Christian Siriano Talks Diversity And Body Positivity In The Fashion Industry

When it comes to fashion designers, Christian Siriano is one of the few who is constantly praised for being inclusive and designing for women of all sizes.

When Leslie Jones complained about designers not wanting to dress her for the red carpet, Siriano offered to dress the comedian. While it’s still rare to see plus-size models at a designer’s fashion show, Siriano has welcomed them on his runway. At Siriano’s most recent Spring 2018 show, an impressive ten plus-size models hit the runway.

In an open letter for Teen Vogue, Siriano shared his perspective on diversity and body positivity in the fashion industry. On starting out as a designer, Siriano said, “When I started my business in 2008, I was excited to see my clothing on women I admired. Whether it was purchased in a store or worn on a red carpet, I felt proud that I was able to make those women feel great about themselves. That was my goal from the beginning, and we have stuck to that, even when we were put down for our choices.”

On dressing plus-size women, Siriano said, “There are still designers who balk at the idea of dressing a larger woman, or a woman from a background deemed unworthy. These are designers for whom restrictions have been placed upon themselves, by themselves, and to me, restrictions are the antithesis of art.”

As Siriano eloquently stated, “All people are beautiful. There is no correct size, shape, color, or age.”

Read Siriano’s entire letter on Teen Vogue.