βetabrand has been using female PhD and post-docs to model their latest spring collection – but what does this mean for women in science?
“Our designers cooked up a collection of smart fashions for spring, so why not display them on the bodies of women with really big brains?” Said the Betabrand CEO Chris Lindland in an interview to Adweek, “sixty women from around the world applied.” Just seven were chosen as the βetabrand to be the “New Women’s Spring Collection: modeled by a ravishing roster of PhDs & doctoral candidates.“
Apart from fashion, what kind of statement is βetabrand trying to make? That science can be beautiful too? That anyone can be a model? Either way, this cannot be a bad thing, right?
The βetabrand campaign is as refreshing – showing real women modelling clothes. But they aren’t only fashion models, they are also role models. By showing that these women are high-achieving academics, hopefully many younger women will see this potential in themselves too. It might reach any number of young girls and women who would previously not have thought about going into science, but this might show them that it is possible. Exposing the possibility that science is an option to those that are stereotypically not considered scientifically minded can only be a good thing, right?
Recent comments on this blog
African astronomy and how one student broke into the field
From Doctorate to Data Science: A very short guide
Work/life balance: New definitions