What's with the extremes?

Why is it that fashion powerhouses like Topshop and Jean-Paul Gaultier can only see things in terms of extremes? The two ladies above are Kate Moss and Beth Ditto (super talented singer of the band the Gossip, one of my favorite bands) - two ladies approached to do a fashion deal with Topshop.

Beth admitted "Kate and I are completely different. But men like bigger girls as much as skinny ones." As Kate designed a range for Topshop, Beth added "Topshop wants me to work with Kate. I'll do it only if I can design clothes. If Kate can then so can I.

"Give me the job. I want to design, I want you to make clothes for big girls, big boys, I want you to make big sizes. I don't want just your money or the cred of hanging out with Kate Moss, which is fine, but it's not want I want in life. I want more. I want what she gets. I don't think it's fair to put my face somewhere where they would never let me in there to wear their clothes. I want the respect that Kate Moss gets. If they want our music they've got to actually do something to earn it. I can get money anywhere, I don't need your money unless you're going to do it my way. [Top Shop] don't want to dress people that look like me, that have a normal body, a bigger body, whatever. I mean I don't really know why they want The Gossip to do things for them, I don't understand because if they saw me in the street they'd never give me the time of day. I like me, I think that other girls like me, they need people like me, people who feel really strongly and will say no."


In October 2006, fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier reacted to the size zero debate by putting a size 20 plus size model on the catwalk for his 30th anniversary show in Paris.

The fashion industry likes extremes because they are attention grabbing, but I have to wonder when the fashion world will incorporate normal sized women - not dangerously thin, not dangerously overweight - into their fashion shows. This reaction by fashion houses to incorporate a token fat girl into their shows or spreads does not constitute real change, it's nothing but a publicity stunt. The only change that will be effective is if average sized women are regularly incorporated into these shows and photo spreads, but I doubt that will ever happen because fashion is and always has been about attaining the unattainable.