Kendall Jenner sent the fashion industry into an anger-driven frenzy last week with a quote she gave to Love Magazine. In the article, a portion of which was posted on the brand’s Instagram, Jenner calls her fellow models “those girls” and implies that she’s never had to work as hard to maintain her status.
“Since the beginning we’ve been super selective about what shows I would do,” Jenner told the magazine. “I was never one of those girls who would do like 30 shows a season or whatever the fuck those girls do. More power to ‘em. But I had a million jobs, not only catwalks but everything else. The whole combination was very overwhelming and I started to freak out a little bit and needed to take a step back.”
“Since the beginning we’ve been super selective about what shows I would do. I was never one of those girls who would do like 30 shows a season or whatever the fuck those girls do. More power to ‘em. But I had a million jobs, not only catwalks but everything else. The whole combination was very overwhelming and I started to freak out a little bit and needed to take a step back,” says the 22-year-old, admitting that she “was on the verge of a mental breakdown.” #LOVE20
Photographer @alasdairmclellan Fashion Editor @kegrand Make up @ctilburymakeup Hair @jamesspecis Casting @bitton Interview #MurrayHealy
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Models across social media quickly retaliated, expressing their anger and highlighting that few in their profession have the luxury (as Jenner does) to opt out of shows and still manage to stay afloat financially.
Just a REMINDER ☝️That some of “THOSE GIRLS” who would do like 86 shows a season, not 30… “or whatever the fuck else those girls do”? didn’t have a luxury to say NO to jobs and be “super selective about what shows they do” in order to be able to BUILD their CAREERS during non-instagram days, and get “more power”? RESPECT ✊ and Thumbs Up ? for all the LADIES who went and still are going thru those days of hard WORK, surviving on two hours of sleep in models apartment, coffee and backstage food. ?? #thosegirls
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@Naomi, @Gisele, @NatashaPoly. These legendary models, amongst many other hardworking young women (and men), started their careers from scratch. When they started, they didn’t have famous and obscenely wealthy family members to kickstart their modeling careers. Most models are plucked from obscurity as teenagers. “Those girls”, as Ken Dull referred them to, had no choice but to walk and work for the brands they did, often for very little or NO money, or worse, “trade” aka merchandise with no resell value. 99.9% of models dont have the luxury of being “selective”. They don’t get to pick their jobs. They’re at the mercy of whoever chooses to work with them — some paid, mostly not. To walk 30 shows is a badge of honor, and there are many girls out there who even walk 70 or 80 shows a season. They should be damn proud of themselves. They’ve sacrificed their personal lives away from their loved ones as they try to make a name for themselves while being paid peanuts, they go through hell and back for castings and fittings, they literally sleep 2 hours a day and they send money to their families, who do not have a reality TV show, back home. I feel truly sorry for “those who walk 30 shows a season or whatever the fuck those girls do” who were disrespected by someone so privileged. Try achieving something not based on your Instagram follower count or having a famous family but on your own merit. How mean-spirited. It’s crazy! ??? #WhenIsLoveNextOnTheCondeChoppingBlock
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In response to the backlash, the 22-year-old’s representatives told People, “Mid-thought [Kendall] realized the number of shows some models walk a season is closer to 80. The point was that it’s their path and ‘the more power to them.’ She admires their hard work and dedication. It’s an accomplishment.”
RELATED: Models Are Fuming Over Kendall Jenner’s “Disrespectful” Comments
Following a cascade of backlash in spite of her rep’s statement, on Tuesday, Jenner shared her own personal take. She tweeted, “I was misrepresented in a recent interview over the wknd & it’s important to clarify the meaning. It was intended to be entirely complimentary but unfortunately, my words were twisted & taken out of context.I want to be clear. The respect that I have for my peers is immeasurable! “
“I get to experience first hand their tireless commitment, their work ethic, the endless days, the lack of sleep, separation from family and friends, stress of traveling, the toll on physical and mental health, yet they still make it all look effortless and beautiful.”
“I’m inspired by so many of these people i have had the good fortune to work alongside! There’s no way i could EVER hate on that i want everyone to win. SLAY ALWAYS.”
“Cultivate kindness today and always.”
Of course, Jenner’s words didn’t seal the deal for all her detractors—many of whom pointed out that she managed to apologize without actually taking any of the blame for her words.
If you recall, this isn’t the first time Jenner has gotten herself tangled in a media controversy and found a way to divert the blame. Back in April, Kendall starred in a Pepsi ad that was read as insensitive toward the Black Lives Matter movement. Though the commercial was quickly taken down, and an apology issued by the company soon after, Jenner stayed mum on the topic for months (six of them), only revealing her feelings about the incident in an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians that aired that October.
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