Are Designers Ready For Fuller Models?

Crystal Renn and her fuller figure is talk-of-the-town these days. Probably the most famous plus-size model today, the size 12 model has already made it to four international Vogue editions, Italian Vanity Fair, Italian Elle, Cosmo Girl, and on Harper's Bazaar as the first plus-size model to appear on the cover of the magazine. Aside from magazine appearances, she also had stints on the catwalks for various designers including Jean Paul Gautier in 2006 (photo above) and Dolce & Gabbana.

Is fashion finally ready for a turn-around? Two prominent designers say so.

Roland Mouret thinks that we need to take a hint from the 80s. He tells Guardian:

"I see advertising going back to that powerful 1980s mentality, when girls like Linda (Evangelista) were ideal. Back in the 80s, when supermodels were several sizes larger than top models today, the clothes worked on bigger bodies. They were bright, bold, curve-enhancing."

Antonio Berardi agrees. Having troubles of finding girls with a womanly shape, he shares:

"We have to spend days altering things. We add padding and pieces that work inside the clothes to exaggerate their bodies into a more female form. I don't want all those girls with pale skin who look the same. My family is Italian – I am inspired by a womanly aesthetic."