Inga Leads a Revolution in the Fashion World

Inga Eiríksdóttir is an Icelandic model who lives in New York. She is part of the Alda Women coalition, whose members have  utilised their fame and modelling experience to lead a revolution in the fashion world, both in the USA and elsewhere. Inga and Alda Women are in a 8 page spread in the second issue of Glamour Iceland.



Concerns regarding beauty standards in fashion, glamour magazines and the modelling world are long-standing, but the effects of pressure groups such as Alda Women are beginning to be felt. Recently, French authorities banned the use of excessively thin models in order to curb anorexia in the country. Israel and Spain have also banned the idealization of “dangerously thin” models. Due to France’s status in the fashion world, the policy is expected to have far-reaching effects. The women of Alda Women are of all shapes and sizes, but all have had successful careers. They encourage women to be pleased with their body and to take good care of it, their main emphasis being on well-being rather than size.

Inga has enjoyed tremendous success. She has been the face of campaigns for Ralph Lauren and Max Mara and modelled for glamour magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle, to name just a few highlights. She has worked with major photographers such as Steen Maisel, Peter Lindberg, Patrick Demarchelier, Cass Bird and Silja Magg. Glamour Iceland met with Inga.

“Even if it might sound strange since we are models, which is a lot about looks, we are more interested in building strong self-esteem rather than just focusing on looks. We do this through our work with various charities. In the last few years, we have organized various events to encourage women to do constructive work and give back to those in need. We have had running and cycling events and training in public appearances, to name just a few things. In March we started working with “Girl Up”, which is a UN initiative promoting leadership in girls and collecting funds for girls in need,” Inga explains calmly.

Inga is clearly serious about her work with the Alda group. “We want to encourage women to be pleased with their own body and take care of it just the way it is.”

Was Considered Too “Burly”

Inga began modelling professionally at a young age. She was only fourteen when she was discovered in Iceland and moved to London to model at the age of fifteen. She subsequently lived in Paris and Milan before settling in New York, where she still lives more than a decade later. Inga was at the outset of her career when she first tried to fit into the “traditional model mould”.

“I was only fifteen when I began modelling and I was doing a lot of sports, especially tennis. The Paris agency thought I was too “burly” so I was asked to quit tennis, which I did. For the next few years I tried to be as thin as I possibly could by going on diets and exercising. The agency made great demands in that respect. When I moved to New York, the agencies there told me that it was best for me to be as thin as possible. And the fact was that I when I was at my thinnest, I got the most fashion show bookings. As I am very big-boned by nature this did not suit me. This wasn’t healthy so I when I was around twenty, I decided to stop this and allow the body to be as it is,” Inga continues.

Decided to Never Diet Again

“I decided to never go on a diet again, but rather adapt a healthy lifestyle and enjoy life. That is probably one of the best decisions I have ever taken to date,” says Inga with a smile.

She adds that the industry is changing and that new regulations encourage models to have a healthier figure when they walk the runway. “I hope this has an effect on what we will see on the runways over the next few years. I and the other Alda girls are now going to tryouts for fashion shows so who knows, maybe the whole scene will become more diverse sooner rather than later. Now it all depends on the designers. They will have to design prototype samples in larger sizes for any real changes to come into effect. Fortunately, the fashion industry is changing fast. We’re seeing more diversity in age, size and race in fashion magazines and on the runways. There is also more awareness among the public as to where clothes come from and whether their production is sustainable and environmental.”

Secret Meetings and a Revolution Under an Icelandic Name

Alda Women, the group that is on its way to revolutionize the fashion industry, consists of Inga, Ashley Graham, Julie Henderson, Danielle Redman and Marquita Ping.

“We had all worked together for many years. We used to be at Ford Models before they decided to close many of their divisions, including our division, which was the division for “plus-size” models. I contacted those I knew best and those who had most success in their career in order to see what we could to together as a group. After a few months of secret meetings, where we put together a business plan, we went to the largest agencies here in New York. None of them had ever had models in sizes over US 6 (Europe 38) so we were not sure how we would be received, but the positive reception came as a pleasant surprise. After much negotiation we decided to go with IMG, as it is the biggest with the most power to really influence the industry. They were willing to help us with our goal,” says Inga.

“As we see it, it shouldn’t matter whether you’re a size 2 or a size 12 and first on our agenda when we went to IMG as a group was to be placed in the same division as other models such as Kate Moss and Lara Stone. As a result, we get much more of a chance than before to meet people who have great influence within the industry and get to decide who gets hired. This prevents discrimination due to size.”

What about the name, Alda?

Inga laughs. “Yes, Alda is all-Icelandic. When we were deciding on a name, this was one that appealed to all the girls. We wanted to bring fresh ideas into the industry.”

Advises Girls to Educate Themselves

When asked, Inga says that she is not sure that she would advise other girls to go down the same path as she did.

“I’m not sure that I would recommend girls to start out as young as I did. I don’t think there’s such a rush. The industry has changed a lot and now women can do this at all ages. I think 18 is a good age to start out if girls find this line of work exciting. Since you can’t depend on this industry in the long-term, or even at all, and it’s hard to have any control over whether you get jobs or not, I would advise girls to continue their education and do this on the side if they get the chance. But the most important thing is to believe in yourself and think about your health,” Inga says in closing.

 - French authorities want to ban the use of excessively thin models in an attempt to curb anorexia in the country. Israel and Spain have also banned the idealization of “dangerously thin” models. Due to France’s status in the fashion world, the policy is expected to have far-reaching effects.

- An estimated 40,000 people in France suffer from anorexia, 90 percent of them women.

- According to the proposed legislation, those who are under a certain level regarding height and weight will not be allowed to do paid modelling work. The precise level has yet to be decided.

- Those who fail to follow the legislation could face up to six months in prison and fined up to 75,000 euros.

- New rules were also implemented recently, requiring that people be informed if images are manipulated to make models appear thinner or heavier.

A Good Looking Body Is a Healthy BodyInga takes good care of her body. “I try to have a varied diet and do some exercise several times a week. I love making smoothies and do a lot of that. I also try to drink green juice a few times a week.”

Last winter, Inga completed her training as a health coach and she takes care to exercise. “One of the main things I learned is how much healthier it is to cook at home rather than eat at restaurants, so I’m trying to do that. I travel a lot, which makes it harder to have a healthy diet, but I just have to take something healthy with me, such as nuts and fruit, which is easy to eat while travelling.

I have begun playing tennis again and I do a lot of yoga and meditation. I also enjoy skiing and surfing and do that when I can. Besides, I cycle or walk most places in the city.”

 

Áfram @aldawomen Allt um þessar stórglæsilegu fyrirmyndir og íslensku fyrirsætuna Ingu Eiríks sem leiðir hópinn í nýjasta @glamouriceland ! Dansaðu inn í helgina með okkur @ingaerla @siljamagg @olofskaftadottir

A video posted by Glamour Iceland (@glamouriceland) on May 8, 2015 at 9:28am PDT