PARIS - Despite claims that the fashion industry is embracing curvier bodies, the data suggests it could be guilty of what one expert calls "fat-washing".
"They use curvy models in their shows to show inclusivity but in fact, this is to preserve and maintain a system based on the tyranny of the thin ideal," Volonte said. "It's very hard for them to talk about," she said. "If you complain, everyone will just say: 'Darling, that's the job.'"Volonte says the obsession with thinness dates back to the birth of industrial production techniques.
"It is much more expensive to produce and sell clothing in higher sizes and requires more expertise," said Volonte. Elite couturier Mohammad Ashi says discrimination based on race and gender has been fairly well tackled in fashion, but shape is tricky.