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How To Get Famous in Chile: Dress Up Models Like Sexy Virgin Marys

A Chilean fashion designer has discovered the secret to getting famous in his conservative country: offend the Catholic church with racy portrayals of its most venerated saint. Reuters introduces us to Ricardo Oyarzun, who has caused a major stir in Santiago and around the world with plans for a fashion show featuring scantily clad female models dressed up as the Virgin Mary. Oyarzun claims that the show - which includes halos, religious icons, and "ample, near-naked breasts" - is "inspired" by the Virgin Mary but not intended to specifically represent her. The church doesn't care for the distinction, decrying the presentation of Mary as "an object of consumption." And a conservative group tried - and failed - to stop the fashion show at a Santiago nightclub, providing that much more publicity for the event. As with all such scandals, this one would have probably gone away quickly had people not made such a big deal about it. But when you give newspaper editors around the world a newsworthy excuse to use "busty virgin" in a headline, I guess the explosion of coverage is inevitable.

[Photo: Reuters]

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· Outrage in Chile at Busty Virgin Mary Models [Reuters]
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