Full Figured Fashion Week - Back Fat = the New Cleavage

[MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: Welcome to "Fashion Week International," a new show that reports on the most fabulous fashion weeks in the world, and the culture and politics behind them. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: Have you heard of Full Figured Fashion Week? FEMALE SPEAKER: Well, not really. FEMALE SPEAKER: No. FEMALE SPEAKER: What's that? FEMALE SPEAKER: No. FEMALE SPEAKER: No, I haven't. FEMALE SPEAKER: Full Figured Fashion Week, what does that mean? [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: I was in New York for fashion week. No, not that one. The First Annual Full Figured Fashion Week. The dress size in the US is 14 and growing. Sick of fad diets and stretchy muumuu dresses designed to disguise their lady lumps, these women want to celebrate their shape with couture adaptations and sequins. I came here to investigate the extent to which the plus size industry is really empowering the fuller figured woman or if it's simply a case of cashing in on the fat dollar. So we're going to the runway competition to see a load of models from all over America. And they're going to just battle it out on the catwalk. Where are we going? Five. Here we go. Hey. How are you doing? FEMALE SPEAKER: So good to see you. MALE SPEAKER: Likewise. FEMALE SPEAKER: Thank you so much for coming. Put your hands together for these beautiful ladies who are going to rock the stage. [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] FEMALE SPEAKER: Ladies, are you ready? [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] FEMALE SPEAKER: Let me get some music. DJ, please. [MUSIC PLAYING] [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] MALE SPEAKER: Somebody that wasn't full figured might do that and they probably would have broke down and cried. But her being so confident and her, she made it work. And it took a lot of guts and it took some fortitude to do that. And that's what it is. CHARLOT DUBOC: When you see that full figure on the cat walk, what happens? MALE SPEAKER: I just like their attitude. And it surprises me how confident they are in them self when society wants them to be something else. You know what I mean? And I'm glad that they embrace that. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: What are you looking for? What makes a winner? BRANDON: If you feel sexy, if you feel confident, if you feel curvy, then you can work the runway. With no matter whether you're a size 2 or a size 22, you can still do it. My name is Brandon Coats. And I'm here today. And I'm actually judging the full figured and fabulous competition. CHARLOT DUBOC: What do you think of this whole event? What do you think of full figured fashion week? BRANDON: Plus sized women for too long have been marginalized and not catered to. So here's actually a market where we celebrate plus sized women in all their fabulosity. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: So, hi. Your wife just won the competition. How do you feel? MALE SPEAKER: I'm a lucky man. I mean, not a lot of people can say that they're married to a model. Bigger is better. What can I say? [APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] FEMALE SPEAKER: I am ecstatic. I mean, words can't really express exactly how I feel. I've worked so hard for this. You know, you can be full figured and healthy. CHARLOT DUBOC: One of the hilarious things that somebody said to me was, it's hard to be a full figured runway model because your thighs rub together and people don't realize that. [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: That is a problem. CHARLOT DUBOC: And did you feel emotional? MALE SPEAKER: Yeah, I did. I did. I'll cry later. CHARLOT DUBOC: But what-- [INTERPOSING VOICES] MALE SPEAKER: Wait until it just becomes fashion, not full figured, not, you know, regular figured, just fashion. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: After a raucous start to the week, I went to find out a bit about the shopping options for these women. So we headed to a sample sale organized by the fashion week. What's this? Curves in the City Sample Sale. Oh. my god. So it's like "Sex in the City," but not at all like "Sex in the City." I don't know if I'm going to be the only empty figured person there. Hi. MALE SPEAKER: Good morning. CHARLOT DUBOC: This way is for the sample sale? MALE SPEAKER: Yes, it is. FEMALE SPEAKER: Yes. CHARLOT DUBOC: Thank you. [INTERPOSING VOICES] CHARLOT DUBOC: Over there's Brenda [INAUDIBLE] She's the organizer for the whole thing. We've heard she's a bit of a force to be reckoned with. Hi. I'm Charlot. FEMALE SPEAKER: Charlot, finally I got a chance to meet you. CHARLOT DUBOC: I wanted you to show us your favorite store. FEMALE SPEAKER: Oh. It's going to be hard to narrow that down, but I think I know just the person. CHARLOT DUBOC: Come on, then. FEMALE SPEAKER: Come on. Let's go shopping. This is the layer patch leather