Season 3, E11 ~ The Unseen Side of Fashion: Size Representation & Beyond with Model & Influencer Lydia Okello

For years now, the fashion industry has had a problem. While the media has asked us to embrace beauty at every size, it feels like the fashion industry still has yet to catch up.  Join us as we dissect the politics of size in fashion, unearthing the biases that impact how plus-sized individuals express themselves. We'll spotlight the tokenization of fat people in the fashion industry; we'll share our longing for a world where all sizes are celebrated and have a candid conversation on what it means to create plus-size collections for all bodies.

Our guest, Lydia Okello, is joining us on the podcast this week; they are a non-binary, unapologetic plus-size fashion and lifestyle creator based out of Vancouver, Canada. You may know them from their Instagram handle, StyleIsStyle, or have read some of their work in Vogue or Fashion Canada, where they have discussed everything from plus-size fashion to sustainable plus-size fashion. 

We're laughing, crying, and throwing up about everything plus-size fashion. Then, to bring it all together, we play a game outlining who we think our most fashionable fat cartoon characters of all time are. TBH: you'll be surprised who makes it to the end. So get comfy, open your mind, and prepare for a deep dive into the world of fashion, size, and representation. Let's celebrate beauty in every size together.

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If you liked what you heard, maybe think about rating us!  You can also find all our social links by visiting our Lnk.Bio page. Heck, if you want - leave us a voicemail. We love to answer questions from our listeners or make suggestions about what you'd like us to cover. Maybe we'll even feature it in a future show!  If you even want to support us (we're a small team, and a lot of work goes into what you hear today), we would love it if you send us a few bucks via our Ko-Fi! All the money helps us with production costs and creating the podcast you hear today.

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Show Notes and References!

1. The Mean Life of a ‘Midsize’ Model - The New York Times

2. ARE PLUS-SIZE WOMEN THE PROBLEM WITH PLUS-SIZE FASHION? - Fashionista

3. Unraveling The Plus Size Problem - Business of Fashion

4. What Happened to Plus Size - Vogue Business 

5. Why Plus-Size Models Just Can't Ever Win - Allure

6. What really is plus-size fashion? Experts weigh in on the costs and trends - CNN

7. The Problem with Shein and the Plus Size Community: Examining the Complexities - GarnerStyle