London's First British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend

London Fashion Week and the London Fashion Weekend are pretty fabulous and lots of fun - but mostly if you're skinny. Considering that an estimated 60.8% of UK adults are overweight (according to the BBC), that leaves the majority of the nation's women out of the high fashion celebrations. Yes, there are shoes, bags and accessories that everyone can enjoy, but the clothing is clearly made and marketed with tiny women in mind. That's about to change, at least as far as choice: debuting at the same time as LFW is a new fashion event that caters exclusively to plus-size women, thanks to founders Remi Ray and Rianne Ward. Ray, a 25-year-old entrepreneur and owner of Trapped in a Skinny World, a boutique stocking vintage clothing for women of 'shape and size', and Ward, CEO and Creative Director of Evolve Int'l Media Ltd., a lifestyle brand that delivers products and services to the plus-size community, created British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend to give curvy women the opportunity to engage in fashion while the rest of the world does.

During BPSFW, which runs 15th-16th February in London, plus-size designers, retailers and consumers will come together at Shoreditch Town Hall for a jam-packed schedule that includes:

Styling Master Class
Swap Shop hosted by French plus-size fashion blogger Gaelle-Vanessa Prudencio
Plus-size Models 101 class with Milk Management
Plus-size panel discussion moderated by plus-size fashion blogger Lauren Ding
Fashion show with Simply Be, Carolyn Drapiere, Syreeta Badu, Pauline et Julie, Curvissa, Live Unlimited and others
Marketplace for plus-size fashion

Tickets are available through the BPSFW website. An all-access pass can be purchased for £45.00 - it looks as if the public/consumer events are happening on the Saturday, with a press and blogger day on the Friday - and tickets for some events can be purchased individually.

Just a note as there may be some controversy over the nature of the event, pertaining to the fact that being overweight is bad for your health: Plus-size women encompass all kinds of shapes and sizes, and there are all kinds of reasons as to why these women are those shapes and sizes. And let's not forget that 'plus-size' also includes women who are not fat but simply need specialised clothing to fit their height and build; for many this is their normal, healthy size. Each woman has a unique story. And everyone deserves to look good and feel good about themselves, whatever their size.

Good luck to Remi and Rianne on their first BPSFW, I hope it's a smash.