Warning: Spoilers Ahead. DO NOT READ if you haven’t seen the finale!
All curvy fans of Project Runway yelped in delight when the line up was announced this season, because for the first time an unambiguously plus size designer, who designs for plus sizes, was included! Ashley Nell Tipton is 24 years old, a recent graduate of fashion college, and unmistakable with her gorgeous lavender hair.
Ashley Nell Tipton
OK spoilers are REALY coming now. You ready?
AND THEN SHE WON!!! WOOHOO!!
Ashley was awesome straight out of the gate – one of my favorite looks was her very first one, probably because I’m a total sucker for prints.
Throughout the competition, Ashley was a strong contender, though she was oddly ostracized at certain points by the other designers – who knows whether that was true, or judicious editing, though. Reality TV these days makes it hard to tell.
Her finale collection was inspired by Mexico in the 1950s, and featured a variety of jewel and pastel toned lace two-pieces, sheer panels and crop tops. My favorite was definitely the purple ensemble which was adorably mermaid-y.
I’m so glad that Ashley won, not only because she’s talented and produces extremely wearable clothes (surprisingly so, for Project Runway) but because the prominence of Project Runway helps to further build the message that plus size women want to be beautiful, we want to wear clothes that make us feel awesome, and we want fashionable and cutting-edge looks as much as anyone else.
It seemed pretty clear to me that Project Runway was making “a point” (to be perfectly frank, I don’t know if she’d have won if the same clothes had been on straight size models) and it did irritate me how they kept on telling her how brave she was – is it really brave to make clothes for average sized women? I also felt that the sentiment of “WOW look curvy women wearing crop tops! Amazing!” was a little out of touch with recent curvy trends – crop tops and sheers have been on curvy blogs for years at this point.
But, I’m still so pleased that she did win, and I just hope that this is the beginning of more representation of curvy women on shows like this, and more clothes lines in stores. Not everyone has the amazing skill of being able to sew like us, and all women deserve to have lots of fashion choices and to be able to wear clothes that make them feel amazing.
So, brava Ashley! I can’t wait to see what you’ll do next. Do you watch Project Runway? What did you think about Ashley and her win?
Curvy women have been through a lot. It makes sense that we see a show based on ratings from the public (76% over a size 12) and get a little suspicious. It could rightly be because they were trying to boost ratings and she was the perfect opportunity. It’s actually not highly unlikely. But all of that aside, all of the circus aside… think about 10 years ago… the likelihood of someone her size being CHOSEN to be on television to compete at all was not even possible unless the show was about fat people trying not to be fat.
All of the circus aside. Her aesthetic jived with some and not with others. I haven’t loved every winner on Project Runway. But she got them on bigger bodies, she resonated with us and with the world. I feel like that’s progress.. it’s a step in the right direction. She might’ve made it ok for the next larger sized woman to be on TV… and who knows what else!
I personally enjoyed her aesthetic. I like that she got the conversation going… as a vintage lover half mexi I loved her collection and I like her personality and grace. I like that she’s paving the way along with all woman saying I’m not just my body!
I like Ashley’s use of color and texture. I am glad she won. Hers was the first plus size runway show ever in the history of New York Fashion week. It was a breathe of fresh air to see models that look like they eat and are healthy. Whether you like her collection or not, it seems to me like some barriers were broken and some walls came tumbling down and that always makes me smile. I also got the message from her collection that plus size women can wear color and various shapes and not the mediocre designs presented in ready to wear.
I am glad Ashley won and knew from the get go she had a good chance. Not just because of the politics involved (first ever plus show), but because she has a good design sense. When she bombs, it is because she doubts herself and her talent. The real woman challenge was the most disappointing, as far as I could see. She really should have rocked it big time. Most of the time, I feel like she could provide designs like SHE herself was wearing throughout the competition. That glitter sweater was fab!
While I appreciated the other finalists, there weren’t any pieces I could take home. But Ashely’s, yes! I don’t typically wear lace crop tops, but hey, I could. Yes, I’m a curvy mature woman, but there are times some of those things would have been more than appropriate for me. It was a well thought out, cohesive collection.
