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Diane Von Furstenberg‘s latest collection is gorgeus as always, but when will she give us some of those beautiful clothes in plus sizes?

Who wouldn’t want a suit like this?

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Picture from the Huffinton Post

Yet again there is fuss about the existence of plus size models. women who walk along a runway (that’s catwalk to us British) turn and walk back. Apparently it’s great that some of these come close to the size of the average woman. This whole thing is completely ridiculous. Is it good that larger women are being used as models? Yes, of course it is, but the sizes involved (US size 10, UK size 12) are not exactly large, are they. They’re not exactly average either. What amazes me is that there is, or ever has been an audience for stick thin models. Why?
But that’s an old point. ‘Designer’ (and it’s in quotes for a reason) Mark Fast is in the headlines for using ‘curvy models’. He is described, in the Huffington Post, as ‘brave’. Well yes. It is brave, because NONE OF THE CLOTHES FIT PROPERLY.

Is this some important fashion statement about plus size women? Frankly I don’t care. Design should be all about the customer. How to make her look good, and feel even better. Design is not, and should not be about the designer. Here’s one designer who has proved to me that he can take a stunning woman and turn her into the plainest of the plain. Great job. If the idea was to stat a trend for clothes that are too small, sorry, but no, Ive seen the result. If the idea is to start a trend for clothes that actually fit, sorry but you missed the boat. No-one with any sense has ever worn anything else.

What is the purpose of a designer? Purely and simply to save you time. If you know that a particular style flatters you, go to the designer who makes it and buy their clothes.  That’s it. You have a name, you save time because you don’t have to look around. It’s the whole purpose of branding, and the only reason it survives, the convenience of the customer. But for some reason designers seem to think they are important, and the sad things is that women only have themselves to blame for a thoroughly shameful state of affairs where people with silly ideas like this one get space on the air and in print. In fact I wish I wasn’t talking about this at all, in case that was the idea.  So I’ll shut up.

Related articles

• Mark Fast Sends Curvy Models Down His Catwalk (PHOTOS, POLL) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Designer keeps it curvy on the London catwalk (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Designer Mark Fast Continues His Tradition Of Sending Plus-Size Models Down The Runway [Fashion Show] (jezebel.com)
• Bigger Is Better At London Fashion Week (news.sky.com)
• More Voices Join The Plus-Size Fashion Conversation [Style File] (jezebel.com)

As we went round the table talking about our businesses we were each asked to mention what we felt thankful for this year and it ocurred to me that my list for 2009 is actually very, very long. Last year at Thanksgiving I had just arrived in the USA, the rest of my family was still in the UK and I felt pretty much alone. A lot has changed in a year.

I am, of course grateful to all of you who bother to read this stuff and follow my blog or facebook page or tweets. I’m even more grateful to those of you who buy our lovely nightgowns, robes and lingerie; because of you I have the best job in the world. Sitting at BNI listening to the others I realised that while other sell the mundane necessities of life, I get to sell dreams, in the best possible way. In the past month I’ve spoken to several women who used the phrase ‘I’ve always wanted…’ it’s great  to be able to help them realise that particular dream.

We may not be saving the world or feeding the starving, but we’re making people feel good, and for the moment, that’s good enough for me.  Enjoy the holiday and wherever you are – Happy Thanksgiving!

“I’ll tell you what’s comfortable — clothes that fit are comfortable. I try to teach women the importance of fit. So many women have anger and resentment that things don’t fit them off the rack. If you don’t find pants that fit you perfectly, then you make them fit you perfectly with tailoring.”

There’s no need to take my word for it, The above quote comes from Clinton Kelly, co-host of ‘What Not to Wear’. Of course he could have added that if you can’t find things that fit you can have them custom made by Certain Style, but we can’t have everything! He’ll learn.

To read the whole article, go to

Tomorrow, in Hollywood, the Miss Plus Top Model Awards show celebrates it’s 5th anniversary as 18 lovely plus sized models compete for the title of ‘Miss Plus Top Model’. Is this a plus for plus sized women? That’s a difficult one. While it’s great to see our existence acknowledged it’s kind of sad that the question in ‘should we have plus sized models’ and not ‘should we have sick looking thin models’ as examples of beauty for our daughters. I know which side I’m on. How about you?

Note: The show will be held Sunday, November 8, 2009, at The Celebrity Centre International, 5930 Franklin Avenue in Hollywood, CA. Showtime is from 6:30 to 8:00pm with red carpet arrivals at 5:30pm.

Liz, beautiful plus size model (yes really) in our last (June) photoshoot

Yesterday my phone rang. It was V, the very talented makeup artist who makes our models look so good in the pictures you see on the Certain Style web site. She wanted to check out the arrangements for our next shoot, on October 17th. First question, obviously, was ‘have you got a model’. Fair question, I wish I had an answer, but V told me she could solve my problem as she waS working with a modelling agency who had two new plus size models. V knows we like to use plus size models for our shoots. I was delighted – believe it or not plus size models are not easy to find – or sample size is usually a 38-40 bust. I reminded her of that – ‘Oh’, she said,’ No I don’t have anyone that large’. Pardon me. Did I not ask for plus size? I had to ask.

‘So in what way are your models plus size?’

It took some time to get an answer to that one, but in the end it turned out that the models in question were ‘curvy’ whatever that means. One a 34 inch bust, one a 36. I was, and am, lost for words. I can see what’s going to happen next. All the magazines will be claiming that they use these so called ‘plus size’ models, but they still won’t be getting anywhere near the dimensions of an average living breathing american woman. So if the sizes don’t suit we just change their definitions? Where have I heard that before? Oh yes, that’s how we got this ‘size 0′ nonsense in the first place.

It’s not that I disagree with the advice – well OK, yes I did disagree with some of the advice – but what struck me most was the title – ‘How to dress a plus size body type’.  Have I been missing something? Is there only one shape that is ‘plus size’?

One thing you learn very quickly when making plus size lingerie (as we do at Certain Style) is that women come in all shapes and sizes from tiny and fragile  to statuesque. Those who fall into the plus – size bracket – and the definition of that changes regularly – are not simply one part of the market. There is no such thing as the ‘plus size body type’  – there are many many body types many of which are plus size.  I myself am a petite plus. No, that isn’t a contradiction in terms. I’m plus, but short. It happens, despite the ridiculous belief amongst clothing manufacturers that  all plus size women are amazons! There again there are many astoundingly beautiful women, among them many plus size models, who are five feet eleven and over. You cannot say that what looks good on a woman who is five foot eleven looks as good on a woman who is five feet tall, yet both can be plus size.  You can’t say ‘emphasise your neckline’ to woman with a very large bust and expect things to look the same on her as they do on someone who may be technically the same size, but carries her weight primarily around her hips.

In short plus size is just a label and it is not a particularly helpful or descriptive one.  And the fact that  our measurements are large doesn’t mean we don’t want to be noticed. ‘Wear dark colors’, we are told, because they are flattering. Rubbish. What you mean is wear dark colors because they are slimming, because your edges blur and are not distinct against the background. Wear dark colors and blend in so you won’t be noticed.

I’m as keen on tasteful dressing as the next woman, but anyone who thinks that you can dress 64 inch hips like mine in a dark color and have them go unnoticed is living in a dream world. Personally, I like to wear red.  It’s a fabulous color and since you’re going to notice my size anyway I’d like you to notice that I’m not just large I’m also cheeful! All plus size women are not the same. Please don’t generalize.

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• Interview with La Grande Dame: bringing the high end designers to the plus size market (fatchic.net)
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