 followers on Instagram. This is why we can think of a very specific choice and not a countertrend. But let's see what happened.

Gucci is the model of controversy

La choice Gucci has aroused the ire of right-thinking people. How is it possible that on the covers of so many newspapers, as well as on the catwalks, a woman with thick eyebrows and a pronounced nose can walk? On social media, his image was targeted by the usual haters who went wild. And there was talk of "body shaming" (mockery of the body) and even racism. Many web users, in fact, would not find it attractive enough. They called it "ugly", "not suitable for catwalks", and so many insults. And it has still ended up at the center of controversy in the past few hours, because a photo of her posted on social media, taken in Rome in front of the Altare della Patria, with one arm raised and the words "Ave sunstroke", "Ave sunstroke" was considered a Roman salute.

Body shaming and its devastating effects

In recounting this fact we used the word "body shaming", derision of the body. Used very often precisely because it has become a bad phenomenon on the web. People are targeted for their physical appearance, thin, fat, tall, short, hair color, skin, tattoo or piercing, or skin imperfections.

Armine Harutyunyan the model chosen by Gucci
The model Armine Harutyunyan chosen by Gucci is at the center of the controversy

What, therefore, in theory would be a characteristic sign of a person's uniqueness, is instead considered an object of criticism, because it does not correspond to the aesthetic standards we are used to. And the victims are many. Not just famous people. But unfortunately also common people and especially young people. And the effects are devastating: the person's self-esteem is reduced and this can cause anxiety, depression, eating disorders.

The defenders of the company's chosen model

Returning to Gucci, despite the many detractors, it seems that the twenty-three year old model has been included in the 100 sexiest women in the world. And so there are those who consider it "Unique", for its beauty and its out of the ordinary features. Not all therefore detractors. On the contrary. And this makes us understand how things are changing in the world of fashion. Which for years has accustomed us to very thin models, even Gucci, and out of the canons of the so-called "normality" for this very reason.

A clear choice therefore to communicate a concept of beauty that now goes beyond certain canons. And the many “curvy” models, including Italian ones, in great demand from high up, confirm this fashion. There are many companies that are dedicated to "plus sizes" because they now correspond to a more ordinary woman. And then for Gucci it is not the first time that we talk about inclusivity. In fact, he recently chose Ellie Goldstein, an 18-year-old girl with Down syndrome. Here too the controversies are inevitable, but also the opinions in favor of this new ideal of inclusive beauty.

Not just Gucci. Vogue's choice

"Fashion is a world that was born more than a hundred years ago, like a world for a few - Vogue director Emanuele Farneti told Sky Tg24 -. Instead, today it is understood that fashion concerns us all. Fashion understood that it had to open its doors". So not only Gucci but also Vogue. In fact, the director dedicated the September issue to diversity. "We have chosen to include people of all ages - he added -, of all sizes, of all sexes, of all political orientations. A feast of inclusiveness. Beauty is diverse and plural, there is no longer a single canon".

The Gucci store in New York
One of the shop windows of the Italian company in New York

Gucci and its success story

The Gucci fashion house is one of the most representative internationally. In fact, it is active in the high fashion and luxury items sectors. Founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921 in Florence, it is estimated that in 2016 it had a turnover of 7,6 billion euros. And it became the second best-selling fashion brand after Louis Vuitton. And we could also say the most imitated. In fact, if it is internationally famous, with about 300 official stores open all over the world it is also very imitated. It is easy to find bags, belts, dresses and objects with the famous "G" of the Gucci brand, but fake. So pay attention to what you buy.

Armine Harutyunyan, the Gucci model between high fashion and controversy last edit: 2020-08-31T13:00:00+02:00 da Federica Puglisi

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