Nancy Upton
Twitter: @nancyupton
Archive of winners 15: Nancy Upton shames the shameful American Apparel
Questions to Consider:
- What was the message Nancy Upton was trying to send to her audience?
- How did she send a positive message to young girls and women?
- What was the comment she was making to American Apparel?
What We Think:
Nancy Upton, a plus size woman, entered American Apparel’s “Next Big Thing” modeling contest where the winner was to be decided by online votes. For this contest, Upton submitted pictures of herself eating and covered with food in provocative positions, basically spoofing all of American Apparel’s ads throughout the years. Although Upton won the contest due to popular vote, American Apparel did not waste any time and quickly took it away from her, stating that they did not want someone who “discredits the positive intentions of our challenge”, according to Iris Alonzo, Creative Director for American Apparel. What Nancy Upton did was remarkable and applause-worthy because she called out American Apparel for their insensitivity to plus-size women and women who aren’t “sexy” according to it’s misogynist CEO, Dov Charney. “American Apparel was going to try to use one fat girl as a symbol of apology and acceptance to a demographic it had long insisted on ignoring, while simultaneously having that girl (and a thousand other girls) shill their products,” Upton said. Even though her win was taken away, Nancy Upton is still the winner because she became a positive role model for all girls and women out there who have felt victimized by American Apparel. She showed them that they don’t need to succumb to the ridiculous image of American Apparel! — Nickole Mariona
Where we saw it: September 9, 2011; The Daily Beast, Jezebel
Laurel Ann Larson on 12-03-2012
It is always appreciated when someone takes a step for all women. Girl's in our schools today watch the main stream and beat themselves up and end up in my office for, binging, cutting, and dating boys who treat them awful - because that is the only boys who will look at me.......Amanda Graves on 02-01-2013
The message that Nancy Upton is trying to send to her audience is that no matter how big you are doesn’t make you less beautiful and eating is sexy, not to stop eating because you think you are too big. She sends a very positive message to younger girls and woman because she shows them how not all first place winners are thin and perfect even girls who have a piece of chicken in their hands can still come in first. The comment Nancy was making to American Apparel was that they are going to use one fat girl to show that they don’t only choose the skinny girls.