‘plus size’ models make Australian history
For the FIRST TIME EVER in the history of Australian Fashion Week, ‘plus size’ models were able to strut their stuff on the catwalk in front of an extremely appreciative audience. Ok, so the ‘plus size’ models were only size 14-18 (Australian sizing) but that is a start. It is certainly better than only seeing up to a size 12 (if you were lucky) on the catwalk during Fashion Week!
City Chic (formerly Big City Chic – I am still intrigued as to why they changed their name) presented a range of fatty fashion with items such as cocktail dresses and ‘rock chick’ items. I have purchased City Chic items from their website as well as via Ebay but have never set foot in one of their stores – I live a good 3 hours from the nearest City Chic store. I have found their items to be pretty good but then when you are stuck with Target and Autograph in your home town, just about anything looks good as an alternative! I have several dresses from City Chic, a trench coat style top, jeans and other items I cannot think of right now off the top of my head. I haven’t had any problem with any of them other than they are a bit overpriced for what you get. But as I said, when the alternative is the horrendous prints and styles offered by City Chic’s competition, well City Chic just wins hands down. I used to love Chain Reaction’s plus size range but unfortunately they were taken over by another company (I heard it was Katies – the parent company of Autograph – but I am not sure) and that was the end of big fashion alternatives in my neck of the woods.
I will be even happier when City Chic open a store a bit closer to me but in the meantime I will make do with their website. Maybe one day there will be such availability of fatty apparel in this country that I will no longer have to pay exorbitant shipping fees to international fatty clothing companies – Torrid, I am looking directly at YOU!
I find it sad that this model is considered to be plus-size. The women in the audience behind her? They are plus-size. This model? Not so much.
Conveniently, the stage was right near my work and I went to the runway show in my lunch hour (!)
Post about it is up on my blog: http://corpulent.wordpress.com/2009/08/21/fatshion-on-the-runway-the-rundown-on-city-chic/
Yeah, I don’t really considere the model plus sized either. But I guess it’s a start?
I love the unrestarined look of joy on the two women, sitting on the right, in the first picture. it makes me happy.
Unrestrained. I swear I can spell.
I think they dropped the ‘Big’ from the name because it kind of put it in the category of the (usually quite unfashionable/daggy) plus-size stores that have twee puns or references in their name about the size of the clothes.
Though, Autograph changed from 1626 and it didn’t make their stuff any more fashionable!
Oh I’m so glad people are posting about this! I had meant to do one myself, but so far haven’t got around to it.
I’m starting to think that Australia is being taken over by stealth-FAers! YAY!
But I’m sad you have to be 174+ cm tall to be a model
I saw this on the TV and the guy gave a really good quote which I wish I could remember/find but now can’t! Something about how plus-size girls have always been invisible and they never had the option of nice clothes before… damn I wish I could remember it! I will come back and post it if I do…
I used to work for City Chic back when they were still “Big” – they dropped the “big” as a result of market research – apparently most fatties don’t like carrying bags which told people they were fat (never made much sense to me). City Chic used to be owned by Chain Reaction, and were both bought out by the group that owns Katies, Autograph, and Millers (and maybe one or two other brands) a few years back.
Anyway, I LOVE the piece you’ve featured above! I agree that City Chic is mostly overpriced for what you get. Occasionally there’s some awesome pieces, but generally they’re just the best of a bad bunch.