Before (from a video shot by Crystal's agent) and After post-production

Everyone was proper puzzled looking at the pictures of Crystal Renn perched on a windowsill with twiggy thighs and hollow cheeks the other week. Had she gone on a crash diet? We hoped not, because we’ve got used to her sticking up for her principles and succeeding in the fashion world on her own terms, rather than being bossed around and obeying protocol.

As the model herself is a former anorexic, Crystal Renn has voiced her reaction to the images of her looking tiny modelling T shirts.  “Well, I was shocked. When I saw the pictures, I think I was silent for a good five minutes, staring with my mouth open. I don’t know what was done to those photos or who did it, but they look retouched to me. And listen, everybody retouches, but don’t make me into something I’m not”.

After becoming the world’s most successful plus sized model and writing her autobiography – called Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition, and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves; Crystal has become something of a poster girl for ‘normal sized’ women in fashion imagery. As well as this she has flouted a second supermodel taboo, by cheerfully speaking out about injustices within the industry as and when she sees them. Speaking to a US magazine about the permanent speculation and comment about her size and whether or not she has lost weight she said,

“In a way, I am relieved it was me because I have been recovered [from anorexia] for over seven years now. If it was someone not in recovery that long, it could have had a damaging effect. My fear is that people don't know where I stand right now, but they should feel reassured that I am taking care of myself and am very happy. I am a size 10*. My weight loss is due to body adjustment because of working out after a seven-year hiatus”.

On a happier note, Crystal spoke about the recent Jean Paul Gaultier campaign, saying  “being a part of this campaign is not just a highlight in my career, but in my life. The ad is the perfect example of diversity [she starred alongside Ping Hue and French model Kelly Moirera] in the fashion industry. We agree!

And the former Evans model says she WOULD like to design a range of plus sized clothes! “Having spent many years working with different stylists and models with different body types, and seeing different fabrics and silhouettes on those different body types, I feel a project like that would be a natural next step for me”. It seems to us like there isn't much that Crystal can’t do, if she puts her mind to it.

* US size 10 - equivalent to a UK size 14

- Naomi Attwood