Plus Sized Wars, Channel 4 - TV review: Drop-dead gorgeous size 24-model Tess shows that big really is beautiful

Tess effortlessly exposed just how embarrassingly behind the times mainstream fashion is

Ellen E. Jones
Tuesday 21 April 2015 14:49 EDT
Comments
Model proportions: Plus Sized Wars follows the fashion-lovers ignored by the high street
Model proportions: Plus Sized Wars follows the fashion-lovers ignored by the high street (Channel 4)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

At the centre of Plus Sized Wars, Channel 4's optimistic documentary on changing beauty standards, was a group of confident, attractive women, ranging in dress size from a 16 to a 24. These fashion bloggers claimed to represent a significant group of British women who are being ignored by high street retailers, and their huge Instagram followings were the compelling proof. So why is the industry lagging so far behind what customers want?

Brands like Evans (formerly Evans Outsize) are at least trying to catch up. Once associated with "plump and lovely" middle-aged mums, they're now keen to cater to a growing demographic of fashion-conscious young women. Their competitors include Taking Shape, an Australian brand that's recently opened up UK stores selling "Easy-Breezy" undergarments to stop thicker thighs rubbing together and Peterborough-based Yours, whose stores boast wider-than-average fitting rooms. Yours' biggest coup, however, was their "new face", the American model and size 24 sensation Tess Holliday.

Tess is an idol to women all over the world and her look was so undeniably gorgeous – because of her size, not despite it – that she effortlessly exposed just how embarrassingly behind the times mainstream fashion is. The modelling agency Milk's plus-size division might sign girls up to a slightly curvy size 16 but its head, Anna Shillinglaw, was evidently still in thrall to the same set of strict beauty standards. Both she and the Yours CEO, Andrew Killingsworth, had been taken by surprise by social media's "body positive" movement and struggled when asked if their businesses were guilty of "normalising obesity".

The honest answer might be that fat models are no more or less healthy than the usual super-skinny ones. Fashion never was about promoting health; it's always been about flogging clothes. These days, however, there's no denying that big and beautiful is a market force to be reckoned with.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in