FASHION Magazine

The annual Full Figured Fashion Week may only be in its fourth cycle, but its message of empowerment is already abundantly clear.

“We need to stop with the marginalization. I’m not asking for couture, but I demand the right to go into any store and buy a simple black dress,” the event’s creator and former plus-size model Gwen DeVoe told WWD.

With the average woman’s dress size now sitting around a size 12–16, a huge portion of would-be shoppers have had to bypass size 00-12 retailers for years. But it’s not all bad news, at least not for the plus-size retail market: last year, they churned out a whopping $17 billion. In other words, curvy women are just as into clothes as their skinny counterparts.

“If you’re in this business for the sake of doing business, why are you excluding this entire community?” DeVoe asked. Fair enough!

The FFFW’s fourth year in the making marks quite a few firsts for the four-day-long event. Compared to its more modest first three showings, this year’s event was kick-started by an all-white sunset cruise Wednesday night. On the boat, the men got a nod in the Big and Tall male fashion show. Aside from runway shows later in the week featuring plus-size styles from designers like Jill Alexander and Ashley Stewart, the event has also organized blogger workshops, a runway show put on by Bloomingdale’s and shopping events.

Though there have been some recent instances in which the fashion industry has addressed size-related issues (including Vogue’s international health initiative and that scintillating Vogue Italia cover celebrating plus-size beauty), DeVoe has a point: many women are still finding it hard to shop for their body size, and as anyone who’s ever had a near-meltdown in a fitting room can attest to, that can be both demoralizing and infuriating. Anything to make the industry more inclusive is all right by us!

Perhaps in attempt to combat her critics, Vogue Italia editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani hit Harvard yesterday, to speak to students about body image and eating disorders as well as the role that the fashion industry may or may not play in endorsing the ideal of thinness.

At the helm of the often-controversial publication, Sozzani has been responsible for both steps in the right direction (think the June 2011 beautifully-covered “curvy” issue) as well as some major gaffes (think Karlie Kloss’s overtly jutting hipbones earlier this year).

While accepting part of the blame, Sozzani stated that other factors must be tackled, such as anorexia-endorsing websites, family issues and the food industry. “I can accept that fashion may exaggerate, but I cannot help but mention all the negative tools that society employs to spread false information on food and aesthetics. How can all this be possibly caused by fashion?”

So how do we eradicate this problem? Banning pro-anorexic “thinspiration” content on social media sites such as Tumblr and Pinterest is a good start (as addressed in the speech).

We have to give it to her for speaking so openly and attacking the ever-controversial issue that contains no clear-cut solutions. And with more support of those in the public eye (see: Sarah Palin), we hope this issue will become a thing of the past.

See all of nail stylist Lisa Logan’s behind-the-scenes pictures! »

The hotly anticipated Haute Mess editorial from Vogue Italia dropped today and it’s a glitter lover and nail-art fanatic’s dream. Photographed by Steven Meisel, the shoot includes some of the most familiar faces in modeling. But thanks to makeup artist Pat McGrath and hairstylist Jimmy Paul, it takes a keen eye to identify Joan Smalls, Jessica Stam, Karen Elson, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Lindsey Wixson, Daphne Groeneveld, Guinevere van Seenus, and Coco Rocha underneath the wigs, gemstones, and pencil-thin eyebrows.

Last week, we discussed the possible reasons why Vogue Italia took down a photo of Karlie Kloss’ editorial from their December 2011 issue. The photo in question, which displayed the model’s thin figure and protruding hipbone, looks a bit unreal and considering the editorial deemed her “the new body,” negative reactions soon followed.

Yesterday, a photo from December 2011 Vogue Italia cover shoot featuring Karlie Kloss’s toned buttocks was all over the internet, as well as 15 more, detailing all the assets of her incredible bod. It seemed that perfection was not all that there was to be seen, as vogue.it mysteriously removed this image from the slideshow on their website early today. There was no reason given for removing the one photo—but comments pouring in on Facebook and other sites have been negative reactions to the super-skinny body on display. The position of Kloss’ hips and the shot’s lighting— most obviously, her unhealthily protruding hipbone—look a bit unreal, and the potentially generous use of Photoshop on her hips and legs create the look of a seemingly misshapen body. Perhaps that was reason enough for Vogue to take it down.

While she may be our little secret now, we’re dealing with the fact that soon we’re going to have to share Toronto’s Maryam Keyhani with the rest of the world. Keyhani, a self-taught jewellery designer, is making it to the big time. Last month, Keyhani was selected to show her Spring 2012 collection as part of Vogue Italia’s annual new talent showcase in Milan (guests included fashion power players like, ahem, Anna Wintour). And just last night, one of Keyhani’s pieces was spotted on Freida Pinto, worn with a Calvin Klein cocktail number at the ELLE Women in Hollywood Tribute Event!

Keyhani is an artiste in the true sense of the word, and as such, the work that goes into her pieces is just as beautiful to look at as the pieces themselves. Check out some of the sketches for her Fall 2011 collection, which is available exclusively at Holt Renfrew (for now, that is).

View the sketches »

By Louise Coleman

More than 150 years after the American Civil War and 50 years after the civil rights movement, we’re pretty sure that using the term “slave” to denote a style of dress still ain’t kosher. Apparently Vogue Italia didn’t get the message. An article for the magazine’s website headlined “slave earrings” has caused a major outcry, resulting in editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani apologizing and citing “really bad translation.”

The article stated, “Jewellery has always flirted with circular shapes, especially for use in making earrings. The most classic models are the slave and creole styles in gold hoops.” The piece then goes on to explain that the word “slave” should inspire thoughts of “women of colour” during the slave trade—an image of “pure freedom.” Umm, what?

After twenty pages of (mostly) furious comments and a barrage of negative tweets, the article has since been removed from the website.

FHM apologizes for making fun of androgynous model, Andrej Pejic. [The Cut]

By Corinne Perez-Abergel, Gillian Pryor and Renee Reardin

In two recent interviews, with Menswear and the Guardian, Hedi Slimane alludes to the idea of him designing again. Though he has been rumoured to take the helm at Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, he remains vague on the idea. Instead, he takes the opportunity to bash celebrity red carpets and what L.A has done to fashion. [Fashionista]

Hey Wangsters! Click on over to the designer’s newly relaunched site, where you’ll find ready-to-wear pieces available for the first time, as well as all kinds of exclusive content. [Alexander Wang]

Here’s a fashion play-by-play of Gaga‘s latest video, “Born This Way”, straight from the horse’s (her stylist’s) mouth: [Nicola Formichetti]

By Corinne Perez-Abergel

The jury is still out on whether Anne Hathaway and James Franco were in fact worthy hosts at last night’s Oscars, but at least we had Anne’s constant outfit changes to keep us entertained.  Which one was your favourite? [Blackbook]