dress, which she has. This is the royal fishtail dress, which she has. This is the stormy mesh dress, which is fabulous. It could be worn in the summertime and wintertime, which she has. FEMALE SPEAKER: You just can't get this type of fashion in those sizes so readily available. With her, you just go online and it's there. FEMALE SPEAKER: Oh, anything with ruffles, flowers, that's all me right there. Oh, this is beautiful! FEMALE SPEAKER: Wear your curves. Love your curves. Show your curves. FEMALE SPEAKER: I wrote this book, "Stop Dieting Now." It really becomes the focus of your life when you're trying to lose weight all the time. Diets create anorexic thinking. And if you talk to someone who's had anorexia and you talk to someone who is dieting, the way they talk about food is very similar. The diet industry needs you to fail. But I also get a lot of backlash. CHARLOT DUBOC: What are the sort of negative things do people say? FEMALE SPEAKER: Everything from just repeating the same diet paradigm of like, well, it's just calories in, calories out. About you don't-- You know, all that. To, you know, you should go die, you know. So, yeah. It's pretty crazy. FEMALE SPEAKER: Right now what you're looking at is our True Sheroes, plus size, curvy comic book. CHARLOT DUBOC: Are you here? FEMALE SPEAKER: And I'm here. CHARLOT DUBOC: That's you? What are your super powers? FEMALE SPEAKER: My super power is I get my powers from the sun. She gets hers from the gamma-ray bursts. Then you have one with the strength of 1,000 men. That's pretty much what we are. We're not a fat girl movement. We're all about the woman with curves. That's just who we are. CHARLOT DUBOC: Tell us what you've got on. It's really cute. FEMALE SPEAKER: OK. This is body jewelry. I don't know exactly what it is. CHARLOT DUBOC: So you're not supposed to wear it with nothing else? [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: Oh, my God. We're feeling fabulous. No, you always have an outfit under there, especially if you're under 21. But if you're over 21 and married like me and do it, it'll be just fine. Rock it! I say, rock it! [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: OK. I could tell you how you grow your ***. You and I can go together because I need to lift mine up, suck it out there. They're going to suck it out of me. Put it in you. FEMALE SPEAKER: Don't hate 'cause I just ate. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: We're going to the world's largest fitness class. It's called Walking Curves. I kind of didn't dress properly. But I'm going to do my best. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: What is your aim here? You don't want to lose your curves. FEMALE SPEAKER: People have a misconception about what health is. You know, just because you're a person of a certain size, they equate that to being unhealthy. But that's a misnomer. Because a person that's a smaller size could be unhealthy. But because of the way they look, you think that they're healthy. We got to help each other along the journey. FEMALE SPEAKER: So let's do it! FEMALE SPEAKER: Woo hoo! Walking Curves! [APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] MALE SPEAKER: So what we're going to do is called the wobble. Have y'all heard of the wobble? [SCREAMING AND CHEERING] MALE SPEAKER: Oh, OK. The wobble. [MUSIC PLAYING] FEMALE SPEAKER: I just want to thank you all for coming to Walking Curves national debut. We might be a small group, baby, but we pack a mighty punch. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: Considering 78% of Americans don't meet the basic recommended activity level, it was encouraging to see that such an event was part of the fashion week schedule. But just a stone throw across town, nothing tastes as good as being thin feels. We headed to New York's high-end shopping district to try and get an idea of how size is perceived among the city's most discerning fashion consumers. Do you think stores like Chanel or any high-end boutique should be stocking above a size 12? FEMALE SPEAKER: I can't believe I'm saying this, but I don't think so. FEMALE SPEAKER: I think that people who are into high fashion are very conscious of the way they look. And part of the way they look dictates how much they weigh. FEMALE SPEAKER: I don't know. It's harder to make something fashionable if it's really large. FEMALE SPEAKER: There are enough secluded stores who only exclusively sell over size 14. FEMALE SPEAKER: It just depends on the person. If you see a size 22 woman, you know, slumping around in a big, you know, potato sack, she might not be attractive. But if you see her in a beautiful dress with lots of confidence, I think that's just as beautiful and fabulous as a skinny girl. CHARLOT DUBOC: If you went to bed tonight, woke up tomorrow, and you're a size 22, what would you do? FEMALE SPEAKER: Ooh. I think I'd go to the gym. FEMALE SPEAKER: I would probably go on an immediate diet because I would feel awful. I wouldn't leave my house until I lost 100 pounds. FEMALE SPEAKER: I would probably start balling. That sounds terrible. But I'm actually on my way to go shopping. And I do know that if I go shopping and I've just eaten, I don't feel as good when I'm trying on the clothes. Just because everyone gets, like, a little natural pooch after they eat. You know, it's totally natural. FEMALE SPEAKER: So I think they'd be wasting their time. I think they should do petite departments. That's where it's at for high fashion. