Every year at the British Fashion Awards, various brands host people to attend the event with them. For the last two years I have gone with two of my favourite retailers – ASOS and River Island. This year I was invited by a different brand, and unfortunately I didn’t get the same treatment as before. I’m not sure the brand was even aware of how it wasn’t being that inclusive, but that’s where the problem arises.
I want people to see the bigger picture here, it’s not just me complaining I didn’t get dress options, it’s the fact plus-size women time and time again are often and after thought in this industry. The fact I only got one dress option for the BFAs is normal; this situation has tirelessly happened every single fashion week or red carpet event when I do not have control over what I wear, but it was this weekend that just made me snap. I’m not going to continue to support brands who value me less because of my size.
The thing is I don’t even think not having a variety of pieces is done in a malicious way, as women we are taught from a young age that there is a certain standard of beauty and size to attain. There is no desire to find pieces equally as fashionable for larger women, but it’s 2019 and this needs to change. By stopping designer clothing collections at size 14 you are literally closing a door on millions of women who want and desire to be part of the crew. They desire to feel sexy, confident and powerful as their smaller peers.
The women who own these businesses really have no clue as what it is like to live and work in this industry as a plus-size woman. There is less on the market, that is a fact, so I understand that, but the fact little to no effort is ever being made to make us curvier women feel equal is frustrating.
It was a hard decision to not attend last night, as it is such an incredible night of fashion, but I can’t continue supporting brands who treat women of my size as an afterthought.
I always wear high street on the red carpet, ASOS and River Island specifically. They are the ones driving the plus-size market for more carpet pieces that are affordable. Marina Rilandi have some beautiful pieces for the higher-end of the market, too.
I guess the problem we have really comes from the high-end fashion houses only catering to one size, but I know for a fact that isn’t true.
11 Honore is a fantastic site based in the USA that stocks high-end designer pieces such as Dolce and Gabbana who go up to a size US 24 / UK 28. That does not exist here and why? When will the UK wake up and realise value and integrity is not based on a waist size?
Felicity Hayward has teamed up with Playful Promises on a lingerie collection.