Two issues ago, I wrote a post attempting to explain why the price of women's underwear has kept on rising. It is all quite academic. There is no obsession with women's underwear. I received a comment on something that I actually missed out in my analysis.
But before that, here is a picture of Miranda Kerr and the US$2.5 million "Fantasy Bra" that's going to be released:
I had claimed that I could not think of goods that are related to women's underwear but I had totally forgotten about the models that parade those very garments. While it may be true that the models are being paid for their looks, this article here reveals that it is a lot more than just that:
So here's what it really takes to be an Angel: Lima, 30, has been working out every day with a personal trainer since August. For the last three weeks, she's been working out twice a day.
"It is really intense, it's not really the amount of time you spend working out, it's the intensity: I jump rope, I do boxing, I lift weights, but I get bored doing that. If I am not moving I get bored very easily."
She sees a nutritionist, who has measured her body's muscle mass, fat ratio and levels of water retention. He prescribes protein shakes, vitamins and supplements to keep Lima's energy levels up during this training period. Lima drinks a gallon of water a day. For nine days before the show, she will drink only protein shakes - "no solids". The concoctions include powdered egg. Two days before the show, she will abstain from the daily gallon of water, and "just drink normally". Then, 12 hours before the show, she will stop drinking entirely.
"No liquids at all so you dry out, sometimes you can lose up to eight pounds just from that," she says.
"It's like they're training for a marathon," says Sophia Neophitou, the British fashion editor who is chief stylist for this year's show.
"Adriana works really hard at it. It's the same as if you were a long-distance runner. They are athletes in this environment - it's harder to be a Victoria's Secret model because no one can just chuck an outfit on you, and hide your lumps and bumps.I mean, I knew that it wasn't easy being a model. But this is what it takes to be a world class model. It is no surprise that the models get paid A LOT. It is becoming clearer why women's underwear have shot up in price.
