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Ralph Lauren model reveals: I was fired for being fat

By Lucy Hutchings on Thursday 15 October 2009

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Ralph Lauren - Celebrity News - Marie Claire

The model at the heart of the Ralph Lauren retouching scandal, Filippa Hamilton, has claimed that she was fired by the fashion house for being too fat.

Ms Hamilton hit the headlines last week, after heavily retouched images of her in a Ralph Lauren ad were released, in which her head was wider than her waist.

The American brand was quick to apologise for the error, but Hamilton is now claiming that she was released from her contract with the brand, after she was deemed too large.

Speaking to the New York Daily News, she claimed: 'They fired me because they said I was overweight and I couldn't fit in their clothes anymore.'

As for the controversial shot, she added, 'I was shocked to see that super skinny girl with my face, it's very sad, I think, that Ralph Lauren could do something like that.'

Ralph Lauren are claiming that Hamilton's weight was not an issue though, and stated via a statement that the contract ended 'as a result of her inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us.'

Thursday 15 October 2009

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I find it impossible to believe that someone approved this image... It's laughable!
Comment by Sam on October 15 10:10

This is absolutely ridiculous... I can't believe such a large and well respected brand has made such bad decisions. They have really gone down in my estimation
Comment by Kate on October 15 10:40

.How could that have been passed as a final copy print? ..like some scifi creature..how embarrassing for the company and distressing for the girl.
Comment by anon on October 15 14:11

How can that picture have been released? How can they try to sell their clothes with a woman looks seriously ill??? Horrid... really horrid...
Comment by ROSANNA on October 15 14:38

Although I feel sorry for how Fillipa was treated but I also understand that it is not just about her but an industry prejudice towards the fuller figure. In the advert her porportions look ridiculous. I am suprised that Ralph Lauren's PR, legal and contingency department did not consider the ramifications regarding this situation.
Comment by EOW on October 15 14:42

I think the picture looks absolutely ridiculous - it just doesnt look real. Shame on Ralph Lauren. Yes, people want to look at clothes on slender models but not to the point of anorexia. Looking at models from many named fashion houses, they are as guilty as RL for encouraging and endorsing anorexic models. It will be a brave house to make a stand against this. As to Karl Largerfeld - yes fashion is about "dreams" but fantasy can also encompass reality! Why doesnt a designer think about realistic sizes after all KL seems to be able to when accommodating friends!
Comment by Hilary on October 15 16:11

I think most photos -advertisements and magazines-look ridicules. The models on photos are not anorectic at all. Some of them are size 12 but they retouched to size 0. Why? I think that is the question editors of magazines and designers should answer. Retouching should disappear from life because is killing true photography and true people.
I would love to be part of real discussion and campaign against retouching. It would finish all problems including teenage girls starving to death because of the retouched photos we all see around.
Comment by magy on October 17 09:30

I really cant believe how bad this picture looks, she looks terrible!! its really not a good image of how women should look, im just glad that marie claire are more considerate when it comes to choosing their models.
Comment by Kirsty on October 18 22:10

Disgraceful; both the picture and the decision made by the brand.
I feel sorry for Filipa.
Comment by Elle on November 01 11:21

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