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: Dispute the general feeling that plus sized fashion should be kept in the back of the high street department stores, there are numerous independent boutiques popping up around the city such as Redress, a plus sized vintage store in Brooklyn where I met Glen. Glen, where are we? What is this place? GLEN: Well, you're at Redress New York City. It's a vintage and resale clothing shop for plus size folks. The teggings are really popular. People come specifically for it. People will follow us on Facebook or Twitter, come in town from, like, North Carolina. And be like, where are the teggings? Because it's like a tight and legging hybrid. They're one size fits all, which we do not say lightly. We're not the kind of shop that's going to be like, one size fits all. Because that would make someone feel really crappy if we're like, one size fits all and it didn't fit me. I'd be, like, man, that's not right. That says one size fits all and it doesn't fit me. Your store sucks. But these-- I don't know what this is made out of. It's some magic material. It's super comfortable. It doesn't dig into you. These little pins are $1 here. And people buy them. And they say things like, there's no wrong way to have a body, back fat is the new cleavage. My background is in ***, radical, sex positivity. And so that's my answer to how I learned to know that it's OK to have any kind of body and feel hot. But it's definitely a journey. You got to work a little bit to get the party. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: It seemed appropriate that the finale fashion show would be held in the outsized, overstimulating phenomenon that is Times Square. I got the feeling that what the event lacked in subtlety would be made up for in pure entertainment value. So we're going to go and see what's going on backstage because that's probably where all the action is. Hi. FEMALE SPEAKER: We're backstage at Full Figured Fashion Week and we're getting ready to go. I got my iPod so I can get my music going. And we're ready to hit the runway. We're ready to go. FEMALE SPEAKER: Yes. Yes. Yes. FEMALE SPEAKER: Could you do me a favor? You could do your hair back like that when you're walking down the runway. FEMALE SPEAKER: Sure. FEMALE SPEAKER: It takes a lot for a woman to be able to hold this and be confident with it. And I love it. I just love my curves. I love how they move. I wouldn't wish to be any other way. FEMALE SPEAKER: This group of people, all these designers, were shunned by Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. And they don't think we're real designers. And I think they don't think we're real women. And we are real women who are deserving of fashion. We are deserving of couture. And it's a mission of mine to keep pushing the envelope until we can get into one of those shows. Because we need to be represented. FEMALE SPEAKER: We're going to be doing pirouettes and turning. And doing all sorts of things. FEMALE SPEAKER: We have about eight minutes until the show starts. Everyone's going a little crazy. I'm sure that most of the models have butterflies just like I do. FEMALE SPEAKER: So, are you ready for fashion? [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] FEMALE SPEAKER: I said, are you ready for fashion? [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] [MUSIC PLAYING] [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] CHARLOT DUBOC: I've never seen full figured women presented in this way or move in that way. FEMALE SPEAKER: It's ovehwhelming. What it is is that we're not used to seeing that. Like, women being so confident about their size and embracing it, and loving it, and out there with clothing that you would never think to see them in. It is emotional. CHARLOT DUBOC: It is, isn't it? FEMALE SPEAKER: And I cry at everything. I have to tell you my mom was a big woman. And her two favorite words was poly and ester. [CHEERING AND LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: Y'all know about that. And to see the fashion today, it's ridiculous. I mean, one sleeved dresses, sequins, it's just so much beautiful fashion to choose from. And we're blessed to have it today. You guys looks beautiful. Please give a big hand and applause for yourselves for being here. FEMALE SPEAKER: They get excited when you're excited. I'm not excited. Why are you in my face? [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: Sergeant Runway, here. CHARLOT DUBOC: I'm