Lily Collins, daughter of legendary musician Phil Collins, recently turned heads at New York Fashion Week when she appeared at the Calvin Klein show. The actress, who welcomed her daughter Tove Jane earlier this year, stunned in stylish outfits, but her noticeably slender figure has left fans divided, sparking both admiration and concern online.
Collins, now 36, and her husband, filmmaker Charlie McDowell, announced the arrival of their first child in January. But as it turns out, Lily did not carry her baby herself. The couple welcomed their daughter through a surrogate, a fact the actress shared with her fans in a heartfelt Instagram post. “Welcome to the center of our world, Tove Jane McDowell,” she wrote, adding her “endless gratitude” to their surrogate and those who supported them through the journey.
While the announcement drew warm congratulations, it also ignited debate. Some praised Collins for her openness, while others criticized surrogacy itself. One commenter even argued, “The bond between a baby and the mother before birth is so rich. This breaks my heart.” The controversy highlighted ongoing global disagreements about surrogacy, with critics calling it unnatural and others viewing it as a compassionate option for families struggling with fertility challenges.
Her appearance at Fashion Week only added fuel to the discussion. Wearing a variety of chic looks, from a feathery white ensemble with strappy sandals to a cropped two-piece showing her narrow waist, Collins became the focus of intense scrutiny. Photos of her were shared widely across social media, with one post on X (formerly Twitter) reaching nearly six million views. However, the engagement was lopsided, with relatively few likes compared to the flood of comments.
Many fans expressed alarm at her extremely thin frame. Speculation about whether Collins had turned to weight-loss medications like Ozempic filled the comment sections. The criticism ranged from sarcastic jabs—“Holyozempic,” one user quipped—to serious concern. “Why do people find malnutrition attractive?” another asked. Still, some fans defended the actress, insisting that critics should “let her process” and avoid piling on judgment.
Collins’ thin appearance is particularly striking given her history. Nearly a decade ago, she revealed in her memoir Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me that she once feared she had damaged her body so severely with disordered eating that she might never be able to have children. She recalled her hair becoming brittle, her throat and esophagus burning, and her menstrual cycle stopping for years. “I was terrified that I had ruined my chances of having children,” she admitted. That same year, she starred in the Netflix drama To the Bone, portraying a young woman battling anorexia. Collins described the role as “deeply personal,” as it echoed her own struggles with food and body image.
Because of this history, her recent appearance has been viewed with a heightened sensitivity. Fans who once celebrated her recovery are now worried that she may be struggling again. While no evidence has suggested this is the case, the visual impact of her Fashion Week looks—narrow waist, protruding hips, and sunken stomach—has kept the conversation alive.
The reactions also raise broader questions about how society perceives women’s bodies, especially in the public eye. Some commenters pointed out the double standard: while ordinary people might face intervention if they appeared as frail as Collins, celebrities are often praised for being “snatched” or “glowing.” One commenter went so far as to say, “If someone’s child looked like that, Child Protective Services would get involved.”
Yet not all responses were negative. Supporters argued that Collins looked radiant and confident, with one fan gushing that she seemed like she had “walked straight out of a fairytale.” Others reminded critics that every woman’s postpartum—or in this case, post-surrogacy—journey is different, and that harsh judgments only perpetuate harmful body standards.
The actress herself has not directly addressed the chatter. Instead, she continues to share glimpses of her family life, focusing on her daughter and the joy of motherhood. Still, the conversations surrounding her reflect a complex intersection of celebrity culture, body image, health history, and deeply personal family decisions.
For Lily Collins, the spotlight has always been both a blessing and a burden. Her Fashion Week appearance was meant to be a celebration of style, but instead it became another chapter in the ongoing dialogue about how society judges women’s bodies—especially those who live their lives in front of millions. Whether fans see her look as a symbol of strength or a cause for concern, one thing is clear: Collins continues to spark conversations that extend far beyond the runway.
