Changing the World

So, today I was having a day... work, work work, photocoagulation work , work, work, macular degeneration, work, work work, renal carcinoma, work, work, work, The Declaration of Helsinki was derived from the Treaty of Nuremberg which came to place because of the Nazi medical atrocities and unethical clinical research exemplified by the Tuskegee Syphyllis experiment.. call from recruiter, call from recruiter.. Same shit, different day.
So I come come back from a tream lunch with my co-workers and I check my emails and one of them made me cry....
You have to get the story. I was still in Montreal. I was starting to get hard -core into realizing that what I wanted to do with my life was fashion. Not really good timing since I was in the middle of an advanced degree in biomedical science, but that is how my life goes.
And I started to realize the discrimination and limitations that exist in the fashion industry when it comes to addressing the needs of women who are not super thin.
I mean when a size 12 is considered an XL, we have hit an all time moronic record.
So in my sweet , adorable innocence I wrote Pam and Gella at Juicy and asked them to make Plus Size Juicy Couture. The label was at its height of popularity. It was a sweet, angelic letter, almost like one a child would write to Santa.
Of course they blew me off. I was a fat chick who did not realize being a fat chick was BAAAAD. Despite years of abuse and battling eating disorders and self-hate. No, of course I do not know.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned again the fact that I have written many designers and asked them why are they not making plus size clothes because their clothes are what a lot of us want to wear. And they would make a LOT of money in the process too. Now I am someone who writes about fashion all the time and I attend Fashion Week and I am on people's radar if nothing for my persistence.
On the career day at ghetto Diego ghetto Mesa ghetto College ( I love it with all my heart) about 3 years ago, because I was in Apparel Construction, the lady who was the main buyer at Nordstroms was speaking there. In front of the whole department, I got up and I gave her a massive bollocking because of how SHITTY the offerings were in their plus size department. I started by telling her how much money I spent in her store. And how the offerings in the rest of the Womenswear department differed significantly with their "Encore" department. She said that they were doing well in sales. What she did not understand is that they could have been doing WAY better and that the only reason people plus women bought that hideous, hideous polyester pantsuit, mom jean, empire-waisted top and mother of the bride beaded evening suit crapola, is because WE COULD NOT WEAR ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS WE BLOODY MADE IT.
But I am sure it's a bollocking she did not forget.
I have been writing my fingers off since trying to effect change in regards attitudes towards plus size clothing and women within the MAINSTREAM fashion industry. Mostly everyone would say "Girl.... like getting blood from a stone".
But Michael "The Duchess" Kors put out a Plus line. And Calvin Klein put out a Plus Line. and Rachel Pally put one out too and so did Norma Kamali. And guess what? Now THIS has happened:




Plus Size Juicy Couture!!!!
I think for some reason I have had a part in this change and this catalysis. I am changing the world. As I read on another blog "No cause is too small for a true revolutionary".
My reason for fighting in the ditches of this revolution is that I do not want any little girl to go through what this little girl went through:

I was the one all the way in the right hand corner... The one they called "the fat one".

This is me, a few years later ( exactly 2) after ana and mia made their homes in my body...

Drag the corners of the transparent box below to crop this photo into your Profile picture.

I am the one in the sweater with red stripes. And they still called me "the fat one".
I was a train wreck. And now I can see that I looked just like everyone else. They were making me fat. I was not fat.
And I could not fit into Gloria Vanderbilt jeans like the little evil bitch sitting right next to the teacher on the second row who said to her friend sitting right next to her :" The fat one would not be so bad if she lost weight and got a nose job and straightened her hair..." I was my daughter's age.
I do not want any other little girl to go through not being able to go to a party because she did not have any jeans like her friends'.
Specially not MY little girl. I want my little girl to wear whatever she wants to and to not hate her body for one second in her life.
So I am very proud I am fighting for these things to happen.
These are the things that matter to me. For this I put up with a "career" I hate in a field that bores me where people once again treat me horribly, so I can one day do what I truly love and change the world full time. I know I have what it takes.
On the other hand, I also got this in the mail...

Dear Milla,

The International Team thanks you for your support of London Fashion Week September 2008.

As the Spring/Summer09 collections unveiled you were there to witness and report on another stage

in the evolution of London design and creativity. Please do send us any coverage you produce on the designers and

their collections as this is vital part of the LFW September 2008 report we are compiling.

From the established Big Brits to the emerging talents of New Generation & Fashion Forward,

The September 2008 London Catwalks and Exhibitions provided something exciting for all tastes.

It has been an amazing season and we thank you for uniting with us once again to celebrate

25 incredible years of British Fashion.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes,

Anna, Katie, Alessandra

International Team

Not bad for "the fat one" , eh?