Size 12 Models Cause Controversy at London Fashion Week
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Stylist quits over decision to feature three models size 12 and over.
London Fashion Week finally saw sense this week with a breakthrough for beautiful normal sized models who eschewed the industry demand for size zero.
Three stunning models from 12+ modelling agency were featured in Mark Fast’s catwalk collection in a landmark move away from the norms of ultra-thin physiques. The three curvy beauties, each between the sizes of 12 to 14, wore the trademark Fast design knitted dresses, causing a furore at the exhibition.
Amanda May, managing director for the designer told the BBC: “There’s this idea that only thin and slender women are able to wear Mark’s dresses and he wanted to combat that.” The results speak for themselves, with a wave of public approval for the models in all their natural splendour.
Ms May was eager to spread the word that women of all sizes could enjoy the tight knitted dresses that have become the Mark Fast trademark: “We wanted women to know they don’t have to be size zero to wear a Mark Fast dress – curvier women can look even better in one.”
Sarah Watkinson, founder of the 12+ agency told The Daily Telegraph: “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.”
Health concerns have previously been raised over the pressure put on young girls to achieve size zero figures. Today’s support for the busty babes is a sure sign that size zero is not what everyone is after.
What do you think of the curvy ladies on the catwalk at London Fashion Week?
Tell us your thoughts in a comment below.
They’re not even that big!
a UK 12 is a US 10… wardrobe suits them; but they need better walkers; need more confidence.
Finally I can visualize how these clothes would look on me.
These girls are only slightly bigger than me and they look smashing! I could never strut the way they do! I love it!
About time! Great news story.
Wow! I thought size 12 was supposed to be really large or something. These women are stunning! Paragons of what – I’m sure – many, many, normal and reasonably well-adjusted males envision as near perfection in womanhood. Bravo! Hope it becomes a trend and then a habit.
I love the larger girls… but why do they all look like they are strung out?
which is around 6-8 in US sizes BTW.
That is not a size 6-8. I believe 10, but no way 6-8.
Women shaped like, well… women. Looks great to me!
Wow!! Why didn’t someone do this sooner. Very sexy ladies there. Now if the USA would get their shrunken heads out of their skinny behinds, we could enjoy beauty here as well! Leave it to the Brits to do it first!
I am so happy to see size 12 models walking the runway! It’s about time they found beauty in larger girls! Congrats!
Nice to see a bit of flesh rather than skin and bones!
Beautiful.
Is size 12 a plus size????? They are normal, not plus size.
Agreed!!!
Finally… these designers start to realize real women have curves!
I’m pleased to see plus-sized models making it in fashion. It’s a refreshing and long anticipated change.
But I’ve read a lot of comments about how all size 0 women are anorexic/unhealthy/trying too hard to maintain a “freak weight”. And that disturbs me, as I am a size 0 and it is my natural body type.
We don’t need more plus-sized models, we need more models willing to embrace their natural body type, whether that’s a size 0, a size 14… or anywhere in between.
Size 12 seems attractive, not overweight or obese. These women look pretty attractive. 5 years of being alone, perhaps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_standard_clothing_size#Women.27s_sizes
One question: Is this a UK size 12 or an American size 12? There’s quite a large (uhhhh) difference between them.
I wouldn’t call it a large difference. I’m a size 10 US and I can wear size 12 in UK clothing. The models are still all very tall, however. I’m very tall as well. A 5’11 size 12 looks slimmer than a 5’2 size 12.
I don’t want to be the voice of evil. It’s great they got normal sized models but the girls they picked couldn’t walk in those high heels, they looked awkward.
This is most definitely a step in the right direction. More, more, more plus-sized models please. They look the best!
These are some pretty bad walkers. The one bobs her head every time her arms move and another just keeps her arms behind her the whole time. I think these statuesque ladies are not used to walking in heels.
Hot!
These models are much prettier than the usual ‘skeletors’ designers use.
It’s about time.
Yay, real women! So refreshing.
While I admit this is a very good thing, it bothers me that people consider a size 12 to be plus size, when clothing stores consider 14 and up to be plus size.
These models look amazing – Mark Fast has real vision – this sends out such a positive message to society – one small step for models, one giant leap for the industry! Bravo.
This is controversial… why? These ladies are GORGEOUS.
Also, I’m not sure about the term ‘plus-sized models…’ These women look pretty healthy to me.
I like this but I consider the implications; everyone is looking at – and talking about – the models rather than the clothing. In this case it works as advertising but I’ve heard it said that’s a reason designers use such skinny models. They want attention on the clothes; the girls are just ambulatory clothes racks.
