Why big is beautiful

As Debenhams brings its size 16 mannequins to Ireland, the UK's chief medical officer has criticised the move, saying it makes obesity acceptable. But when the average woman is now a size 16, isn't it about time the fashion industry catered to the reality rather than the ideal?

MANY designers and brands resist, even refuse to make clothes for larger sizes, even though there are more women over size 16 than ever before. In the echelons of high fashion it is seemingly preferable to be a mass murderer than a size 18. So in November 2013, when UK department store, Debenhams, introduced new size 16 mannequins to display women’s fashions, the move received a lot of attention.

The initiative provoked mixed reactions with many lauding it as a refreshing representation of diversity while others criticised the mannequin’s flat stomach, thin arms and elongated legs as like no other size 16 they had ever seen. With recent research finding that women are three times more likely to buy clothes when the fashion models are their size, it isn’t surprising that the retailer has plans to roll out the mannequins in its Irish stores later this year.