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Is everyone okay?
A certain performative snobbery prevails at LFW. It comes with the territory: collections aside, people are here to see and be seen, with showgoers frequently loitering “candidly” in the hope of attracting Style Du Monde’s lens.
Being fat has its advantages here. Chief among them: the thick skin I’ve developed in response to being in the fashion fray and the outsized egos that can so often entail. But this year, the passive-aggressive put-downs feel even more pronounced. Maybe being iced out by clipboard-wielding sociopaths is just part of the fashion week experience? But when I spy others who fit a conventional demographic being ushered to the front of the queue – while I’m sidelined for entry at events I’ve been invited to – I can’t help but think there is weight stigma at play.
Backstage at one show, I catch a clique of menswear models eyeing me up and down, then snickering like schoolgirls. Their incredulous whispers seem to say, “How are you taking up space in the same exclusive rooms as me?” After a quick staring contest (spoiler: I win), I decide this isn’t really about me. They’re just hangry! Later, when a coordinator introduces me as a journalist for Vogue, they appear to change their tune. Again, is everyone ok?
Where are all the big boys?
While the path to progress for plus-sized women in fashion may be fraught, at least it has been a visible one. Where, though, are the big boys? I struggle to find a single one on the runway at any of the shows I attend. A few years back, I remember seeing James Corbin walk for SS Daley. It was a huge moment for body diversity in the menswear realm. Now, it feels as though plus-sized male models have vanished without a trace.
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Let’s play body diversity bingo
After two days of shows, I’m yet to have spotted a single example of body diversity on the catwalk. Then, along comes indie designer Grete Henriette’s catwalk, where Skye makes an appearance as part of an eclectic, incredibly diverse cast. As is often the case, it is the emerging, off-schedule designers who are leading the charge where size inclusivity is concerned.