The great thing that’s really happening here is that size 12 models are walking next to size 0 models. No “statement” is being made (overtly), other than the beauty of the garments. Having size 12 models just be MODELS, in other words, and not “plus” models – which implies something OTHER, something separate, something not standard. But there is no such thing as a “standard” woman, of course, and this helps put that message out there. Thank you!
It’s great to see a woman the same size as me out there. I know I look damn good in a tight dress. I’m glad the rest of the world is starting to appreciate it too.
That was the funniest thing I ever saw! It’s like they intentionally picked shy, wobbly women instead of someone with confidence and posture. Not because the rest of the models were any better. If they weren’t dozing off midway, walking too close to the camera, they were wobbling away, their ankles oscillating back and forth quicker than a hummingbird’s wings. And they all looked so bored! Like they all smoked a bowl of weed each before getting up from the couch and stumbling onto stage. It’s great that they’re including larger women in their fashion, but come on! If people feel anything towards these poor little wobbly chubbies, it’s pity. This should have been put forward proudly, with curvaceous sassy women who appreciate their own worth instead of feeling left out when they’re let in! I’m sorry about this rant, it just really bugs me that a company would go out of their way to include larger women, but not so much as to actually make people see the beauty in them, just dress them u
and shove them on stage so the company gets some political correctness points.
I totally agree!!! Even I walk better than that.
I am happy about normal-sized models, but I agree the girls look scared as hell and barely have the skills to walk in those heels. Albeit, I believe that these girls are seldom called to do catwalks. I also think walking in shoes higher then 3 inches for a show is stupid. I also want to know why the designer had them running faster than a normal show. I noticed the same girls were continuously coming back out. Where is the PAUSE at the end of the catwalk for the stop, pose, then walk off stage?
Yeah, there is a problem with perhaps the way all of the models were trained (or told) to walk for the show. It seems that the bobbing and swinging the feet around were intentional for some sort of effect (although it seemed pretty awkward).
I think this is one step in the right direction! I mean, what the hell’s the problem with girls who just don’t seem to care about having a size zero. I, for example, would go further. Let’s say size 14! My possible career as a runway model would be made :p.
OMG she is soo beautiful. Finally I can see what the clothes look like not on a tall pre-pubescent boy.
The size-12 ladies are much sexier and beautiful than the skinny ones. When the normal model comes up, the others all look undernourished.
Normal women on the catwalk! About bloody time!
Finally.
http://emcartoons.com/august-2009/dress
Em is the best.
Sorry guys, but I prefer the skinny ones, they’re much sexier. The 12 models look like they are overweight and need to get some exercise.
Finally! I bet the designers will sell more clothing if they show the clothes on normal women. I’m a tall, US size 10 woman with curves in all the right places… All woman, and proud of it! I hope this is the beginning of a new era for “sexy”. Media has been trying to force the emaciated look as sexy, but it’s just not working. Someone who is all bones is not very cuddly or soft or healthy-looking. All the men I’ve ever asked like a woman with softness and curves. I like seeing clothing on curvier women… lets me know how it will look on a person. When I see clothes on a stick-thin wisp of a girl, I feel like I’m looking at the clothes on a hanger.
If you look closely only 2 of these models are size 12 (by the way one of them needs walk NOT like a cart horse). The others are your usual super skinny/tall models. They all look great but I really don’t think they are all size 12!
Read the article genius instead of just looking at the pretty pictures. It clearly says that THREE plus size models were FEATURED, not that all the models were size 12.
I like it.
Normal weight instead of anorexic should be the rule.
I think there should be more of them. Two of them among all those skinnier models just highlights their absence.
Why is it that everyone thinks it’s great when they use plus size models, but still no-one cares about height discrimination?
What makes it better to be fat than short?
It’s about time! Size 12 is a perfectly normal, beautiful size! Who wants to look at a skeleton draped in silks? If that’s what the designers want, why not bring the clothing out on hangers. I certainly hope to see more of this in the future.
Those plus-sized models literally couldn’t walk. Maybe they weren’t used to it. I dunno, it was just painful to see them walk.
They picked poor examples of plus size models who couldn’t walk. I feel like that sabotaged the whole message because it was so painful to watch them. There are plenty of plus size models with better figures and who are able to strut.
Furthermore, getting away from the size zero standard doesn’t mean we go to the other extreme. If models were even an average size 6 they would still be slim but healthy.
This is really great to finally see girls who are bigger than a size 4-6-8 on the runway, though the models couldn’t really walk that good. It’s fantastic to see that a designer is willing to take risks and go out of the fashion runway comfort zone.
Thses girls look nothing even close to a size 10 to me. They’re all beautiful, of course, but I would not consider this plus-sized whatsoever.
I just don’t understand – why do they walk so funny?
If they’re bigger, it doesn’t mean they can’t catwalk.
I think that this is great, and the girls are stunning. Good for them!