Although there were lights, cameras and a large crowd, the scene in the Sanford Institute was no catwalk Tuesday night--and the stance taken by the model was far more important than any pose at a fashion show.
In a speech entitled, "Effortless Perfection," professional model Laura Krauss Calenberg spoke about body image and her experience in the fashion world to a large, mostly-female audience.
Calenberg talked about how she got started in the modeling business, where the job took her and how she had to deal with her own flawed perception of beauty and security.
When she was young, she was ridiculed for being too tall and too skinny, Calenberg said. Irritated by this teasing she sought comfort in her mother, who reassured her that it was okay because, "one day she would become a model." Although she did not know it at the time, her mother's predictions were right on.
Calenberg explained that her ascent as a model was by no means quick or easy. She took a risk by moving to New York City right after graduation, only to have a hard time finding work and wound up broke. Following the advice of some friends, she went to Paris in search of opportunity, and it was this trip overseas that jump-started her career. She started as a runway model with Christian Dior, and this exposure on the runway ultimately helped start her print career as well.
With the success of her career she began to enjoy many of the benefits of the modeling world, including money, extensive traveling and partying. However, as a result of this professional accomplishment she began to lead a very self-involved, work-driven life. Calenberg described herself as a "workaholic."
"My career began to define who I was," she said. "I figured if I was working I was beautiful--because others said I was."
Calenberg emphasized that with time she realized that what she had come to consider important--physical beauty and external validation--was not healthy or acceptable.
"Living in the image was transient. It could slip through your fingers at any time," Calenberg said. This insecure existence was no longer enough to fulfill her personally or professionally. She began to question her own identity, ultimately finding comfort in reasserting her religious beliefs and working to help others in her field of work do the same.
Calenberg drew a connection between her own personal growth and experiences with those of Duke students.
"You're at this university, it couldn't be easy to get here," she said. "You owe it to yourself to examine these issues and be honest with yourself and each other about the false perceptions of what beauty really is."
Students said they took away a valuable message from the speech. "You should try not to get caught up with the hype the media is feeding us. Duke students should just strive to be who they are," senior Ifey Anoliefo said.
Flynn Cratty, a senior in Campus Crusade for Christ, one of the event's sponsors, one of only a few men in attendance expressed his appreciation for the speech.
"As a man, I'm just really glad that woman are hearing that there's more to beauty than physical perfection," Cratty said. Calenberg stressed that everyone needs to look at what is important to them, and find some way to root this in something more significant then just external beauty and social acceptance.
"The sooner you talk about these things the better. I only wish I had the opportunity for this discussion when I was younger," she said. Jennifer May, Trinity '03 and a current member of CRU's religious life staff, said she was excited for this event to help promote dialogue on campus.
"I hope it will act as a catalyst for more discussion groups on women's issues," May said. "I can't wait to see how students run with this."
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