It’s safe to say that whoever wrote the rule that funky stripes and prints
are unflattering on plus-size women probably isn’t familiar with Eden
Miller.
If Miller decides to accomplish nothing more in life, the costume designer, fashion designer and wardrobe stylist will forever go down in fashion history as the
first designer to debut a plus-size fashion line at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City.
According to a Sept. 6 Huffington Post article by Lauren Duca, the line creates a sense of legitimacy for plus-size women, both in and out of the industry. The article went on to add that the average woman is a size 14, whereas the average clothing line cuts off at a size 12. In years past, many other designer labels at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week haven’t debuted plus sized lines for fear of tarnishing their brands.
Miller’s clothing line, Cabiria, features v-neck dresses that cut above and or just below
the knee. These dresses display just the right amount of class and sexiness on
women with plus-size bodies opposed to the seemingly unattainable
proportions, like a size 0 or a size 2, that many other designers’ clothes are made for.
Instead of steering clear of fabrics and designs that most designers wouldn’t dare go near, Miller welcomes them with open arms, implementing vibrant and whimsical prints on cleanly cut frocks and fitted dresses that flatter a plus-size woman’s every curve.
According to the Cabiria website, “Each fabric is in a limited quantity, which creates exclusivity and cache for our customers. Cabiria is made entirely in the USA, using sumptuous fabrics, ebullient prints and colors and beautiful craftsmanship. We believe in cutting for the fullness of the plus-size figure, ease of movement, considerate details that make you feel good in your clothes and for long term wearability.”
Miller was one of five designers chosen to present in the Fashion Law Institute’s 3rd Annual runway show.
Though some may call Miller’s pursuit trivial or note that it’s a minuscule event as
it pertains to everyday life, one quick glance at former New York Fashion Week shows, and the scarcity of plus-size fashions will be obvious.
While fashion is ever-changing, the preference for stick-thin women in
designer clothing and pictorials has been a dominant force in the
billion dollar industry.
Despite the thin figure fashion format that has long shunned average body types, Miller managed to take the first of many small steps in changing what the industry deems worthy of worldwide recognition.
More importantly, she accomplished this feat in one the fashion industry’s biggest weeks of the year.
According to a Sept. 6 New York Daily News article, Miller said, “It is a wonderful opportunity for showing the legitimacy of plus-size fashion. It is real fashion. It can be measured in the same way that other kinds of fashion can be.”
Miller aspired to become a New York Fashion Week designer. She realized the endless opportunities that debuting a
plus-size fashion line could create for plus-size designers in the
future.
This is especially important because if an industry as powerful and cutthroat as fashion becomes more accepting of normal body types, the media may potentially follow suit and display more attainable, non-retouched figures on television, billboards and especially in fashion magazines.