Project Runway, which has been largely successful since its first season in 2004, has finally had its first plus-size winner. Ashley Nell Tipton, who, until now, has exclusively showed her designs at plus sized specific events, made it to the finalists and took it all. Her pieces for the final show were exquisite, elegant, classy, high fashion and, of course, all modeled by plus-size models.
Tipton started sewing because she could never find clothes she liked in her size. She wanted to feel good in her clothes, she wanted to feel "fun and funky," and she wanted to have the option of our "armor to survive the reality of everyday life," as Bill Cunningham said, be one that we feel beautiful in. She felt the challenge of making her designs a reality as one of necessity and self-love.
And just look at the payoff.
Tipton was not only the first plus-size winner of Project Runway but the first plus-size contestant ever. She faced her obstacles, of course, but her common goal of putting "plus-size on the map" never wavered.
Tipton's triumph is not hers alone, however. It stands as an incredible step toward a world with more body positivity. All over the blogosphere, body positive bloggers went bananas over her victory. Tipton, in an interview, addressed the dismissal of the existence of plus-size consumers by the fashion industry as a whole, critically observing how plus sized individuals are punished with ugly, bland clothing because of their size.
“You need clothing to wear, so why are we going to make those people who decide to live that kind of life feel like crap and not have anything to wear?” she said, voicing exactly what all of us are thinking.
As a plus sized consumer myself, working my way steadily toward body positivity, who didn't even watch the show, the news of Tipton's progress both excited me and delighted me. Especially in the wake of the unsettling "Dear Fat People" video by Youtuber, Nicole Arbour, it was encouraging to see people on the other end of the body positivity spectrum getting some media attention.
While we live in a country where one-third of the adult population is obese, with corresponding health issues, and it is important to acknowledge this problem rather than ignore it, that does not mean that shame and instruction on how to live should come from the fashion industry. They are not health professionals, nutritionists, or dietitians, so why should my outlook on my health and body come from whether or not I can find a bathing suit in-store at Target?
Some people simply struggle with losing weight and some people simply don't want to. Is there anything wrong with loving your body, your life vessel, as long as you take care of it? Plus, if you're able to dress well, self-love and body love can only grow, and promote better physical and mental health overall.
It's about acceptance. It always is, and in a world that seems to be either forgetting more and more what acceptance is supposed to look like or calling for it and people choosing to ignore it, it is nice to get this victory.
Ashley Nell Tipton is coming down the pike, and she's looking to change, not only the world but the way plus-size women see themselves in it.
