Can You Spot the Difference? Petra Nemcova Reveals Before & After Lingerie Images
The unretouched photo released by Nemcova (L); campaign image (R). Photo: twitter.com/pnemcova
Petra Nemcova's been showing off her killer body for almost 15 years. Her most recent underwear shoot, for Ultimo’s Spring/Summer 2015 campaign, shows off her fit abs, large breasts, and toned legs. The 35-year-old will be blown up and plastered on billboards, looking out from the pages of glossy magazines, and blasted across social media—so of course the pictures of her were retouched. Unlike every other lingerie model, however, Nemcova also released the un-airbrushed images to dispel any mysteries and quash controversies before they can even start.
If you’re looking for a dramatic reveal, prepare to be disappointed. There’s no cellulite in the before images. Her thighs are the same size in the after shot, as is the width of Nemcova’s waist and the breadth of her chest. In fact, the Czech model looks exactly the same — just with better lighting. Who wouldn’t proudly release a photo like that?
Nemcova’s considered too old to walk the runway and too young to be a novelty hire for the catwalk. (Like when Mary Katrantzou featured multiple models over 40 or Eva Herzigová, 41, walked in Versace.) In fact, her career has been stagnant for a few years now and, knowing the Internet, it’s possible she knew natural images would instigate a conversation with her in the forefront. (Guilty! It’s click bait!)
Related: Instagram Calls Out Retouching Fails
But giving Nemcova the benefit of the doubt — she does have a stellar reputation and gives a ton to charity — her stunt might not be a stunt after all. Instead, she could be contributing to efforts to decrease illusions within an industry that historically has promoted poor body image. The only problem is that her body fits the industry’s ideal of perfection in real life.
