For Eurovision 2018 winner Netta, empowerment isn’t just a message in her winning song “Toy” but a way of life. She’s embodied that message ever since she entered the public eye and has actively promoted values tolerance and self-acceptance. And she recently took another brave step by hitting the runway while wearing a swimsuit. One small strut for Netta, a giant leap for Israel fashion. Her appearance was part of the first-ever runway show held by a plus-size brand at Tel Aviv Fashion Week.
When she won Eurovision Song Contest 2018 she said: “Thank you so much for choosing different”. And now she’s working hard to ensure people keep recognising the value and worth in all of us no matter how we look or what clothes we wear.
The runway is perhaps not the most common place for plus size models, especially when it’s about swimwear, yet, Netta took the runway by storm recently during Tel Aviv’s fashion week while wearing a special swimsuit that is offered for plus-size women by Bananhot. The event also featured a plus-size runway show by Retema.
Netta wore a bold yellow one-piece with a deeply plunging neckline and looked absolutely amazing. Fierce, confident and oozing charisma, she danced her way onto the catwalk to the new remix of her song “Bassa Sababa” by Dalit Rechester. The “Toy” hitmaker proved to us all that size doesn’t really matter and it’s all about your self-confidence. She sang her iconic lyric “I love my thicker figure” and was definitely dancing to the beat of her own drum. BAM!
The Jerusalem Post reported what Netta had to say backstage:
“For years I would sit on the side when my friends swam in the water. There is no feeling worse than that, to be afraid of what people will say about you, or to be embarrassed by who you are and what you are. I’m proud to do this today… I’m really proud to be a part of this. Don’t be embarrassed, be yourselves.”
Fashion is quite an important aspect of Netta’s art: everywhere she goes, her fashion and beauty team follows. Together they create special looks for each performance and each show, making sure to bring something unique and daring every time. Netta is always receiving offers for campaigns and endorsements. But she doesn’t hesitate to turn them down. She refuses to promote fashion brands that don’t sell XL sizes. She wants to work with inclusive brands only.
Why’s that? She explained in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 news.
“I think it’s terrible if a girl will see my face on the advertisement and then once she’ll walk into that shop she won’t find an outfit in her size. You can’t understand the nightmare of getting into the fitting room and realising that nothing suits your size. You feel that you’re the most rejected, unequal, inappropriate person in society in that moment. I can’t take a part in that. It’s time for companies to provide clothes in all sizes.”
Netta empowers young girls
Israelis recently celebrated the Jewish holiday of “Purim”. People dress up, making it akin to Halloween in some respects. It probably won’t surprise you that quite a lot of people, both kids and adults, chose to imitate Netta’s unique look and style this year, following a trend that started last year.
The Israeli website Mako decided to invite a few young girls to their studio, where they discussed Netta’s influence on their lives and explained why they chose to dress up like her for Purim. The girls didn’t know that while they were talking, Netta was watching in the room next door, listening and tearing up. At the end the group of girls posed for a few photos and then Netta stood right behind them. Talk about a surprise! This was so touching and emotional.
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Posted by mako on Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Long before they knew Netta was even there, the girls told the interviewer:
“I love her character. She feels so good about herself. She has a lot of strength and a lot of power. She will not let anyone knock her down.”
Many of the girls have discussed how their peers mock and ostracise them.
“Some children have abused me, they talk about my weight, beat me, call me fat and ugly. When I saw Netta on TV I felt that there is still some hope in life.”
“They say that if you are special and different, it means that you are strange (in a negative way). I do not think so. Netta dresses in the way she likes and does not care about anyone. I can do it too.”
When Netta met the girls, she was at once overcome with emotion and excited.
“My father always told me: you are a diamond and life is sandpaper. It rubs you and rubs you and in the end you will be an amazing diamond. Be yourself. You’re amazing… Get rid of toxins in your life, surround yourself with nothing but people that spread light.”
I cried a bit. This was so beautiful. Was not a fan of her song but I love her character!
Tbh, wasn’t a fan of her song OR her performance last year.
But she wears that very well. Better than what she wore on stage in Lisbon by far imo
…This not Tyra Banks show, sister. Lose your freaking weight!
why? Don’t look at the clip if it offends you so much!
