Gaultier puts plus-size model on the catwalk

Posted Oct 4th 2006 at 7:51PM by Deidre Woollard (Subscribe to Deidre Woollard's posts)

Given all the comments on my Rachel Zoe post, I am curious to know what all of you think about this latest twist in the thin-versus-fat debate. Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier put a large-sized model on his runway as part of his 30th anniversary show in Paris during fashion week. The large model, whose name is Velvet D'Amour, was dressed in a black corset outfit and was part of a show that included the traditional skinny models who were dressed in Gaultier's new workout-inspired line. Like some of the commenters on the Daily Mail article, I'd like to see more of a happy medium between the size 0 and the size 20 on the catwalk. How about a nice size 10?

Source

Tags: fashion week, jean paul gaultier, JeanPaulGaultier, paris, plus size

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 46)

bonho 10-05-2006 @ 3:17AM

...so where do I put the password this blog server gave me to circumvent the email approval process?!

I would love to see size 10s on the catwalk. Gaultier has always had to go to extremes, though, so this isn't surprising. Viv Westwood did the pregnant model thing and I used to love Sophie Dahl, but then Soph had to lose all that weight and look like everybody else on the catwalk. Sigh.

Randi 10-17-2006 @ 7:43AM

The Average American woman is now a size 16.......and it does my heart a world of good to see that plus size women are shown as sexy and provocative. Women with a bit of meat on their bones have more character than most of those wafer thin things that pout all the time. I know several plus size women who reek of sex appeal.........Bravo!

Cindy 10-06-2006 @ 8:09PM

I think it is disgusting, and that woman must have no self respect whatsoever. (Likewise for the stick figures posing as human beings who fall off their silly stilt shoes on the runways....)

jeff byers 10-06-2006 @ 8:11PM

very few women look like a size 0. this showes the world "see i'm big and i'm lovlie and i like my self" & good for them to show young girls that differant is ok from the norm.

Janet Mukri 10-06-2006 @ 9:50PM

This designer has always been into shock value...forget about it!

Jessica Eli 10-10-2006 @ 2:15PM

I think it is great to see something other than size 0's on the catwalk. They need to represent woman from all sizes, not just 0 to 20+. It's a start.

margarett 10-06-2006 @ 8:13PM

Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14, how soon we forget?

stacy 10-06-2006 @ 8:19PM

I think it is great that a plus size model is in this how. There should be women of ALL sizes in runway shows. America is one of- if not the fattest nation in the world and plus size women would love to wear designer names. If more designers thought about this, and made these clothes... they would have a lot more money and exposure!!

not feelin it 10-06-2006 @ 8:16PM

I think a size 6 is more appropriate - not too thin not too fat. A size 10 - unless youre 6'3 - is not healthy. With the obesity problem already escalating in this country I do not think its any better of an idea to promote being fat than anorexic. I would like to see FIT women on the runway, but please...no "plus size", thats just a sugar-coated way of saying "fat", and fat is not beautiful no matter who you are. Plus, the whole point of a fashion show is to promote a new line and sell clothes, I would not buy anything from a designer with a size 10 on his runway because, being a size 4, I would have no idea how that outfit would look on my bodytype.

davisdream 10-06-2006 @ 8:18PM

I think it is about time that they put real size women up on the catwalk. Any size woman can be pretty and this will show these teen girls that they do not have to starve to be beautiful! Way to go!!!

stacey 10-06-2006 @ 8:19PM

i think that it is great that someone has had the courage to actually put up a plus sized woman ! she has alot of self confidence, more power to her. we need to appreciate all women and their beauty! :)

Dee 10-06-2006 @ 8:19PM

I think it's great!

On the Marilyn post, if you really looked it up.. Her size was technically a 6 in current sizing. They said the sizing was extremely different from today. I really believed she was a 14, until I did research.

Lizzie 10-06-2006 @ 8:24PM

High 5 for putting a real plus sized model on the runway. Its about time we see what is more the norm for todays society. I give her ( the model) a lot of credit for having the hutzpah to get out there and strut her stuff...Wish more would take the initiative and show real plus sized women.....Its terrible to look in a plus size clothing catalogue and see women who are thin...never see anyone over a size16....and yes I know 16 is plus sized..but I am talking PLUS SIZED...and before anyone gets ignorant and makes a comment about me being plus sized....yes I am....I am what I am and thats it....Thanks for your time.....

Niki 10-06-2006 @ 8:20PM

Marilyn Monroe may well have been a size 14, and I don't think anyone would complain about seeing a size 14 model on the stage. This model is not "full figured", she's obese. There's a huge, no pun intended, difference between the two!!

Dominic 10-06-2006 @ 8:21PM

I don't see the problem this girl is still a human being and deserves respect like anyone else. It doesn't hurt that I like bigger women lol.

Linda 10-06-2006 @ 8:22PM

I believe if we saw more of these plus size models, perhaps there would be fewer young children trying to starve themselves, or battle weight with drugs or bulemia. During the Rennaissance DaVinci and others painted only larger women. Size 14 is the average size of women in America - let's see more of them. As for Velvet's self-esteem, hers seems to be just fine. Shame on anyone else for thinking she shouldn't be allowed to model or has no esteem - she is just as beautiful as any other model, and she knows it. That is why she is out there showing it!

Vallory Lewis 10-06-2006 @ 8:23PM

That woman is not plus size, she is oversized. My daughter is a plus sized model, and in no way does she look like that. The plus size they usually refer to, is the size that most of the average woman, between a 12- 16, thank you.

Robin 10-06-2006 @ 8:22PM

Wow, I can't believe how ignorant some people can be! How dare you say "fat" people aren't beautiful? who really cares what size a person really wears? And for you to say that a size 10 is unhealthy, really, it just blows my mind. As time goes on, this debate will always linger, but the "winner" will be the people who can be comfortable with themselves as a human being, not as skinny or fat!

Sharon D Sifford 10-06-2006 @ 8:26PM

To Cindy and Not feeling, what is disgusting about a plus size model. Women come in all sizes. Who the hell thinks a size 6 is a fit size. The average women wears a size 14. Fit depends on the body and height. I would advise you to learn to love your bodies the size they are. Men are the issue, we are. Size 2, 4 and 6 's were women who were naturally petite. They were not sizes to strive to until Hollywood imposed they ridiculous standard. Beauty does not have to be size 6, blond, blue eyed and white. Beauty comes in many shapes.

Ella Bella 10-06-2006 @ 8:27PM

We need to stop valuing ourselves (women) by what size we are/wear. We are human beings...we come in many shapes and sizes. I love the fact that I was once a beautiful size 7 - and now in my early fifties I'm a loving 16. I'm one of the lucky ones...my husband of 31 years still loves me no matter what size I am. One thing I keep in mind is...I wear clothes that are well fitted and proportionate to my figure and size. So let's just ask the fashion guru's to make better fitting clothes and keep us in style approriate to our age, shape, size, and livelier color's...black in nice, but too much is just dull! Give me hot red, sultrey blues, violets, teal...do us all a favor and just make it fit right!!!!