I am disappointed by the negativity. This is a major win for a silent majority. Well, ladies, silent no more! Just because it isn’t your taste or preference does not mean there is no audience or client for it. Trust me, there is no way I am wearing a leather bustier with leather pants and a wood overskirt (Candice). Nor will I ever put on glitter hot pants (Kellie). That doesn’t mean it is bad design. It just means it isn’t my taste.
So, maybe that is the take away. Ashley has created victory for us curvy girls. Her designs may not be your cup of tea, but it doesn’t mean it is bad.
I am going to weigh in here. Rarely, if ever, does ANY designer have clothes in a runway show that I would actually wear! I am not their demographic. Too old;-(. BUT, what I like or don’t like is the feel of the show. A more visceral reaction. I look at texture, color, use of color and in particular color combinations. I liked all of that in her show. Will I wear any of it? No. Did I like it? Yes.
I will use what I saw and liked and make it appropriate for me. I am going to look at lace again and see how I can use it in my wardrobe. The texture in her fabrics I will also use.
Head pieces will not show up at all.
I too have been surprised by comments here and elsewhere exclaiming why Ashley should not have won. Project Runway is a design competition. It is not entitled Project Ready to Wear nor Project Seamstress. Ashley’s collection was cohesive and you clearly understood the inspiration.
The other finalists are talented. Kelly’s growth during the span of the show was extraordinary and her jumpsuit for the red carpet challenge was the design of the competition IMHO. Her collection wasn’t cohesive and simply didn’t offer any new design. Hers was more a stylized collection of existing pieces that didn’t read high end fashion but more Forever 21. When you are in a design competition and have an opportunity to modify your design….dumping 500 pounds of glitter on shoes isn’t an answer. For all the people who claim they wouldn’t wear Ashley’s collection, I’d ask they post a selfie when they’re wearing a metallic fanny pack and glitter shoes.
My daughter and I watched the show/ season finale together and I told her at the beginning of it that Ashley would win. She asked me how I knew and I told her – Kelli was very talented but her clothes looked like a collection from Forever 21, Edmond’s collection was like every other collection of evening wear- Now if Candice had actually stuck with her gut and put some of her more interesting pieces out there other than all the seemingly same leather outfits – I think she would have given Ashley a run for her money. I really liked Ashley’s design aesthetic – the clothes she did during the show – minus the makeover dress disaster -were some great looks.
I agree that PR’s judges were ‘making a point’ by choosing Ashley’s collection to win–IN PART. However, only one of the other 3 finalist designers had a snowball’s chance in you-know-where of winning the competition, and frankly while I loved her Studio54-inspired collection and she was really creative with surface designs, her collection wasn’t very marketable. Sure, Ashley’s may have needed some better finishing, but overall, it was well done, she has a clear design vision, she knows how to design fashionable, beautiful clothes for the curvy customer, and her looks were utterly wearable (for plus size and ‘standard’ size), stunning, and have a much wider market appeal. She deserved to win AND they were making a point by letting her win and saying ‘yes, a plus-size designer creating fashion for plus-size women BELONGS in this industry’.
I can understand that the clothes aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but IMO they looked feminine and playful and fun, and the colored lace was right on trend with many of the Spring 2016 collections. She had a POV, a coherent theme, and it was definitely a Spring collection. I thought the gown and the shift dress looked matronly, but not the rest.
Were the clothes wearable for everyday? Nope, but most of the PR finalist’s collections featured clothing that was not wearable for everyday as well.
I’m looking forward to see what happens with Ashley in the future. I would not be surprised to see her snatched up as a designer by some RTW powerhouse, whether they are plus-size specific or not.
Well I am really disappointed to read some of the comments on here. Given some of the utter dross clothing collections that have won PR (Grechen?) I am cutting Ashley some slack. It Is REALLY HARD to design for curvy women and her stuff was gorgeous, different, presented in a real runway style with those fab head pieces, and if the dip sticks who judge it are not familiar with what is already happening out here and are blown out of the water by a crop top then GOOD JOB. This collection represents so much more than the clothes themselves on the day.
She made clothes that looked like high fashion, but also looked wearable and that is really hard to achieve.
honestly, give this amazing designer the kudos she deserves and don’t qualify it with a backhanded compliment. If we cannot root for our own with total enthusiasm then we don’t deserve her.
