Janice Dickensen is rolling in her grave right now… oh, wait.
Hot LA label Grey Ant featured a plus sized model who ROCKED the catwalk yesterday. Girl was fierce! However, as excited as I was by this, last I checked, Grey Ant (which is the label Fergie wears a lot, not exactly a ringing endorsement, I know) doesn’t actually make plus size clothes. Maybe they’re about to start dipping their toe into the plus size market that is seriously about to become one formidable segment of the market, but if so, wouldn’t they have used her in the much more high profile New York fashion week show? But maybe they just made some special clothes for this model and then used her as shock value. It all reminds me of Galliano using Velvet D’Amour and then never actually making any clothes that Velvet could have worn if she had just been a girl off the street, trying to buy some fucking Galliano designs. Ok, I’m taking this very personally, clearly, but what I really wanted to do was point out the Grey Ant model and also how much she rocked.
So I ask you, BFDivas, is it cool that designers are now using larger models in their shows, or is it them trying to be edgy and all in your face or statement-y about the size 0 phenomenon. What do you think? And also, does it make me a bad person that I’m more concerned about the lack of designer clothing for my own self than I am about what this means to the size acceptance movement at large? Wait, don’t answer that. I already know the answer.
Posted by Weetabix
Filed under: Fashion
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My sense is that they were trying to be edgy…there was also an older model and a male model wearing a halter top, along with the more standard models. The first model in the series seemed to have an overly large head – sort of like an anime girl come to life.
With the recent backlash over weight requirements for models, and the Fashion Council’s adoption of “healthy” weight limits, I think the use of larger models either A. designers snubbing their noses at the council, or B. a new fashion trend.
Of course, there could be designers who genuinely care that beauty comes in all sizes. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.
To me, I think the fact that larger models are being used and being seen all over the world regardless the reason, is a positive step. Sure, designers may have ulterior motives, but usually what stands out to women most is that they see someone more like themselves on the runway.
This drives me nuts!!! I’m the right choice for a designer’s runway but god forbid I should be seen in a restaurant wearing that same dress. grrrr. arrrgh. and grrrr again.
The message the Grey Ant show sends to me is, “We don’t HAVE to show our clothes on identical skinny, lank-haired, expressionless human hangers to make the clothes stand out.” I think it’s great, like everyone’s invited to experience the Grey Ant aesthetic as it might apply to them. Sure I wish they would make the stuff in my size. But for fashion people, this is a step in the right direction. Also, I’m pleased the model appears to be a *real* plus size, not an 8 or a 10.
bright — that’s exactly what I thought. Recently I saw an article about a “plus-sized” Prada model with a picture of the model in question. To me she does not look plus-sized at all, maybe a voluptuous size 6? In other words she is not a walking skeleton. Which, yay for that, but to me, she does not qualify as plus-sized.
Here’s the link:
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22514013-5013554,00.html
If you google her name you will find lots of catty remarks about her being pregnant, hilarious, etc.
Does anyone know what “plus sized” means in modeling? I know it means 14 and up at the clothing rack. But in modeling, does it relate to measurements?
I don’t see anybody who isn’t a skinny minnie at that link! (Well, there’s the bloke, but he’s skinny too.) Am I being really unobservant?
As for the recent “1 bigger model” trend, I think it’s a sort of tokenism. But I think it’s a good thing nonetheless – you’ve got to start somewhere.
Cindy, I think that “plus size” for the fashion set usually starts at around an 8. I can remember a model on Project Runway being called “zaftig” and “borderline plus” for being a size 8.
Actually Velvet herself mentioned on a few mailing lists/interviews/etc that the Galliano show she was in was for haute couture – which is all custom made to the client’s size. So you could be 600lbs or 90lbs and have something haute couture. If you have the money, heh.
Off-the-rack is another matter, yes.
I think it is great that they are finally recognizing a body-type other than the painfully waif-thin as sexy and beautiful! Go Grey Ant!!
Glass half full on this one. I embrace anytime a larger woman (or completely normal sized woman for that matter) makes it onto the fashion scene. You gotta start somewhere.
I was the girl who modeled for Grey Ant..and I’m loving the feedback! :)
I took the (actual, not size 8) plus-size models to be a response to the under-size-6 banning; what Rachel referred to as “designers snubbing their noses at the council”.