As for myself: Plus-size models that run clothing brands
Text: Marina Bakieva
Model agencies promoting non-standard beauty, more and more, and the term "bodipositiv" finally came into use. All the same, those whose dimensions are at least slightly different from the mysterious "norm" are still extremely difficult to choose clothes. Over the past five years, almost no decent brand of the mass market has remained, which would not launch a plus-size line or expand the size range. It is much better than nothing, but, unfortunately, often the things from such collections turn out to be of disappointing quality, and they sit in a completely different way than in attractive photographs. It is difficult to find a well-tailored thing for a person of "non-standard" size even in big cities - the choice is obviously meager.
Plus-size models are familiar with this problem firsthand. Their work is connected with the appearance directly, and they all faced the problem of buying clothes that would not only be comfortable, but also correspond to current trends. Realizing that this niche is empty, some of them decided to take matters into their own hands and create collections for women with any parameters. We tell that in them remarkable.
Tess Holliday
Tess Holliday is perhaps more famous than other plus-size models - her name is familiar even to those who are not at all interested in the fashion industry. The peak of fame Holliday came in 2015, when the feminist and founder of the movement #EffYourBeautyStandards (“Gone to hell with the standards of beauty”), signed a contract with a large model agency MiLK Management. It was then that the plus-size models were talked about everywhere. Tess herself did a lot to popularize the phenomenon: appeared on the cover of People, starred for Italian Vogue, and also became the face of the bookbook Asos Curve, H & M and Monif C.
On instagram it is easy to see that the model does not compromise with its own style and loves characteristic things. Realizing that finding something in accordance with personal taste and parameters is rather difficult, she began to think about creating a collection. She managed to realize the idea with the help of the Canadian brand Penningtones, which specializes in fashionable clothes for large women - together they invented a collaboration (by the way, besides Tess, the brand collaborates with actress Melissa McCarthy).
In the line, created with the direct participation of the model, there are transparent mesh tops, asymmetrical pencil skirts, crop tops, fringed dresses and tight-fitting sweaters in muted colors - all that is easy to see in everyday life on Tess herself. “I don’t have any secrets of style. Clothes should bring joy and a feeling of comfort. You can wear at least a costume for Halloween, even an ultra-stylish dress - the main thing is that the attire reflects the inner state,” she says. In almost every interview, Tess encourages all the women of the world to love their bodies. And do it in clothes that suit you, nicer and easier.
Ashley graham
Another person who makes the world accept and appreciate the diversity of beauty is the Ashley Graham model. For her, this year has been particularly fruitful. She was not only one of the "Women of the Year" according to Glamor magazine, but also released in collaboration with Mattel Barbie, for which she became a prototype. The girl stands for natural beauty and even offered to depict cellulite on a doll - just like in real women. Unfortunately, the idea was rejected: the company considered that it would look like a manufacturing defect.
Graham's journey to fame began in 2001, when she signed her first model contract. However, real success came after the Lane Bryant commercial and shooting for Levi's advertising. Ashley Graham also became the first plus-size model that appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue - before that she had repeatedly participated in the shooting of the publication. The model even launched its own hashtag #beautybeyondsize, thanks to which girls share photos, urging them not to be shy of their bodies.
In 2013, Graham began to develop a line of linen for the Canadian brand Addition Elle, which is famous for clothes for girls with curvy shapes. In 2015, she defiled at the New York Fashion Week in lingerie sets of this brand, and now the ninth joint collection is presented in the online store. The underwear itself is not only relatively inexpensive (the top will cost about $ 65), but also, not least, not at all boring. The brand emphasizes that it was created specifically for girls with big breasts. In addition to the basic bodices and underwear, the collection also includes combinations and bodysuits. Lace inserts, unusual cuts, neck buckles - all this is a rarity for large-sized underwear, and if only for this reason, this ruler deserves all the attention.
Robin Loli
You have probably seen Robin Loli more than once: she became one of the first plus-size models on the cover of the Italian Vogue, the second plus-size model on the cover of the French version of the magazine and the first of its kind in the Australian Vogue, GQ and Cosmopolitan. She starred for the lookbooks of Ralph Lauren, Violetta by Mango, Evans, Lane Bryant and many others.
