Body Image Warrior: One woman's fight for change in the modelling industry

(Paperback)

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'Chelsea Bonner is an absolute powerhouse' - Mia Freedman

Part memoir and part positive body image manifesto, this is an insider's perspective on the industry and how the images the world gets to see are only part of the story. The modelling and advertising industries persistently tell women they're fat, ugly and abnormal if they conform to anything other than a western ideal of beauty. In 2002 Chelsea Bonner founded BELLA, a modelling agency focused on healthy body size and dedicated to changing our dangerously narrow perception of 'beautiful'.

Chelsea was born into the Australian entertainment industry, daughter of one of the country's most famous media couples, and grew up with the painful reality of her family life hidden behind a facade of gloss. She was expected to follow effortlessly in her parents' beautiful shadows, but her natural body shape led to teenage rebellion. Instead, Chelsea decided on a career as a modelling agent and, shocked at what she witnessed, became determined to change the industry from within. She has fought on through illness, broken relationships, the collapse of businesses and exclusion by powerful industry forces.

Reviews

"Chelsea Bonner is an absolute powerhouse, holding the advertising and modelling industries - as well as the mainstream media - to account for their portrayal of women and what constitutes a healthy, beautiful body." - Mia Freedman

Author Bio

Chelsea Bonner was born into the Australian entertainment industry. Starting her career as a junior agent when she was still a teenager, she went on to work at top modelling agencies in Melbourne and Sydney, becoming responsible for launching the careers of some of Australia's most well-known fashion and advertising photographers, hair and makeup artists and stylists. She also worked as a very successful model herself, living in New York and taking on prestigious campaigns across Australia.

Founding BELLA Models in 2002, an agency focused on health and changing the perception of size and beauty, Chelsea has worked passionately within the media and modelling industry for many years to redefine the boundaries of fashion model sizes. BELLA is now known all over the world, and her models have appeared on 'World First' covers and in the fashion editorials of Sports Illustrated, Vogue, ELLE, Cosmopolitan and marie claire. Bella Management now represents young actors, fitness and advertising entities.