'Imperfect' Models in Italy Redefine Beauty
2023-03-02
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1An Italian project on the social media service Instagram is aiming to bring attention to women who do not look like usual fashion models.
2Carlotta Giancane started L'Imperfetta modeling agency in 2020.
3The name means "imperfect" in the Italian language. And the agency aims to redefine ideas about beauty in Italy.
4The agency works with models who are unusual for the industry in many ways.
5The models are of all sizes and ages.
6Some of the models have disabilities.
7Others have medical conditions - like alopecia, which causes hair loss.
8Still others have scars where they have been injured or have skin discolorations.
9Sonia Spartá is one of the models.
10The 28-year-old from Sicily has a condition called hyperpigmentation or unusual skin coloring.
11It results in dark spots on her face and body.
12She said that she often hears people talk in public about her appearance.
13She has heard some parents tell their children that she is from the circus.
14Before, she tried to hide her condition.
15Now, she does not. She considers her appearance beautiful.
16She said, "I changed things so that my weakness, or how I perceived a weakness, became my source of strength -- my distinctiveness."
17This is the first such agency in Italy.
18Giancane, the founder of the company, said: "I feel like a revolutionary because I realize that around me all this did not exist before L'Imperfetta."
19The agency has more than 140 models.
20They are in Italy and around the world.
21However, Giancane said she wants to change things in Italy.
22Her models have appeared in advertising campaigns for cosmetic products, fashion retailers, and supermarkets.
23Much of the work is in online advertisements.
24But there have also been calls for models in television advertisements.
25Two models have appeared in fashion shows in Milan for designer Marco Rambaldi.
26Model Lucia Della Ratta is a university student in Rome.
27She hid her albinism for most of her life.
28She tried to darken the color of her hair and skin with products.
29But during the pandemic lockdown, she let her natural hair color grow out and began posting photos on Instagram.
30"I felt beautiful for the first time," Della Ratta said recently.
31The change still brings tears to her eyes. "I felt it was my essence, as though it is me, as I really am."
32Another model, Desireé D'Angelo, has had alopecia since she was 10 years old.
33At school she wore a hat to hide her baldness.
34But classmates would often take it off her head.
35At age 15, a dance teacher suggested that she accept her condition and stop hiding it.
36Since then, she has become a successful dancer, performer, and model.
37"I like my body. I like my peculiarity. In the end, I have accepted it," she said.
38I'm Anna Matteo.
1An Italian project on the social media service Instagram is aiming to bring attention to women who do not look like usual fashion models. 2Carlotta Giancane started L'Imperfetta modeling agency in 2020. The name means "imperfect" in the Italian language. And the agency aims to redefine ideas about beauty in Italy. 3The agency works with models who are unusual for the industry in many ways. The models are of all sizes and ages. Some of the models have disabilities. Others have medical conditions - like alopecia, which causes hair loss. Still others have scars where they have been injured or have skin discolorations. 4Sonia Spartá is one of the models. The 28-year-old from Sicily has a condition called hyperpigmentation or unusual skin coloring. It results in dark spots on her face and body. She said that she often hears people talk in public about her appearance. She has heard some parents tell their children that she is from the circus. Before, she tried to hide her condition. Now, she does not. She considers her appearance beautiful. 5She said, "I changed things so that my weakness, or how I perceived a weakness, became my source of strength -- my distinctiveness." 6This is the first such agency in Italy. Giancane, the founder of the company, said: "I feel like a revolutionary because I realize that around me all this did not exist before L'Imperfetta." 7The agency has more than 140 models. They are in Italy and around the world. However, Giancane said she wants to change things in Italy. 8Her models have appeared in advertising campaigns for cosmetic products, fashion retailers, and supermarkets. Much of the work is in online advertisements. But there have also been calls for models in television advertisements. Two models have appeared in fashion shows in Milan for designer Marco Rambaldi. 9Model Lucia Della Ratta is a university student in Rome. She hid her albinism for most of her life. She tried to darken the color of her hair and skin with products. But during the pandemic lockdown, she let her natural hair color grow out and began posting photos on Instagram. 10"I felt beautiful for the first time," Della Ratta said recently. The change still brings tears to her eyes. "I felt it was my essence, as though it is me, as I really am." 11Another model, Desireé D'Angelo, has had alopecia since she was 10 years old. At school she wore a hat to hide her baldness. But classmates would often take it off her head. At age 15, a dance teacher suggested that she accept her condition and stop hiding it. Since then, she has become a successful dancer, performer, and model. 12"I like my body. I like my peculiarity. In the end, I have accepted it," she said. 13I'm Anna Matteo. 14In Rome, Trisha Thomas and Alessandra Tarantino reported this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 15______________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17fashion -adj. related to the industry of selling new clothing and wearable products 18circus -n. a traveling show of people who perform tricks while wearing costumes 19perceive -v. to think of something in a certain way 20distinctiveness -n. the state of being different because of some quality that is often rare 21cosmetic -adj. something that is worn on the face or skin to make a person look better 22retailer -n. a person or business that sells products to the public, not to other businesses 23albinism -n. a condition in which a person's body lacks color, so their skin and hair are nearly white, and their eyes are red 24essence -n. the basic nature of something; the quality that makes something what it is 25peculiarity -n. a state of being usual or quite different 26We want to hear from you. In the Comments section, you can also practice using any of the expressions from the story. 27We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 28Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.