Elegancy101 Special: The British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend - Does It Promote Obesity?

Although the media had all eyes on LFW at the Somerset House, nearby at the Vinopolis warehouse in London, The British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend had its second annual show focusing on fashion for size 14 and up. With comments ranging from accusations that plus size fashion promotes obesity, it truly brings up an issue that no one seems to be discussing.
The British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend is officially not affiliated with London Fashion Week but the timing was of course planned to initiate a discussion about the shape of things to come in the industry.

This was actually the biggest plus size fashion event that the UK has seen so far. The event was produced to bring together plus-size brands, buyers and the consumers that embrace them. Their ame is to rise awareness that one day plus-size models should be considered part of the high-fashion mainstream as well.

In the UK there are over sixty brands for plus-size women's clothing. High-street stores such as Elvi, Evans, Dearcurves, Ann Harvey and BeigePlus sell only plus-sized garments and many other brands and department stores carry extended sizes in their shelves, such as Debenhams, Fenwicks and New Look.

Hayley Hasselhoff (daughter of David Hasselhoff), walked the runway at the British Plus Size Fashion show at London's Vinopolis, rocking a little black dress! We had the chance to talk to her for a little bit and asked her how she felt about plus-size models. She told us that she loves the fact that all women with curves and women of all shapes and sizes are here to celebrate. She hopes that one day events like British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend will get the same respect as London Fashion Week.

On the left: America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson, the show's first-ever plus-size champ opened the show.On the right: Hayley Hasselhof werking the runway!

With more than one-third of U.S. adults classified as obese, and weight problems and obesity are increasing at an alarming rate in Europe. A new study insists that promoting images of heavy models is actually worse for women's health in the long run. At The British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend, the largest plus-size model was around a size 22. Officially that could mean that those ladies are classified as ‘obese’. Quite a topic of discussion, but I’m sure there are a fair few models walking for LFW out there that would be classified as ‘underweight’ but there is in no way as much publicity going towards that about promoting negative imaging!

This discussion is quite sensitive. I think it depends how "plus-size' is defined. I'm a size 10 and would be considered a 'plus-size' model, yet might still be a role model for women. I think that health is the most important thing. If a woman is bigger, or "plus size" and healthy, I don't see why they can't be models. However, I don't believe that glamourizing obesity is helping anyone. I think 'normal' models, with all their bones sticking out and no fat on them promote an unhealthier image, girls strive to look like that but it's not right either.

What is your opinion on this topic? Do you think that plus-size events and models are promoting an unhealthy image? Leave your opinion behind!