As an avid watcher of Project Runway my favorite season was when the contestant Ashley Nell Tipton was on. Tipton was a contestant during season 14 and what made her so unique on the show was the fact that she specifically designed clothing for plus size women. As she made it through the weeks of the competition she showed her aesthetic with the many bold prints and pastel fabrics she chose to use. Soon she was one of the four designers that made it to Fashion Week on the show. When contestants of the show make it to Fashion Week, they are required to create an entire, cohesive collection made up of ten pieces to showcase their designs. She was the only designer to use all plus size models in her runway show causing her to make Project Runway History.
Tipton’s designs led her to winning Project Runway and she continues to represent plus size women in fashion. With her win she is now partnered with JC Penny and has created an entire plus size collection. In 500 different locations her collection called Boutique+ has opened. This line will sell affordable clothes that fit women of all different sizes. Tipton has always stated that one of her goals was to make women feel comfortable in the clothes she designed and to help them show their personalities.
Now that JC Penny is helping Tipton launch her line, they are also promoting body positivity in a campaign called #HereIAM. They made a video featuring many women of all different sizes talking about their weight and how it has affected them. The video comes to a conclusion with the women expressing that their bodies do not need to change but their attitudes about their bodies do. They express how important it is to love your body and to love yourself.
The message of body positivity is so important for women of all ages to understand. Representation also matters too. Seeing a plus size women on TV spreading the message of loving yourself could help everybody. The upcoming months can be tough when you think about your weight. With Thanksgiving passing by and winter coming around it’s easy to be upset when your favorite jeans get a little tighter. What Ashley Nell Tipton wants you to remember is that it’s ok to love yourself for whatever size you are and if those jeans do get a little tighter she’s got your back.