Size Zero, the thinness epidemy

Abstract

This article analyzes the return of late 1990s and early 2000s aesthetics in fashion shows (2022/2023), which have revived the makeup, clothing styles, and extreme thinness of models from that era. The study observes the impact of this trend, highlighting the disappearance of plus size bodies in international fashion shows, the change in influ- encers’ bodies, and the increase in publications about thin bodies and aesthetic procedures on social media, especially TikTok. The general objectives include investigating how fashion and social media influence perceptions of beauty and body standards. Specifically, the text examines the representation of midsize and plus size bodies on runways and the culture of thinness promoted by influencers and celebrities. The methodology used involves analyzing data from fashion shows, inclusion reports, and social media trends such as TikTok. The study compares the current resurgence of the extreme thinness standard with the heroin chic movement of the 1990s. The final considerations point to a setback in body diversity, criticizing the promotion of thin bodies as the beauty ideal and warning about the risks as- sociated with eating disorders and aesthetic procedures.