Luxury fashion has a plus size problem. Cut the chit chat: the root of the issue is as simple as good old fashion snobbery. We’re all about body inclusivity until it’s fashion’s turn. And before you come at me with proof of body inclusivity from Victoria’s Secret, I’m talking high – end Maisons.
Some may say that being overweight is not healthy and a bad image to put out. I like to say that this is luxury houses’ favorite (or only) excuse not to be body inclusive.
Luxury brands are the trendsetters of the industry. What happens in one area of fashion generally becomes a trend, and then a movement. When Yoox/Net-a-porter group went fur free in 2017, it only took Gucci a few months to implement the same, followed by Versace, Micheal Kors and then John Galliano. This is how little it takes, yet no luxury brand seems to be taking the first step to being body inclusive…
We have seen more plus sized models within fast fashion, in brands such as Forever 21 or H&M. So here rises the real question: if luxury is just a segment of this industry, then would implementing the same changes ruin its whole “exclusivity” idea?
The return of 90s fashion might excite many who have lived through it the first time around, but the sad truth is that size zero has returned along with it. The New York post has recently released an article stating that “heroin chic is back” and they wave “bye bye booty.” Love the alliteration, but I think I just developed a new eating disorder after this.
With the rising of the “politically correctness is cool” wave, it is now much more “acceptable” to be body inclusive (if not inacceptable to not be). But fashion revolves around trends. And being skinny is trendy again. Does this leave us to pick one or the other? As if to say: you’re either politically correct, or you are trendy.