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Designer sacks stylist who said: Bigger girls just don’t walk right
Ellen Widdup21.09.09
Designer Mark Fast and his stylist have fallen out over a decision to feature “plus size” models at London Fashion Week.
The 28-year-old Canadian famed for his figure-hugging mini-dresses, claims Erika Kurihara disapproved of him putting three size 12 to 14 models on the catwalk, a rebuttal to critics who have accused him of creating clothes only for the very thin.
He said the pair disagreed over his “vision” and that he asked her to leave after they had an argument backstage at yesterday's show.
But today Miss Kurihara, who was employed on a freelance basis, hit back, claiming she was strongly in favour of diversity and “profoundly disappointed” that gossip had been reported as fact.
She accepted she had rowed with the designer but said it was because the larger models did not have the right walk and not because of their size.
“Two of the bigger girls, although their faces were beautiful and their bodies beautiful, did not have the right walk for the catwalk,” she said. “The walk is very important and I wasn't happy. Mark was very upset that I didn't share his vision, as he saw it, so he asked me to leave.”
She said Fast had failed to embrace diversity by introducing the larger models because they were all white.
“I find that strange if you are celebrating diversity,” she added.
Amanda May, managing director for Fast, said there were “creative differences with regards to the casting of those girls” from the outset.
She said Kurihara was not the only team member asked to leave in a dispute over the choice of models and that Fast had also sacked his casting director at the last minute.
Ms May said she would not divulge exactly what was said before the pair were asked to go but said they were “glad we stuck to our vision” by getting rid of the negativity.
She added: “We don't want to talk about the ugly bits, we want to talk about the beautiful bits.”
Stylist Daniela Agnelli and casting director Natalie Hubbard stepped in at the last minute to help out.
Miss Agnelli praised the choice of girls, which included 21-year-old Hayley Morley, a size 12, who wore a selection of revealing outfits.
“I thought they looked fantastic,” she said. “I suggested we have one of the larger girls open the show. I thought, we're making a statement, so why not do it properly?”
Fast has denied that the move was politically motivated or a publicity stunt. He said he wanted to prove that curvier women would look as good in his dresses as very thin ones.
Reader views (14)
Wow, people actually think that model is considered oversized. She actually looks healthy, unlike all the other malnourished cat walk models. It's puzzling to me how we got here. Models looks anorexic, and who finds this attractive???? I believe anyone with a beautiful face and a toned body should be capable of becoming a model. Who ever set the rules to have a such a prepubesque image in this industry? I bet you if I made a poll on which female was more appealling and attractive (norm figure VS anorexic) The fuller figured woman would win. So, Kudo's to the full figure woman.
- Maya, Corvallis, Oregon
Um, has anyone commenting seen the show? I have, and I agree that the bigger girls don't have a very nice walk. Has to be said though, how many opportunities for practice do they get? Takes a lot of guts to walk in something so short and bare in front of the whole world, no doubt.
Anyhow, the stylist's complaints should have been noted and the girls given coaching. Problem+solution-drama=sorted
- Maree, London
At last - a healthy normal looking woman! Every man I speak to doesn't like the skinny waifs and much prefer women with shape, it is so much sexier. I do rather object to the size 12 being called PLUS ! when did that happen?
- Kim, Lancing, West Sussex
I think that PLUS size models should be used in every magazine, at every fashion show and every single event. Most women are not a perfect ten and we hate seeing clothes we would love on skinny models because it makes us feel inadequate its a fact that most relationships break down because of a womans insecurities. I think that plus size models should be praised because it takes alot of guts to do this because they always get slated.
- ???, London
I'm with Cam on this one.
Wait until half these models turn 40 and their bones start crumbling and we'll see who wants to be matchstick thin.
- Pootle, Twickenham
From a male point of vue, she looks just fine to me!
- Stephen, London
not too fussed about the clothes - but her figure reminds me of venus de milo - which can't be a bad thing
- now which of today's models will be regarded as thing of beauty 500 years from now!
- Jc, se1
Some of these comments are obviously by people who are brainwashed into the skinny mentality. In fact, this dress looks FAR better on this model, with her curves, than it would on a skinny waif. I've seen the pictures of the thin models at this show wearing similar dresses, and they hang like empty sacks; but on this curvy model, the dress acquires shape, thanks to her curves.
Oh, and the stylist's claim that she left because of the girls' walks sounds like a total lie. She's just trying to cover up her own prejudice.
- Lois, Toronto, Ontario
Note to stylist Erika Kurihara - criticizing your previous employer publicly just because you disagreed with his views is a big no no. It's Mark Fast's design and vision so of course he has the last say.
Fashion is about change, it's about time that the we break from the image of monotone sticks walking the catwalk and replace them with all sorts of sizes, colour and "odd" walkers included.
- Victoria, London
Isabel - I absolutely agree that this model does not look right in that dress, despite her having a normal sized body. This just illustrates how incredibly inaccessible couture clothing is to the masses. You would not only have to be very slim to pull this look off, but also have incredibly long limbs and a towering stature. Perhaps we should be seeing more 12/14 sized women, ALONGSIDE more accessible clothing??
- Jc, London
Sorry but size 12 and 14 are not Plus size, they are normal. Plus size is over size 20.
35 years ago Size 14 was the 36-24-36 epitome of the ideal figure. Size 10 was undesirably scrawny and flat chested and size 8 was a child size.
I fear for some of these weedy matchstick thin girls I see teetering down the street - they can have no internal strength to fight illness. They will be the first to succumb if swine flu turns nasty.
- Cam, Essex
It makes me laugh that they are now stating that women who are a size 12/14 are plus size - what a joke.
- Ash, Oxford, England
Good on him.
- Bob, Cheam
Considering that model is a svelte size 12 I think the dress does absolutely nothing for her figure, thus illustrating that his dresses can only be worn successfully by the slimmest of women. I approve of this designer trying to make his clothes more inclusive though, good for him.
- Isabel, Woking