no stranger to the bi-annual fashion week rip tour of the big four, London, New York, Paris, and Milan. There can be nothing so dull as watching cadaverous, androgynous-looking models walk past you in clothes and only just make it back up the runway alive. The atmosphere at Full Figured Fashion Week was brimming with a sense of triumph and unity-- nothing short of life affirming. It was very much a case of the girls wearing the clothes rather than the clothes wearing them. As a result, I nearly forgot to look at the clothes, some of which were outlandish, others frankly quite ugly. But the girls rocked every last piece. What are you doing here tonight? MALE SPEAKER: I'm here to see beautiful full figured women. CHARLOT DUBOC: That's so great. So you're a fan of the fuller figured lady? MALE SPEAKER: I am. I am. Yes. It's all, like, shape and proportion really. And I like curves and voluptuous women, really. And I'm here to hopefully get some phone numbers and meet some new chicks. FEMALE SPEAKER: We're showing women that are classy. Woman that love their bodies. Women that are confident. And we're showing women that are fashionable. And they will strut their stuff. They show what they got to show and they have attitude. And they respect themselves. And absolutely, we need to showcase that in the US and around the world. Men need to understand that we are a whole lot of women looking for a whole lot of man. MALE SPEAKER: There were some that shouldn't have been in high heels. And there were some that I would have rather seen in just high heels, just by their self, high heels and birthday suits. But, you know, 12 and up, light skin, long hair, don't care. That's how we getting it. CHARLOT DUBOC: It's all finished. And I have been honestly overwhelmed. Because I've never seen women, full figured women, presented in that way, celebrated in that way, moving in that way to the extent that I feel like if I woke up tomorrow and I was a size 16, 20, or 22, I'd be like, let's go. And that is amazing. And I just think if the rest of the world were affected like I was, then things would improve. And I just think everyone's got it wrong. Everyone's had it so wrong for so long. And, I mean, hell. These women are hot. [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: To top it all off, we were invited on a celebratory cruise around Manhattan Island called Curves at Sea. FEMALE SPEAKER: Good evening. [LAUGHTER] FEMALE SPEAKER: OK. Would you guys stop rocking in the boat, please. Full Figured Fashion Week started sort of like a little dream of mine. I went to my first fashion event and I sat there. And I said, something's not right about this. There had to be other curvy girls in the world such as myself who want to go to Fashion Week and be able to see the fashions come alive via curvy models. And they want to buy. Because you want to know something? We have an incredible amount of power through our spending dollars. What do you say? [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] FEMALE SPEAKER: OK. So I'm sitting there. And I'm like, you know what? I need to do something about this. I am going to create my own full figured fashion week. And guess what? The rest is freaking history. So put your hands together for Ms. Shonda Freeman. [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] SHONDA: Thank you. Thank you all so much. I just wanted to say that for me, Gwen came to me at a time in my life-- GLEN: Oh, Lord Jesus. SHONDA: I'm sorry. I just lost my mom. And [INAUDIBLE] understand, it's not about fashion. It is about respect, inspiration, and all of us empowering each other. I feel like Full Figured Fashion Week is a sisterhood. And just God bless all of you. FEMALE SPEAKER: Yes, he is. SHONDA: And keep you safe. And always a lady first. Thank you. [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] FEMALE SPEAKER: Repeat after me. Size! ALL: Size! FEMALE SPEAKER: Doesn't bury our! ALL: Doesn't bury our! FEMALE SPEAKER: Our beauty! [APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] ALL: Our beauty! FEMALE SPEAKER: Oh, my God. Give yourselves a thundering, thunder, thunderous round of applause. [APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] FEMALE SPEAKER: Love and kisses to you all. Enjoy yourself. And have a blessed, blessed Full Figured Fashion Week. [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] [MUSIC PLAYING] CHARLOT DUBOC: As Shonda said, Full Figured Fashion Week was about much more than just fashion. I've been welcomed into the *** of what felt more like a sisterhood than a fashion crowd. First, no one's denying that it's everybody's right to feel and look good, the question of size and health remains a massively divisive topic in western society. But at that moment, on that boat, at one of the best fashion parties I've ever been to, I felt pretty convinced that bigger is definitely better. [MUSIC PLAYING] FEMALE SPEAKER: A big cake for a big girl. Fab, full figured is in. [MUSIC PLAYING]