Too Many Supermodels

FASHION - Project Runway, America's Next Top Model, Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, The Tyra Banks Show, Naomi Campbell's public temper tantrums, This Year's Model, etc... Do we have too many supermodels in the media?

Think about it, they're in advertising enough already, they're featured in movies frequently, now they're being featured in a tonne of TV shows... whats next? Supermodels doing the news and the weather forecasts? We're really over-saturated with supermodels enough as is.

Just take a look at how long the list of supermodels has become over the last 50 years:

Male Supermodels

Alex Lundqvist
Andrew Stetson
Arjun Rampal
Brent Chua
Chad White
David Witko
Eli Roth
Enrique Palacios
Evandro Soldati
Gabriel Aubry
Hoyt Richards
Kivanç Tatlitug
Lars Burmeister
Marcus Schenkenberg
Mark Vanderloo
Mario Lekkas
Rusty Joiner
Simon Yam
Steven Z. Schreiber
Sylvain Grenier
Travis Fimmel
Tyrone Edmond
Tyson Ballou
Tyson Beckford
Will Chalker

Female Supermodels

Adriana Lima
Ajuma Nasenyana
Alessandra Ambrosio
Aline Nakashima
Ana Beatriz Barros
Angelica Pamintuan
Anna Bayle
Atsuko Sakuraba
Ava Gardner
Ayumi Sakurai
Barbara Allen
Betty Brosmer
Betty Grable
Beverly Johnson
Bridget Hall
Camila Finn
Carla Bruni
Carol Alt
Caroline Trentini
Carolyn Murphy
Carré Otis
Cheryl Tiegs
Christie Brinkley
Christy Turlington
Cindy Crawford
Claudia Schiffer
Colleen Corby
Cori Nadine
Daria Werbowy
Doutzen Kroes
Elle Macpherson
Emi Andoh
Ève Salvail
Gemma Ward
Gia Carangi
Gisele Bündchen
Grace De La Rosa
Heather Marks
Helena Christensen
Heidi Klum
Hilary Rhoda
Ho Chia Shuan
Hzu Chi
Iman Abdulmajid
Inez Sastre
Inna Zobova
Irina Lazareanu
Iselin Steiro
Janice Dickinson
Jerry Hall
Jessica Stam
Jun Kusanagi
June Allyson
Kai Hosihiko
Karen Mulder
Kate Moss
Kira
Laetitia Casta
Lily Cole
Lin Chi-ling
Linda Evangelista
Lisa Fonssagrives
Liya Kebede
Lola Corwin
Marisa Miller
Melanie Marquez
Miho Saito
Milla Jovovich
Mimiko Shimada
Mizuki Kanno
Natalia Vodianova
Naomi Campbell
Ninja Sarasalo
Olivia DeHaviland
Paris Hilton
Patti Hansen
Paulina Porizkova
Pinsuda Tanphairoh
Pui Yii
Raica Oliveira
Raquel Zimmermann
Reiko Kaito
Rita Hayworth
Rose McGowan
Sasha Pivovarova
Selita Ebanks
Senna Matsuda
Shalom Harlow
Stephanie Seymour
Sung Hi Lee
Takako Uehara
Tasha Tilberg
Tatjana Patitz
Tiara
Tila Tequila Nguyen
Tyra Banks
Veronica Webb
Vlada Roslyakova
Yasmeen Ghauri
Yasmin Warsame
Yuka (or Yuuka)
Yuko Aoki

And the list is just getting longer. You probably don't even recognize some of the names on this list and thats because they're not household names anymore. It used to be the definition of supermodel was when they became a household name and started appearing in a lot of big name commercials like Coca-Cola/etc., but these days its started to become more like a title on their business card than something that is earned through years of working in the industry.

There's also the regional effect. Some supermodels are only popular in certain countries and promoted there. Supermodels in the United States Vs. Supermodels in Europe, Asia, Africa, Russia, the Middle East, Australia & South America.

So in theory this list should probably be a lot longer because of regional supermodels who ARE household names in their native country but aren't well-known in North America.

Its as if our sex obsessed culture has reached a point where we like seeing supermodels all the time now, and I question whether that will ever backlash? Think about it. The American obesity rate is 33% and the percentage of Americans that are just plain overweight is closer to 72% (2007 adult statistics).

By 2015, 75% of American Adults Will Be Overweight; 41% Will Be Obese.

So to put it bluntly the United States is FAT, and I can't for the life of me figure out why they would want to be surrounded by images of supermodels (many of whom are anorexic or have had past problems with anorexia/eating disorders) on television, movies, commercials, etc. seven days a week. The supermodels are marketing to the wrong crowd.

Or more specifically, the advertising/fashion industries are going about this backwards... if they really want people to buy their products or wear their clothes, shouldn't they be pushing the idea of regular healthy people or athletes instead?

There is a long history of athletes being used to promote health drinks like Gatorade/Nike/etc, so why not do the same thing with cars, clothes and otherwise?

Less supermodels, more athletes. Sounds like a plan.