AN ABNORMAL BEAUTY PAGEANT

PHOTOGRAPHY NICOLA FAVARON - FASHION LEEN ABU EISHEH - MUA EMILIE LOUIZIDES & NATALIE DOKE - HAIR PORCO YOSUK

Stylist Leen Abu Eisheh and Photographer Nicola Favaron team up to create an Abnormal Beauty Pageant. Leen’s intention was to avoid the typical and, at times, damaging standards of the pageant world. There is often a conventional focus on judging based on a contestant’s physical attributes; judges strive to score “The Perfect 10”, a numerical coefficient in ranking, and a type of scoring that remains followed as a system in nationwide beauty pageants such as Miss America. Critics argue that this puts pressure on women to conform to traditional beauty standards by spending time and money on fashion, makeup, hair styling, and even cosmetic surgery. This pursuit of physical beauty even encourages some women to diet to the point of it becoming dangerous.

Leen explores how beauty pageants, rather than being empowering, can have the opposite effect by denying the full humanity of women by placing them as the subject of objectification, reinforcing the idea that a women’s sole purpose is to look attractive. While some pageants have evolved to incorporate personality traits, intelligence and talent, this story takes a further step, celebrating the strength, silliness, playfulness, personality and fun of a diverse and refreshingly unique array of models.