In addition to working in the modeling business, Loli is engaged in photography (and even shot another plus-size model and her friend Tara Lynn for the fourth edition of the magazine Galore), as well as cooking. She puts her recipes on Robyn Lawley Eats's blog, on the basis of which the eponymous book was published. Robin Loli by her own example destroys the wild stereotypes about the plus-size models: she eats vegetables that she grows herself, sticks to a healthy diet and trains in the gym at least three times a week. “I don’t like the term“ plus-size ”because it is framing. This label has been put on me by the fashion industry, and not by ordinary people. Some fans get offended when I say that about myself, others are happy. However, if I tell people Far from the fashion industry that I’m a plus-size model, they don’t even understand what it means, "says Loli in an interview.
The model recognizes that once completely disappointed in the fashion industry due to the fact that it forces girls to adjust their body to the "right" clothing sizes. Then Robin launched her line of swimsuits in conjunction with the brand Bond-Eye Swimwear - with a dimensional grid from the 46th to the 56th. Inspired by the success of the collaboration, Loli created her own brand called Robyn Lawley Swim. She thinks that the designer who can create a thing that fits perfectly on different body types is good: “Ashley Graham wears my size 12 swimsuits. Me too, but our bodies are very different - different parameters, different skeleton structures. There are a lot of things that invisible at first glance. " Her swimsuit models are distinguished by unusual prints: floral patterns coexist with abstract. Separate mentioning are also models of products: here you will find both solid swimsuits, and separate ones with swimming trunks at a high waist. Also, the brand perfectly succeeds in basic things of deep colors and simple cut. The only significant disadvantage of Robin swimsuits is the price: a one-off cost will be $ 200.
Griselle paula
American of Dominican origin Griselle Paula did not even think of being a model or designer, but planned to become an actress. A couple of years after the college of arts, she decided that the theater was not her, and she went to study criminal law. “Although at first it seemed boring to me, I quickly joined the process and fell in love with this subject. I set out to work in the US immigration and customs police to investigate cases of human trafficking,” the model said in an interview. While she was awaiting distribution in her specialty, Paula had time to film for Ebony magazine - and she was immediately showered with offers from fashion brands. In her portfolio you can find shootings for lookbooks Forever 21, Nordstrom, Rocawear, Baby Phat and many others. In 2015, the model became the face of the brand Maggy London.
Having learned all the complexities and joys of a modeling career, Griselle founded the RebDolls clothing brand and launched the hashtag #SexyForAll. She urges not to hide her sexuality, because beauty is not equal to any particular size of clothing. The brand began as a small T-shirt shop with slogans, but it has already grown to a huge fashion retailer that delivers goods to 95 countries of the world.
It is safe to say that RebDolls produce clothing for most people — you can find sizes from 38th to 66th in their grid. In fact, this is an ordinary mass market, and the price of a dress starts at $ 8. Lovers of outspoken, ultrafine outfits will find bright case-dresses with decolletage, crop tops and skirts to the floor with the maximum possible cutouts and ultra-short overalls - in fact, the model itself adheres to this style. And for those who love clothes quieter, there are wide trousers with prints, oversized cardigans, puffy skirts and loose shirts.
Jordin woods
Best friend Kylie Jenner and plus-size model Jordin Woods has become a real idol of young people. She became famous through instagram (now there are 2.2 million subscribers), where she was noticed by a scout from the modeling agency Wilhelmina Models. Although the girl is only 19 years old, she has repeatedly encountered not only the negative reaction of others to her appearance, but also the pressure of public opinion. About Los Angeles, in which Woods lives, she does not respond very flatteringly: "Here people follow only one standard of beauty, which is very far from natural. Sometimes you get the impression that people are walking on an imaginary catwalk, and not along the street." Her career started off successfully: filming for The Cut magazine and the lookbooks Adittion Elle and Torrid Lovesick and the love of American Teen Vogue. It seems that creating your own collection was only a matter of time.
In September of this year, Jordin, together with the American brand Boohoo, released a capsule line with a wide dimensional grid (from 40th to 60th). All things, of course, in the spirit of the style of the model itself. "The ability to create a collection for any type of figure is amazing. When I was younger, I wanted to dress fashionably, but often I could not find things that would fit my figure. Now I have the opportunity to do something for all women, and I I'm very proud of it, ”says Woods. It is noteworthy that all the things from the capsule are the most consistent with the spirit of the times: there are velvet suits, bombers, huge workouts, and even bathrobes on the way out. All prices are more than worthy - for example, a sequin jumpsuit will cost £ 17.
COVER:Jordyn Woods / Instagram