I am so happy that she won. I’m sure critics will say that it was staged or she won because they wanted her to, or blah, blah, blah. I don’t care what they say. She had it from the start. It’s easy to design couture outfits gowns etc for people ergo are small. Let me make myself clear: I’m not bashing anyone who is small skinny thin fit or “twiggy”. It is more challenging to fit curvy women because each woman with curves has different curves. There is no easy way to establish mas produced items for larger sizes that fit many of us well. Every body is different. I appreciate that she has heralded the fashion gateways and burst forth in this challenge. It’s about time. It’s not a fad, it’s mainstream and to deny society and try to push down the plus size industry, means we will only stand stronger and taller in the face of adversity. Thank you for fighting as we continue to broaden the spectrum of fashion!
Whether we like her clothes or not, we can all agree that her win on Project Runaway sets an unprecedented shift in the fashion industry to include young, hip plus-size designers. I’m definitely excited about that!
That’s actually my point, this wasn’t a young and hip collection. It was matronly, ill-fitting and sad. The first runway that she won? That’s young and hip. A collection that looked like that, I’d be for it. Heck, a collection based off of the outfits that she wore on the show would have been better.
Her fashion week show was not a winner, it was a disappointment.
Pink crop top with zipper that stops at your nipple? No.
Pink floating nightshirt over purple pjs? I think my grandmother has that.
The teal or purple hotpants are cut at an unfortunate spot for the models. They cut off their legs at their widest point. No one looks good in that.
Pink romper that doesn’t fit.
Teal dress, wait, I think I have something almost exactly like that I sleep in.
This was not a well-done collection for a fashion designer, plus-sized or not.
I’m all for the fashion industry including young and hip plus-sized designers, this is not that.
IN YOUR OPINION, it was those things. IN MY OPINION it was fabulous.
As a curvy person and a huge fan of Project Runway, I was actually not happy about this win. I doubt she would have won if those clothes had been on “regular” models and not regular people. Worse, there was not a single design in her show that I could envision wearing or wanting to wear. Between that and the horrifying flower crowns, I just don’t get how she won. They smashed another designer for over the top accessories, and yet Ashley’s crowns were acceptable? Super gluing flowers all over a skirt? No.
The makeup made several models look ILL. That’s not good either.
This was definitely more about making a statement about curvy women than about design, which feels like a setback. She did make some great clothes during the season, but this finale was not those. This was a win so they could say they had a designer for plus-sized women win.
If she had made the clothes that were worthy of her earlier wins, I might have understood.
Personally, if Ashley’s runway is where plus-sized designing is going, I’d rather not come along.
I agree with you 1000%. I loved Ashley from the start, and felt really bad that she was getting a little bullied and kind of losing her steam toward the end and was really rooting for her. Some of Ashley’s pieces were really beautiful, but I don’t think anything was innovative or all that different from what I’ve been seeing on some of the curvy fashion blogs these last few months.
Kelly’s transformation throughout the season was so amazing to watch. I truly thought she should have won, but knew she wouldn’t because PR had to make a statement or feared the backlash or both. I hope they end up bringing her back for an all stars season. I absolutely loved her. And Edmond too!
Agreed, both of you. While I wanted Ashley to win, and was rooting for her, I didn’t want PR to just hand her the win. And IMO, that’s what happened. The floral headpieces were the most avant-garde things about that collection. There wasn’t much excitement or high fashion there. Hers was the most RTW of the four.
Kelly from the Deli does not hit my style points at all, but she nailed her collection. Candice may have been a mean girl, but that wooden slat skirt (that she didn’t even show!) was phenomenal.
Ok, so I read the spoiler……sometimes the show is just too much for me to stomach (all the ‘reality’ drama and such) but, I love the whole idea of the show and I love to see what designers come up with in any given challenge. I am so happy that ‘curvy’ women will now: 1- have someone who could be creating an exciting line of clothing and 2- have yet another opportunity for exposure of real body types. Go Ashley! And Go Jenny! Very exciting.
I love the photos you’ve shared especially the one with the group of curvy models wearing Ashley’s creations. Gorgeous! And love the clothes she’s designed – I agree she should have won this competition (I confess that I’ve never seen the show – it’s not on in air here in this part of Canada) – it’s annoying to read some of the condescending and patronizing comments about her win! Thank you for sharing this on your blog!