A Salute To Big Ladies

NY Times

A FORTHCOMING feature in V, among the more progressive of American fashion magazines, will trot out a parade of flamboyantly curvy models showing off what Bridget Jones, that Everywoman’s heroine, called her “wobbly bits.” But the editors of the February issue of V intend no insult or irony. “Big, little, pint size, plus size — everybody is beautiful,” said Stephen Gan, the magazine’s creative director, “and this issue is out to prove it.”

The eye-popping centerpiece of the magazine’s “Size” issue features several voluptuous women clad in skimpy swimsuits, bra tops and low-slung jeans. The models flaunt bulging tummies, powerful thighs and fleshy midsections — with love handles intact.

The magazine’s online preview on Models.com was picked up by scores of other Web sites and stirred a raucous debate. Some readers praised the decision to highlight models larger than size 2 as bold. Others castigated the editors as following the lead of more-conservative fashion magazines, which habitually ghettoize a large-size population that ought to be featured in every issue.

Further fanning the argument were those pointing out that plus models tended to measure a size 12 or 14 — hardly representative of the “real” plus-size woman, who typically wears a size 16 or 18.

But many such discussions were rendered moot by a handful of bloggers who simply preferred to look away, citing Karl Lagerfeld’s dictum, “No one wants to see curvy women.” What’s your view?