Plus-Size Models

 

The world of fashion for years has been reserved for super slim models. That's why everytime some magazine or a company decides to hire plus-size models for their shoot, people pay more attention to it and talk about it. Usually they are thankful that someone have decided to show realistic women on the advert. The above photo comes from french edition of Elle Magazine.

It's been headline-grabbing stuff over here in the UK, following on from the furore caused by Mark Fast's decision to use curvier models in his catwalk show for London Fashion Week last year. It seems that while we're tiring of emaciated teenage models parading around in designer gear, we're not sure what to make of larger ladies doing the same either.

 

So, what do you think? Is there a place for plus-size women in the fashion industry? Is it progress, or is it a publicity stunt to attract more readers- and morever, do these readers want to see it? How would you react if UK Elle did the same?

Velvet d'Amour, a US model who lives in Paris, has conquered both fashion and TV at size 28. She has been a catwalk model for Gaultier and Galliano and is now a popular TV commentator.

Shops and websites for larger women are becoming highly visible. Parisian fashion writer Sakina, whose blog Saks and the City is widely read, told the Observer that the Elle cover was a "wonderful initiative".

"Fashion has created a gap between itself and real women. From skinny, to curvy, to fat, the population is made of very different bodies and the contrast between the women represented in fashion or advertising has been so important that most women don't feel good about themselves. I, too, have had body issues: I tried to fight what I genetically am because I always thought that being beautiful could never mean being curvy" - Velvet said.

To introduce you more to the fashion world of curvier models see below the top 3 plus-size top models:

 

1. Whitney Thompson

Season 10 of America’s Next Top Model was when plus-size models went prime time. That’s because a 5’10”, blond bombshell in a size 10 dress beat out scores of bony, generic wannabe models to become the first plus-size girl to win. As part of her prize package, the Jacksonville native won a contract with Elite Model Management and a sponsorship deal with CoverGirl.

Even though ANTM host TyraBanks suggested Whitney Thompson was more of a “full-figured model” than a plus-size one, the zesty Floridian has already broken down barriers and paved the way to mainstream success for bigger girls who dream of the glamorous life of a fashion model.

 

2. Chloe Marshall

This vivacious Brit is proof of just how far plus-size models have come. No longer content to grace magazine pages or fashion runways, they are now invading beauty pageants too. Chloe Marshall is a finalist for the Miss England title, already having beat out seven presumably skinny girls for the title of Miss Surrey. Miss England will be crowned in July 2008, but Chloe Marshall already has a juicy contract with agency Models Plus to fall back on. She oozes confidence, is as bubbly as they come and has a bright future ahead of her, win or lose.

3. Toccara Jones

 

This statuesque black beauty completely obliterates the tired preconceived notion of blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty. She first came into the public eye as a contestant on America’s Next Top Model. Competing against frail, starving waifs, the 5’7” citizen of Dayton more than held her own, claiming the show’s coveted “CoverGirl of the Week” title four times. Toccara Jones was eventually voted off the show, but she parlayed the exposure into a contract with renowned plus-size model agency Wilhelmina.

The phenomenal success of the girls above is proof of how our views on beauty are changing. Some countries are legislating super-skinny models out of existence, which is admirable (if you aren’t a super-skinny model), but also a bit unnecessary. Plus-size models are becoming increasingly prevalent. Once a niche market, they are now finding themselves at the forefront of fashion. It’s a refreshing change, especially for the long-neglected man who likes a bit of meat on his lady’s bones;)