By Pavlina Hatzopoulos
There’s a new name on fashion folks’ lips and it doesn’t look like she’ll be fading anytime soon. That name is Kendall Jenner; Kardashian baby sister turned social media sensation turned high fashion model. She’s been making waves lately, having just nabbed a highly lucrative beauty contract with cosmetic company Estee Lauder and even more recently, earning herself a coveted spot in Karl Lagerfeld’s Spring 2015 ad campaign, AND gracing the cover of American Vogue’s latest issue. However, it’s on everyone’s minds; is it the case of a model working hard to achieve success or downright nepotism?
While Kendall might impress some designers and editors (whether it’s for her talent or her 16 million Instagram follow count, I’m not quite sure), she certainly doesn’t impress the other models. Reports from New York Fashion Week in September detail how some models ‘bullied’ Kendall and even went as far as to butt out their cigarettes in her drink, to show they felt she had no right to be there. After all, she did land a cosmetic giant contract after merely two seasons in the industry, compared to fellow Estee Lauder ambassadors Joan Smalls and Constance Jablonski, who have been in the modelling biz since 2007 and 2006 respectively.
Writer Arisce Wanzer, of theblot.com, wrote an open letter to Kendall regarding her ‘model bullying,’ in which some pretty harsh things were said, including;
“Take a moment and remove yourself from your current situation, if you can, to a life that isn’t riddled with excess and only hearing the word “yes” to your wants and requests.”
“What is she doing here? Did she take the subway? Was she at the casting? What agency is she with? I didn’t see her last season … Does she need MORE fame? MORE money? A green card perhaps? Doesn’t she get enough cash from that show that all of ignorant America glamorizes? Didn’t her sister have sex with someone on camera and profit from the video sales to get their family its new line of limelight? This girl didn’t do and doesn’t owe half of what you did (remember, you’re NOT “KJ” in this scenario) to get here today, that much is certain. Her mommy surely called a top agency, got her in the door and the design houses just chose to milk her fame like the cash cow that it is. One by one like dominos from Vogue to Givenchy, fashion is selling out to the ignorant masses for money. What happened to the art, the cerebral part of fashion? Did it really all die with Alexander McQueen?”
It’s not only the other models that aren’t too happy about Kendall’s success, but also the public. On the announcement of her contract with Estee Lauder, people commented on news articles saying they refused to ever buy Estee Lauder products again. Kendall responded to this negative criticism saying, “I’m not trying to use a family name or anything. In reality I worked pretty hard for this… It wasn’t like I just got it magically and it just happened”. And it seems Kendall is more of a help than a hindrance to the brand, as her and her 16 million Instagram followers have increased the Estee Lauder Instagram following by 50k.
So it seems, whether you like it or not; Kendall Jenner’s no one season wonder, and with her recent work to go by, she might be the hottest topic in the fashion world for a few more seasons to come.
Instagram: @pavlina__h
