'Plus Size' Models Causes Walk Out

[Saya]

Preparing for his London Fashion Week slot, knitwear designer Mark Fast decided to challenge the obsession with size zero models and use curvier women to showcase his creations.

It was a bold move - and one which nearly led to his entire project unravelling.

When he told his design team that his figure-hugging outfits would be paraded down the runway by size 12 and 14 models, two of his people were apparently so angry they quit.

The stylist and creative designer deserted Fast, 28, just three days before Saturday's event at the University of Westminster.

The show was only saved after freelancers Daniela Agnelli and Natalie Hubbarb stepped in to help Fast, working into the early hours to ensure all the designs were ready for the big day.

Happily, it was a great success, with three models from the agency 12+ UK gracing the catwalk.

Amanda May, Fast's creative director, yesterday blamed the walkout on 'creative differences' over the use of larger models. 'There was a team change and we are glad we stuck to our vision,' she said.

'The decision to use fuller girls is something we have been talking about. There's an idea that only thin and slender women are able to wear Mark's dresses and he wanted to combat that. We wanted

women to know they didn't have to be a size zero to wear a Mark Fast dress - curvier women can look even better in them.'

The models used in the show were Hayley Morley, 21, a size 12, Laura Catterall, 20, a size 14 and Gwyneth Harrison, 25, a size 12-14.

Sarah Watkinson, 37, founded 12+ UK in 2000 and has 37 models on her books.

She said: 'I'm very happy that Amanda and Mark stuck to their passion. They really wanted to do it but it was difficult for them.

'Mark has been passionate about using larger women and really wanted to show that they look great in his dresses.

'Every time I think things are progressing, they end up going back to how they've always been. I hope this has sparked lasting changes.'

Fast, a Canadian, has also been involved in the photographic exhibition All Walks Beyond The Catwalk, which features models aged 18 to 65 and sized eight to 16 wearing clothes created by young London designers.

The exhibition, which opened on Friday at Somerset House, attempts to challenge the narrow view of beauty in the fashion world.

The day before Fast's show, chairman of the Institute of Psychiatry's eating disorder team, Professor Ulrike Schmidt, had raised concerns over the use of stick-thin models.

He said: 'We are very concerned that the lack of medical checks of models at London Fashion Week, coupled by an environment where being underweight is the norm, prevents those with eating disorders into gaining an insight into their condition.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...dels-show.html


I put 'plus size' in brackets since I think size 12 isn't plus size, but normal.

[Pineapple_Juice]

Well done on him, but I think it's sad that plus sized is considered a 12.

[SweetJane]

Great article. It just goes to show that some people still think that big women can't be successfull. My favorite example of this is Jesscia Hynes, co-writer of spaced.

Simon Peg flipped shit when the Spaced box set was advertised as being writted by him, and didn't aknowledge her. Hynes has a speech about how she was never made to feel like shit until she was at a party with a bunch of successful television and movie people, and everyone ignored her. She just got up and basically said "Guess what? I'm fat and successful!" or whatever.

[Pineapple_Juice]

That's awesome. Also, I've never heard anyone else mention flipping shit besides one other person I know.

[SweetJane]

Originally Posted by Pineapple_Juice

That's awesome. Also, I've never heard anyone else mention flipping shit besides one other person I know.

I have three friends that I'm closest to, and I can't remember I got that from the one from New Jersey or the one from Dublin haha

[Pineapple_Juice]

Probably Dublin because the person I know who says it got it from his stepmother, and she's from Scotland. Maybe it's an Irish/Scot thing.

[SweetJane]

Those celts have a great vocabulary of swear words. It was deffinitely living with Patrick that pefected my shit-talking.

[Pineapple_Juice]

An extremely important skill to have.

[Underwater Ophelia]

A size 12 is definitely plus sized.

[JCC]

Yeah, those chicks just don't do it for me at all.

[Pineapple_Juice]

Originally Posted by Underwater Ophelia

A size 12 is definitely plus sized.

I've worn a twelve pant in Dickie's before, and I'm not plus sized.

[Saya]

In our store plus size is above sixteen, and I think Addition Elle which is a plus size store starts at 14, so it seems subjective.

[SweetJane]

Bettie Paige was about a modern size 10... she does a lot for me

[Pineapple_Juice]

I love Crystal Renn. http://images.fashionmodeldirectory....n-fullsize.jpg

[JCC]

That's revolting.

[Pineapple_Juice]

Why?


mssg2shrt

[Underwater Ophelia]

Dude.
She might be pretty, but she is still overweight.

[Despanan]

Originally Posted by JCC

That's revolting.

Aren't you into trannies?

[gothicusmaximus]

Originally Posted by Pineapple_Juice

I love Crystal Renn. http://images.fashionmodeldirectory....n-fullsize.jpg

She only looks okay in that picture because she's arched her back in such a way as to reduce the apparent size of her gut.

[Solumina]

She looks a bit out of proportion, specifically her boobs look small for her frame.

[Saya]

Crystal Renn was the model who used to be anorexic, right? If I remember correctly she has a pretty healthy weight now, good for her. That picture kinda reminds me of a painting of Eve I have in a mythology book I own o.O

Honestly I gag a bit when I see models who are emaciated.

[Solumina]

Originally Posted by Saya

Honestly I gag a bit when I see models who are emaciated.

As do I but I still like slender and/or athletic women, I don't like visible bones but I'm equally put off by a visible gut. I suppose I'm picky but that is just how I am.

[Alan]

Size twelve is indeed plus sized.
I just wonder why the fuck they have to go with one or the other. It's either size zero or size twelve.
Why not some size five or six? There you go, a model that's thin enough to model clothes and not be anorexic.

[Saya]

Originally Posted by Solumina

As do I but I still like slender and/or athletic women, I don't like visible bones but I'm equally put off by a visible gut. I suppose I'm picky but that is just how I am.

Not many people have a flat stomach, I'm underweight and still have a bit of a belly, it just seems healthy to me and not a disease symptom. I'm picky with girls when I'm checking them out but I have different standards for people I think are beautiful and people I think are beautiful and I'm sexually attracted to.

Originally Posted by Alan

Size twelve is indeed plus sized.

I just wonder why the fuck they have to go with one or the other. It's either size zero or size twelve.
Why not some size five or six? There you go, a model that's thin enough to model clothes and not be anorexic.

Its really nice when you're looking at clothes to see it modelled on someone your size. So I think really there should be a range, certain clothes look great on someone plus size and certain clothes look great on size zeros, and others look great on us in between. To be fair in this show he did use skinny models as well, too. While I get that models should be easy on the eyes so the clothes they are wearing look more appealing I don't get why they should be pressured into a narrow range of sizes that could be completely unhealthy for them and make them look worse.

[Solumina]

There is a difference between having a normal stomach and a gut. As I said I have rather high standards and a good bit of that is most likely because I do have a flat stomach and I know what little effort it takes to have a toned stomach (toned doesn't necessarily mean flat), a model's job is to look good so they should be toned.