Netta and her boyfriend dressed up as Jasmine and Aladdin for Purim This year
They look great! I hate Aladdin (a childhood story), but I have to admit they really look awesome! 🙂
Who is this guy? Netta has good taste
It may be corny, but the video with Netta surprising the girls who got dressed like her moved me to tears. That moment when they realize she’s standing behind them 😀
That diamond and sandpaper metaphor is very inspiring. Netta has wonderful parents, so it seems
Top Model Queen Netta 🙂
She is gorgeous
QUEEEEEEN!!?
Queeeeen!!!
Some poeple are just really doble standard ?a lot muscular guys are not healthy at all ( injures, abuse of steroids) but the comments are gonna be like” gorgeous man, I wanna lick my screen.” This is not promoting overweight
, some of people just genetically get more body fat easier than average people and mental health is also a big part of health. Fashion industry only promotes skinny long legs now , it is good to see different representaton, so other plus size people will feel better if they see confident representation like this.
I’m totally into accepting one’s own body, yet from the medical point of view obesity is a dangerous condition as it may lead to many cardiovascular diseases such as diabetes or atherosclerosis which lead to stroke, gangrene, retinopathy (worsening of vision), heart attack and many more. And obesity might be an element of genetic diseases such as in Prader-Willi syndrome, but in most of these cases eating too much and not exercising at all gets your tummy round and mushy. Fyi, I’m doing a medical degree and we discuss these topics a lot from each perspective 🙂
Honestly, yes some people may have genetics that predispose them to gaining weight slightly easier than others, but blaming it on genetics can be more dangerous than anything. Genetics may make someone weigh a few pounds more than the average person, but it will not make you obese or morbidly obese. I myself was recently diagnosed with a disorder that affects my metabolism (and makes me gain weight easier) yet I’m not even overweight because I work hard in staying healthy – by making sure I eat right and work out. How many overweight people are actually overweight because of… Read more »
Okay, I respect Netta as an artist and I have nothing against her but this is not okay. I was overweight myself, bordering obesity, and I felt TERRIBLE, and not only because of people calling me fat, it was the feeling of absolute humiliation for not being able to climb the stairs, for not being able to get to a bus, for not fitting in the pants that all the boy were wearing. And believe me, that feeling doesn’t change by giving people larger sizes and making them feel “empowered”. It changes by teaching people how to lead a healthier… Read more »
Thank you for your intelligent, balanced comments. I completely agree with you.
That’s nice and all but it’s not what we should be promoting .. if you’re obese you need to loose weight as it does lead to other health problems, fact .. don’t be a burden on public health systems ..
I’m sure many on here of a delicate disposition will be offended by this but facts don’t care about your feelings
Jesus :/
I think she’s one of those Eurovision winners people will remember many many years from now. One of the biggest in Eurovision history.
I don’t understand the thumbs down. What’s wrong with what I said??
She has left an impact very few winners have and she is, in my opinion, one of the biggest personalities and of the highest quality we’ve had among them!
Off topic: Does anyone know how to change your avatar?
Go to gravatar.com and connect your avatar with your email 🙂
Look out! I think moto moto likes you (¬_¬)
we stan this woman <3
Nitpick, that’s a not a bikini. But this is awesome. Good for her.
Nobody should ever get bullied because of their weight, but calling obese people “special and different” is going to the opposite extreme. It’s actually even more dangeorus and shouldn’t be encouraged in any way…
I do not want to offend her or sth, but I’m not a fan of this. Whether a person is unhealthy slim or thick, it’s not healthy. If a fashion model is underweight everybody is upset about it, so am I with her weight
Please take a very long walk off a very short pier you bigoted POS.
POS means “Person of size”
Learn your acronyms you bigot! XD
You’ve decided that Netta is unhealthy? How do you know? You’ve contacted her doctors? Who are you to say anything about her health? Your message is extremely condescending and pompous.
You would know if you were medicinestudent or just payed attention at biology classes. He didn’t “decide” about her health, he stated a fact. She’s still really young, but if she’ll keep that size, she’ll have serious cardiovascular and arthritic problems later on. It’s not a reason to bash anyone but acting like it’s great to be “bigger” is just harmful.
a bit fat, no?