italian vogue coverPlus-size models are certainly having a moment. After Italian Vogue featured three beautiful plus-size models on their June cover, the industry has been coming around to the idea that the public is ready for and asking that gorgeous, full-figured models have a significant place in fashion, beauty, and style. Great, right? Well, yes and no. The proliferation of plus-sized models may be a step in the right direction, but the fashion industry is just as fickle with the heavier models as it is with the skinnier ones.

Marquita Pring, who appeared on that June cover, admitted that she's worn thick foam padding under outfits to make her look heavier, rounder, and smoother. We can't win.

Models are either too fat, too skinny, or now ... not fat enough? Pring, 20, says that the "fat suits" are good because she's able to work out and stay healthy, but retain her plus-size modeling gigs. What's next -- Kate Moss gonna put on a Fat Albert suit and get additional work as a plus-size model?

I guess I'm just disappointed. I thought we were getting to see some "real women" (I hate to use that phrase, but you know what I mean) in advertising, but we're not getting that at all. We're getting models wearing padded undergarments that add inches to their waist and thighs in one fell swoop. As with airbrushed regular models, we won't be seeing a real picture of plus-sized models because guess what: Advertisers don't want to show real fat, because, duh that's gross, so they'll use fake fat instead. Problem solved!

This trend toward faking fat and faking curves is terrible. I find it impossible to believe that there are not full-figured models out there who are stunning and curvaceous, and don't need a fat suit.

It's a long road to authenticity in fashion ads, and I guess this is just another bump along the way. I gotta say I did not see this one coming though. Fat suits in fashion? Whodathunk?

What do you think?


Photo via Vogue.it