Tim Gunn is The Voice of (Fashion) Reason

Just in time for New York Fashion Week, design educator, author and co-host of “Project Runway" Tim Gunn called out the fashion industry in an op-ed article in the Washington Post, For not making clothing for women above a size 14.

"I love the American fashion industry, but it has a lot of problems, and one of them is the baffling way it has turned its back on plus-size women. It’s a puzzling conundrum," says Gunn. While he acknowledged models like Ashley Graham's line with Addition Elle and Sophie Theallet walking in Marc Jacobs show last year, he reminds us that those moments "were very much the exception, not the rule."

Gunn points the finger at designers who can't be bothered to design clothing for curvier women. (The usual suspects, like this guy.) This is what he calls "a design failure" which has nothing to do with the customer. "There is no reason larger women can’t look just as fabulous as all other women. The key is the harmonious balance of silhouette, proportion and fit, regardless of size or shape. Designs need to be reconceived, not just sized up; it’s a matter of adjusting proportions." Tell 'em Tim!

Photo by Jennifer Boyer