It is once again one of the most important weeks on the fashion calendar - London Fashion Week.
This week is undeniably unmissable for anyone with an interest in fashion & who can resist the lure of designer madness which ensues, removing you temporarily from the reality of high street fashion. This is always slightly marred for me though as the lack of acceptance of the curvier woman on the catwalk leaves a me feeling a little left out.
Malina from Curvety & Chantelle Znideric, a personal stylist from Top Stylista, have been out & about talking to local radio stations about how plus size fashion fits into the UK fashion scene. Chantelle handed out some fashion tips on how to dress your curves while I fought the corner of curvy women who are under represented in the world of fashion. Catch our interviews on local BBC & Heart stations as well as many others.
It seems that we arent the only ones who believe that London Fashion Week needs a little diversity - with fashion designer Mark Fast once again choosing to use "plus size" models to show off his collection. Some have called this a publicity stunt & maybe it is, but as Fast dares to be different and represent real women he has my vote!
Listen out for Malina & Chantelle on these radio stations -
Heart West Midlands
Heart Berkshire
Heart Kent
BBC Hereford & Worcester
BBC Northampton
BBC Humberside
BBC Jersey
BBC Gloucestershire
Galaxy Birmingham
Hayes FM
Gold Berkshire
Swansea Sound
Gold Kent
Q Londonderry
Six FM
Seven FM
Five FM
Bang Radio
Showing posts with label london fashion week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label london fashion week. Show all posts
Monday, 22 February 2010
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Jen Hunter at London Fashion Week
Jen Hunter came into the public eye when she participated in the TV series 'Make me a supermodel'. Jen who is a size 12-14, and classed as a plus size model, felt she received a lot of negative responses from those involved in the show and was determined to make her mark and prove them wrong.
She pledged to take something positive from the experience and began visiting schools to talk to pupils about her experience. “I think any teenager would prefer to listen to anybody other than their parents and teachers,” smiles Jen. “And when it’s someone who’s actually gone through it, then it holds a bit more merit.
“It’s a case of ‘this is where I’ve messed up, this is what’s gone right, take from it what you will’.
"The 26-year-old from Wigan admits that bucking the trend, especially in the fashion industry, isn’t always easy. But the level of criticism she received on Make Me A Supermodel only made her more resolute.
“I started to visit schools almost straight afterwards,” she says. “When I was on the show I felt as though I was being bullied a lot and the only time I’d ever felt that before was at school. So I thought, what I’ve done can be put to some use and so I spoke with my management team and we set about trying to find a way."
“One of my uncles works in a school and mentioned about going in to see pupils because a lot of them had got into this reality TV mentality. They’d started to think that they didn’t need a decent education; they could just go on Big Brother, or something like that, and earn their money that way. I was able to talk to them about how it really was."
“I love my job and I love the fact that because I had enough strength of character to hold my head high, it’s given me the opportunity to put some confidence into other children. That could be confidence in their work, in going into a particular industry, or just in themselves as people."
“Having that is important because there are times when you can’t just shout your mouth off – and then it comes back to how much respect you’ve got for yourself. You can’t let people make a fool of you."
“I’m proud of the fact that I’ve never let anyone affect my career negatively or undermine my confidence.”
Jen was approached by the Make Your Mark initiative, an organisation which aims to inspire young people and encourage them to pursue their goals, when working with schools. As the Lverpool ambassador for the organisation, Jen modelled designs by one of the winners of a national Make Your Mark in Fashion competition at London Fashion Week.
“I’m very proud of being a north west girl so when you can put something back it’s important to give your support and your time,” she says. “I think the initiative is wonderful – plus I get to be on stage at LFW which I’ve not done before.“At a size 12-14 I might not look like most of the other models here but I’m a little bit too stubborn and set in my ways to change to anyone else’s ideals. I was a very slim model when I first started but I found that I was a lot happier being my natural size and shape and I’m not going to force myself to be something I’m not.
“In future, depending on my working schedule, I’ll help Mark Your Mark whenever I can. I’ve got a four-year-old daughter and if there’s any way I can affect young people in a positive way then I will.”
She pledged to take something positive from the experience and began visiting schools to talk to pupils about her experience. “I think any teenager would prefer to listen to anybody other than their parents and teachers,” smiles Jen. “And when it’s someone who’s actually gone through it, then it holds a bit more merit.
“It’s a case of ‘this is where I’ve messed up, this is what’s gone right, take from it what you will’.
"The 26-year-old from Wigan admits that bucking the trend, especially in the fashion industry, isn’t always easy. But the level of criticism she received on Make Me A Supermodel only made her more resolute.
“I started to visit schools almost straight afterwards,” she says. “When I was on the show I felt as though I was being bullied a lot and the only time I’d ever felt that before was at school. So I thought, what I’ve done can be put to some use and so I spoke with my management team and we set about trying to find a way."
“One of my uncles works in a school and mentioned about going in to see pupils because a lot of them had got into this reality TV mentality. They’d started to think that they didn’t need a decent education; they could just go on Big Brother, or something like that, and earn their money that way. I was able to talk to them about how it really was."
