Hilary Rhoda on society's changing attitudes to the female form

Tilly Macalister-Smith charts the rise of fashion’s new minimalist mood — and talks to model (and fitness addict) Hilary Rhoda about society’s changing attitudes to the female form
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There’s no doubt about it — revolution is in the air. Earlier this month, Jennifer Aniston wrote an outspoken critique of contemporary body norms in the Huffington Post: ‘The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing,’ she said, adding that she’s sick of being ‘measured against some warped standard of beauty.’

Elsewhere, everyone from Emily Ratajkowski to Hillary Clinton has spoken out against the policing of the female physique. Even London’s new Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has joined the charge — he announced last month that TFL will ban ‘body-shaming’ ads following last summer’s protests over the Protein World ‘Are you beach body ready?’ poster, featuring a svelte girl in a bikini. He said he had the welfare of his two teenage daughters in mind.

Body politics has never felt more potent. This summer a sweep of strong, athletic women has dominated the popular consciousness. Jessica Ennis gearing up for Rio; Serena Williams winning her seventh Wimbledon and 22nd Grand Slam title, and Beyoncé, glorious in a leotard and thigh-high boots, performing ‘Formation’ at Wembley.

On social media, the hashtags ‘girl gains’ (as in, muscle gains) and ‘strong not skinny’ have come to represent the celebration of female physical power. Thanks to the likes of FitBit, ClassPass and dial-a-PT apps, being fit — and being strong — has never been easier (or more appealing). As Dr Becky Spelman, psychologist at Harley Street’s Private Therapy Clinic, puts it: ‘Women are understanding that skinny doesn’t mean healthy, and that strength and working on what you can do with your body rather than restricting yourself is far more empowering.’

La Perla nude bra, £154;Base Range velvet brief, £40, both at Selfridges Body Studio, W1, and selfridges.com
Liam Warwick

The fashion world is waking up to it. This season’s pre-collections — traditionally a time when we breathe a sigh of relief as autumnal layers begin hitting the shop floor — included a raft of revealing entries, among them Chantilly lace-trimmed negligees from Valentino and Nina Ricci, and Stella McCartney’s shoulder-baring asymmetric dress. Underpinning it is a celebration of the female form at its strongest. Victoria Beckham, too, who has in recent seasons discovered a quieter composure and confidence, demonstrated with her exquisite minimal cream dress.

It was with this new mood in mind that we asked Hilary Rhoda to model the looks you see here. With her long, lean biceps, clearly defined abdominals and boundless energy, the Maryland-born model epitomises a new confidence borne from power and posture. Scouted at 16, gracing the cover of American Vogue by 20 and a Sports Illustrated regular, she’s part of a tribe of healthy models that includes kickboxing Karlie Kloss and cross-training Gigi Hadid.

Body politic: fashion's new minimalist mood

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Though naturally slim, there is nothing fragile or waif-like about Rhoda. Now 29 and 5’11”, she told us on set that at school she towered over the boys but ‘never felt insecure about it. I played basketball and thought being tall was cool’. She still works out every day (for an hour and a half each morning), doing a combination of choreographed dance cardio and leg exercises on a mat at super-PT Tracy Anderson’s NYC gym, as well as regular spin classes. When travelling she packs a skipping rope and 3lb leg weights. The aim? Strength. ‘It makes me feel good and it gives me that mental clarity.’

Talking like an athlete, she tells me she eats ‘for fuel’: having Greek yoghurt with granola and fruit or eggs and hot sauce for breakfast, plenty of salads, and a good amount of chocolate (peanut M’n’Ms are a favourite). If she’s eating out with her Canadian former pro ice hockey-player husband, Sean Avery, nothing beats ‘pasta with peas’, at Da Silvano in New York. The idea of doing a ‘crash diet’ for a photo shoot is anathema to her.

To which we say: quite right, too. Long live powerful body confidence. Vive la revolution.

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