A size four model claims American fashion giant Ralph Lauren fired her after an eight year partnership because she was too fat to fit in the sample sizes.
Model Filippa Hamilton, who is 5’10” and 120 pounds, told NBC’s “Today Show” that although her size has never fluctuated since she began working for the fashion house, they recently fired her through her agent because she “couldn’t fit in their clothes anymore.”
While the termination news came in April, Hamilton, 23, said she never had any intention of going public with Ralph Lauren’s alleged reason for firing her. But when a heavily altered image surfaced of Hamilton looking dangerously emaciated, she said she felt it was time to speak out.
“Every young woman is going to look at [the photo] and think that it is normal to look like that,” Hamilton told “Today” host Ann Curry. “It’s not. I saw my face on this super-extremely skinny girl, which is not me. It makes me sad. It makes me think that Ralph Lauren wants to have this kind of image. It’s an American brand … and it’s not healthy, and it’s not right.”
For their part, Ralph Lauren denies that they fired Hamilton for being too big to fit in the clothes as she alleges.
“We consider her an important part of our imaging and branding,” the company said via statement. “We regret that our relationship has ended as a result of her inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us.”
Hamilton denies this claim, saying she was loyal to the company, never gained weight and was consistently on time for work.
“I was very sad. I’ve been working with them since I was 15 years old. For me they were my second family, so I was very hurt by this,” Hamilton said before adding that she didn’t know if she would be pursuing legal action.
Honestly, she is absolutely beautiful no matter what size she is. What type of message is this sending to younger girls? And I'd love to see the "size" of the person who fired her. The new "thin" picture of her looks so unnatural. The actual picture of her is gorgeous, end of story.
She is absolutely not 5'10", nor 120. Try 5'8" and 135. And it was absolutely an excuse. If she was smart, she would've just gone and gotten a job somewhere else. There's also a reason you never saw here anywhere else but in RL ads.
The full length photo IS ghastly - so how can they accuse her of being over anything?
Just horrible to fire an already skinny girl and then what? She goes anorexic?
She should not worry, I am sure that Weight Watchers will come to her to be a spokeswoman for them!
who really cares. models get fired all of the time. i think that it was just an excuse from filippa. so what i think is that she did something or just really didnt fulfill her contract...wah...wah...she is pretty and can get a job as a jcpenny catalog model
How utterly ridiculous!!! At 5'10" and 120 lbs that is already too thin, but to say she is too large to fit into their clothes......get real! If she can't fit their clothes they need to bring out the baby dolls they were made for. Now she can be a real person and put some weight on to be healthy. Why would anyone want to work for someone that treats people like that! Yes, she really looks fat doesn't she! Filippa is doing the right thing by telling this so young women know this is wrong!
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Cornelius
Thank you! You often write very interesting articles. You improved my mood.
Lauren
Honestly, she is absolutely beautiful no matter what size she is. What type of message is this sending to younger girls? And I'd love to see the "size" of the person who fired her. The new "thin" picture of her looks so unnatural. The actual picture of her is gorgeous, end of story.
Bill
The government needs to get involved!
Kara
She is absolutely not 5'10", nor 120. Try 5'8" and 135. And it was absolutely an excuse. If she was smart, she would've just gone and gotten a job somewhere else. There's also a reason you never saw here anywhere else but in RL ads.
Sue
The full length photo IS ghastly - so how can they accuse her of being over anything? Just horrible to fire an already skinny girl and then what? She goes anorexic? She should not worry, I am sure that Weight Watchers will come to her to be a spokeswoman for them!
I am Me
who really cares. models get fired all of the time. i think that it was just an excuse from filippa. so what i think is that she did something or just really didnt fulfill her contract...wah...wah...she is pretty and can get a job as a jcpenny catalog model
Debbie
How utterly ridiculous!!! At 5'10" and 120 lbs that is already too thin, but to say she is too large to fit into their clothes......get real! If she can't fit their clothes they need to bring out the baby dolls they were made for. Now she can be a real person and put some weight on to be healthy. Why would anyone want to work for someone that treats people like that! Yes, she really looks fat doesn't she! Filippa is doing the right thing by telling this so young women know this is wrong!
joanne
Not surprising given that god forbid you should be more than 100 pounds for anything these days.