Top Irish model Holly Carpenter has admitted to having major her personal battles with her body image, but has since moved on from them.
The Raheny native claims that the Irish modelling industry is great, as clients don’t want to put severe pressure on the women and men working for them, and want them to look as healthy and happy as possible.
Writing in her Sun on Sunday column, Holly said, “I love working at home because in Ireland clients like their models to look fit and healthy. However it’s very easy to become obsessed with how you look and what you weigh, even though none of those factors define you as a person.”
While the Irish industry is great, when it comes to models and their body image, that’s not always the case abroad. It can be a lot tougher for models overseas, as we’ve recently found out with top model Cara Delevigne, who recently quit her career as she felt the modelling world and the immense pressure surrounding it made her feel too ‘hollow.’
Holly can relate to Cara’s situation, and admitted, “I can understand where Cara is coming from. The pressure to look good in the industry is huge, especially at the level of success that she reached.”
The Dubliner felt similar pressure when she was competing in Britian and Ireland’s Next Top Model, as she became unhealthily obsessed with her looks in the run up to the show.
Holly said, “I remember when I was preparing to appear on Britian and Ireland’s Next Top Model I became a bit obsessed with my image. No one was putting as much pressure on me as I was. I was working out twice a day in the gym and I wasn’t eating as much food as I should have been.”
She continued, “Even though looking back at pictures now, I’m like ‘wow I was skinny’. I remember thinking I was actually fat at the time! I’m older now and more educated on food and fitness.”
The model has since realised the importance of balance, and having a good relationship with her body.
“The best lesson I’ve learned is that you have to love the body you have while you’re striving for the body you want. If you keep looking in the mirror and finding faults, you’re fighting a losing battle!”
