Don’t worry, I won’t be putting you through the rigors of a math quiz.
I very clearly remember the first time I visited Lane Bryant‘s website in 1999. I remember this because at the behest of a boyfriend I had at the time, we had logged on together to see if they offered bikinis for the fat set. The answer was not only a resounding no, but the models on the website were so thin that neither of us were sure if we were at the right website at all. (Please note that they did not yet offer online ordering to check the sizes). Outraged, I sent them an email telling them to use fat models to eliminate future confusion and to show appreciation of the demographic of people who actually buy their clothes.
Read on for more information about this and about change happening in the fashion industry!
I’m sure it wasn’t my letter that changed that policy, but now at least they feature “plus sized” models. Check out the new spring collection here. I can’t seem to figure out exactly what size range makes one a “plus size” model, but based strictly on the appearance of the Lane Bryant set I’m going to say 6-12. I would be shocked if any of their models even to this day are large enough to buy the clothes sold in their stores.
One of my favorite websites, Jezebel, regularly reads, analyzes, and dissects fashion magazines. I’m a lover of fashion and clothes. I like looking good, love trying new styles and think that the fashion industry itself is a fascinating thing. It is a microcosm that could not exist without itself. But anyway.
Plus size models are being featured in a lot of fashion magazines lately. For every giant leap forward, like this article in Glamour showcasing real swimsuits for real women with real women models, there are also giant steps back. Thanks for putting someone fat in your pages, Vogue, even if she has to be dramatically slimmed down through optical illusion and photoshop while still talking about cheeseburgers and milk shakes in order to get there! I’m going to eat you for lunch, Anna Wintour. Skinny legs and all.
One of the interesting things about all these articles I’m linking to is that while all of them recognize this current mini trend in fashion, they are very cautious, warning readers that this trend is not likely to take off, last long, or be very serious in any kind of way. In fact, as Jezebel notes repeatedly in the Glamour article the next page is advertising a diet program, and on top of that at no point do they specifically call their model plus sized.
I’ve read speculation recently that this started with Gaultier walking a plus size model (check out the giant leap forward above) and also is stemming from fashion’s current love affair with Beth Ditto. The Gossip perfromed at Karl Lagerfeld’s private Fendi after party at Paris Fashion Week. With Lagerfeld as a known fattie hater, this was a very interesting choice of performer. He even designed an outfit, created for stripping, for Ms. Ditto herself. But the consensus seems to be that this is just a fad.
So what’s all this about? Is real change coming? Do I have a future as a fashion model after all? Well, to join my peers I will also caution you to not get too excited – yet. While it’s great that they’re using “plus size” models in magazines, those “plus sizes” wouldn’t fit me. Even most of the Glamour plus sized bathing suits won’t fit. I appreciate the effort and hope that with enough continued griping from the real fat audience, eventually they’ll invite all of us to fashion week and not just Beth Ditto.
