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Crystal Renn – Plus or Not?

Crystal Renn is a plus size model who began her career as a straight sized model at the young age of 14. After being discovered by a scout, Crystal was asked to lose 50lbs and began starving herself to maintain her skinny figure. After a slew of crazy diets, Crystal got to a point where she just couldn’t lose anymore weight. Her agent recommended she try plus size modeling and the rest is history

Crystal has been very outspoken with her views on body image and has been an inspiration to aspiring plus models everywhere. She is highly successful with an amazing career – the only plus model to appear on a Harper’s Bazaar cover, contracts with Mango, Evans, Lane Bryant and Torrid and of course, her famous finale walk down the runway for Jean-Paul Gaultier’s 2006 prêt-à-porter collection. Booking these types of jobs is simply unheard of in the plus industry.

I have photos of Crystal plastered all over my walls so I was thrilled when I came across the December 2008 issue of Italian Elle. Not only was she on the cover of the magazine, she had a 8 page editorial in the issue! But when I began looking at the images, I was struck by how thin Crystal looked. Is it just me or does she look like a size 2? Is this the work of a master photoshopper or has she gone the way of the lettuce chomper and dropped the pounds to book more work? Doesn’t this go against everything she stands for?

What do you guys think? Would you still consider Crystal a plus model?

crystal renn , elle magazine , plus model

Chaos In My Panty Drawer!

Comments:12

Tina
08/12/23

That’s a tough one…
She seems to have good ideals and support personal beauty, but she does look a bit stick think in those pics.
I wonder if it just depends on when you catch her- maybe she is just a bit of a yoyo?
I’ve seen some other photos where she looked much more plus than these.

http://www.curvystyle.com/Crystal.jpg
http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/6640/curvywomancrystalrenn407tb.jpg
http://www.pasazz.net/images-plus/crystal-renn.jpg
http://images.fashionmodeldirectory.com/model/000000064439-crystal_renn-fit.jpg
Sharon.Peters
08/12/24

I think she was thinned out in photoshop. Just like any other celebrity, they don’t always have control over how the magazine will make them look. Remember Jennifer Hudsons album cover?

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/07/10/jennifer-hudson-album-cover/
Jane
08/12/24

This is why Crystal Renn’s supposed “success” in changing the fashion industry isn’t any success at all. First of all, it’s still only HER that the magazines are using, not any other (larger) plus-size models. Second, when she does appear, they make her look not-even-remotely plus. So she may be a 12, or may not be, but still looks like a size 2. And this helps size-acceptance how? Not at all.

Actually, if Crystal were at least a 14 or a 16 and would be appearing in campaigns for plus-size retailers where they actually showed her size, then THAT would be something. This fashion “success” of hers is worse than useless.

Any plus-size model whose work actually makes them look plus, and whose images are then shown to the world, actually does MORE to promote a bigger idea of beauty than Crystal does.

It’s not Crystal’s fault, but still, I think people have a misguided view of what a supposedly big deal Crystal’s “acceptance” by the fashion industry is. It isn’t any acceptance at all–and it’s certainly not an acceptance of plus sizes.
Melinda
08/12/26

I don’t agree with Jane. Crystal Renn has been successful as a full figured model, even if she doesn’t appear full figured in that Elle ad. If you look at her current campaigns, you’ll notice how full figured Crystal really is.

Crystal IS appearing in campaigns for plus size retailers. She IS at least a 14 and she is curvy in these ads.

http://i.models.com/oftheminute/archives/images/crystal_italian_vogue_1.jpg

http://images.fashionmodeldirectory.com/model/000000064439-crystal_renn-fit.jpg

http://www.lanebryant.com/pagebuilder/outfit?cid=0000006880&my_nav=whats_hot&cat=outfits&subcat=fresh%20holiday

The fact of the matter is – Crystal is allowing it to be okay to be plus size for other models. Who cares if she’s not a size 18. She’s not a size 0 and that’s what matters.

We need to take “acceptance” one step at a time, and she’s definitely helping.
Deb
09/01/02

Crystal looks very thin. I don’t see myself or my friends when I look at her.
Michelle Renee
09/01/04

I also believe there is some editing magic done here, and alot of it is wardrobe as well. Crystal is a size 12, a true 12, and if you see current photos of her in Figure in holiday wear, you can clearly see the fullness of her arms and her overall Figure.

I agree with another comment, that she is helping acceptance just by virtue of the fact she is larger than a size 2.

The pendulum swings back and forth with which sizes are currently most widely used in plus modeling. Right now the 10-14′s are probably seeing the most work, while a little while back it was the 14′s and 16′s.

What models are used is no accident, as there are focus groups and demographic studies and sales studies with regard to advertising going on all the time. Having participated in one such study and being a plus model myself, I know that it is all sales driven and clients book what will sell the merchadise. When/if a size 18 model in a campaign makes the stock fly off the racks you can bet the size of the models will go up.

I think Crystal is a stunning model and I applaud Italian Elle for using her. It seems the European magazines are much more open to using models of a less traditional size than U.S. ones, (Toccara, Crystal on cover of Russian Bazaar, etc.)
Mike
09/01/22

Not plus size. I have seen her on shows where she will say that she yo-yo’s quite a bit, but even when she models for LB, I just don’t see her as a true plus size beauty. not at all like the women at H&C.
juli
09/02/16

i agree with Melinda. regardless of whether or not you consider her a “true plus”, she is not your average runway or fashion model. even in that elle spread, her body is evidently not the perfectly toned physique one you typically see. you can also tell that the photographers specifically posed her to “thin her down”. a size 2 would probably be wearing a lighter colored or more sheer shirt, and it would be clinging to her body instead of floating.
and really, as someone who’s worn sizes 0 – 16, negative image about size doesn’t magically start at a 12 or 14. it’s about acceptance for *all* bodies, right?
robyn
09/02/24

yeah I saw those pics and was shocked, I have been a fan for a while and she definitely has lost weight, there was no real trick photography because you can see it in her face, but she still looks like a healthy size 10-12 and you can’t always maintain a certain size be that big or small just as long as she still looks healthy and gorgeous is all that matters
shoppingsmart
09/05/09

Hmmm… She really looks thin in these pictures. But she is a great model, and my favourite “plus”. Have you seen any other recent pictures of her looking this thin?
CLAIRE SMITH
09/05/10

crystal would have looked great in that white 50s bathing costume if only she had lost some of that puppy fat offv of those thighs and she was only 16 at the time! I,m sorry but for me she went from one bad slimming diet to overeating fat girl.
skunkbee
10/08/25

I think she looks wonderful. she doesn’t need to be more fat, she has a natural skinny face anyway even if she were size 16. Besides, it is about time they figure out that size 4, 6 and 8 are just as important, enough with the size 00′s and 16′s. I want to feel good about my size, too! let all sizes in.

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