“I love my job and I love the fact that because I had enough strength of character to hold my head high, it’s given me the opportunity to put some confidence into other children. That could be confidence in their work, in going into a particular industry, or just in themselves as people."
“Having that is important because there are times when you can’t just shout your mouth off – and then it comes back to how much respect you’ve got for yourself. You can’t let people make a fool of you."
“I’m proud of the fact that I’ve never let anyone affect my career negatively or undermine my confidence.”
Jen was approached by the Make Your Mark initiative, an organisation which aims to inspire young people and encourage them to pursue their goals, when working with schools. As the Lverpool ambassador for the organisation, Jen modelled designs by one of the winners of a national Make Your Mark in Fashion competition at London Fashion Week.
“I’m very proud of being a north west girl so when you can put something back it’s important to give your support and your time,” she says. “I think the initiative is wonderful – plus I get to be on stage at LFW which I’ve not done before.“At a size 12-14 I might not look like most of the other models here but I’m a little bit too stubborn and set in my ways to change to anyone else’s ideals. I was a very slim model when I first started but I found that I was a lot happier being my natural size and shape and I’m not going to force myself to be something I’m not.
“In future, depending on my working schedule, I’ll help Mark Your Mark whenever I can. I’ve got a four-year-old daughter and if there’s any way I can affect young people in a positive way then I will.”
Friday, 15 February 2008
Who ate all the Pies?
A pie making firm near Caerphilly, Wales, has taken a stand against hungry looking models used at London Fashion Week by sending its 'Starvation Army' volunteers to deliver pasties & sausage rolls to the catwalks. The firm says it has struck a blow against 'skinny models and size zero fashionistas' Peter's Food Service said it took 10 boxes of pasties and sausage rolls to the London Fashion week event. The pie-making firm said it decided to address the issue of ultra skinny models when the topic was debated at the London Fashion Week last autumn. A spokesperson for the firm said: 'Who knows it may even be the end to size zero.' The company is hoping for feedback on its 'Starvation Army' delivery from organisers, but was glad to hear from the models themselves -'Some of the models said 'we might be tall and we might be thin but actually we do get hungry'. It is not the first time the pie-making firm has mobilised its 'starvation army'. In July 2007, the bakers presented Miss Wales 2007, Kelly Pesticcio, with a year's supply of pies and pasties following her crowning. If you're passing - the staff over here at Curvety could do with a delivery!!!
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
5 Steps to a Healthier Fashion Week
I am as excited as the rest of you about the forthcoming London Fashion Week. However, for plus size women like myself, it is always slightly tainted due to the lack of acceptance of curvy women in the high fashion industry & the continued promotion of super skinny on the catwalk.
With the ongoing issues surrounding the size zero debate, Susan Ringwood, CEO of Beat, the UK’s leading eating disorders charity, issues a challenge to the fashion industry to ensure the health of its models this fashion week.
Ringwood's plea - “Progress has been made through the Kingsmill Inquiry, to look at the overall industry and take steps to protect those working within it. We would urge the fashion world to follow through the recommendations made by the Inquiry and issue the following call to action:
OUR CALL TO ACTION
Five steps that everyone can take – no matter where or how they are involved in the fashion industry:-
1. Raise awareness – get informed about eating disorders and understand the risks. Change working practices to help reduce the risks involved.
2. Demonstrate diversity – in shape and size as well as ethnicity and age. Challenge the narrow aesthetic.
3. Take an ethical stance – make a commitment to supply chain integrity. Translate lessons from fair trade to make fashion healthy.
4. Build resilience – in the young people employed in the industry and those influenced by it. Help people understand the pressures and how to reduce them.
5. Celebrate creativity – fashion is aspirational. The creativity that drives it should be life affirming – not potentially deadly.”
Great points well made from Beat. For further information visit B-eat.co.uk. If, like me, you celebrate your curves & believe that plus size fashion should be as fresh & exciting as mainstream, then check out Curvety.com.
With the ongoing issues surrounding the size zero debate, Susan Ringwood, CEO of Beat, the UK’s leading eating disorders charity, issues a challenge to the fashion industry to ensure the health of its models this fashion week.
Ringwood's plea - “Progress has been made through the Kingsmill Inquiry, to look at the overall industry and take steps to protect those working within it. We would urge the fashion world to follow through the recommendations made by the Inquiry and issue the following call to action:
OUR CALL TO ACTION
Five steps that everyone can take – no matter where or how they are involved in the fashion industry:-
1. Raise awareness – get informed about eating disorders and understand the risks. Change working practices to help reduce the risks involved.
2. Demonstrate diversity – in shape and size as well as ethnicity and age. Challenge the narrow aesthetic.
3. Take an ethical stance – make a commitment to supply chain integrity. Translate lessons from fair trade to make fashion healthy.
4. Build resilience – in the young people employed in the industry and those influenced by it. Help people understand the pressures and how to reduce them.
5. Celebrate creativity – fashion is aspirational. The creativity that drives it should be life affirming – not potentially deadly.”
Great points well made from Beat. For further information visit B-eat.co.uk. If, like me, you celebrate your curves & believe that plus size fashion should be as fresh & exciting as mainstream, then check out Curvety.com.
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