Who can singlehandedly triple their business, restructure an entire industry and redefine the commonly-accepted depiction of beauty? Only one person: Christian Siriano.
According to Glamour, the fashion designer — who has featured plus-size models in his fashion shows and has been determined to make his clothing size inclusive — recently explained the scope of the impact these moves have had on his business. In a panel discussion at the 92nd St. Y with executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fern Malli, the 32-year-old Siriano said his business has changed drastically, and all for the better.
“Adding plus sizes to my line tripled my business. Why wouldn’t you do that?! Do we not want to triple the business?” he said. “Do we not think these women should wear our clothes? Do we not want these women to have beautiful things because we’re afraid they’re not beautiful? What is going on here?”
Now 50 percent plus sizes, according to Glamour, Siriano’s business has clearly changed for the better — and it’s doing the same for the fashion industry at large.
“We got Moda Operandi to change their whole website—now they go up to our sizes,” he said. “Knowing we have a part in change like that, it’s amazing…but it’s still crazy to me that it’s not the norm.”
Amen to that.