Actress and director Lena Dunham has vowed to challenge a perception that plus-size women are “stupid” with an inclusive new clothing range.
The Girls star, 34, has collaborated with retailer 11 Honore on a fashion line, with the actress modelling in the campaign imagery as well as co-designing the collection.
11 Honore x Lena Dunham will consist of five pieces, co-created with the retailer's in-house designer Danielle Williams Eke, and launch on Tuesday.
"I've been a size 4 on the red carpet and a size 16 – I wish I could say that the experience of getting dressed was the same, but it's just not," said Dunham on Instagram as she announced the collaboration.
"When you're thin – no matter the reason – there's a kind of inherent nod of congratulations that comes from being able to fit into runway samples and look the part of a Hollywood starlet. And while some designers have embraced my plus size body, there's always the inherent implication by others that by doing so they have bravely risen to some kind of 'challenge'."
The star, who is also a published author, said the collaboration was about cultivating "a space where the question of whether a plus body will be embraced by the clothes is a non-issue, and the clothes are not demanding that a plus woman hide".
The curated collection will comprise a dress, shirt, tank top, blazer and skirt, with prices ranging from $98 to $298. Sizes will run from a US 12 to US 26.
In an interview with The New York Times this week, Dunham revealed she hoped the collaboration would challenge some stereotypes around the body-positivity movement.
“There’s so much judgment around bigger bodies and I think one of those judgments is that bigger women are stupider,” she said.
“They eat too much and don’t know how to stop. Thin women must be discerning and able to use their willpower. Bigger women must be limited in their understanding of the world, and they keep doing things that are bad for them."
Dunham said there is a perception in the fashion industry that "no one thinks plus women have a sense of humour".
"And if they do, it’s, ‘We’re going to put a watermelon on your skirt, you sassy girl!’ None of it has subtlety or true sophistication.”
She hopes the 11 Honore collaboration “sends the message that being curvy is something to celebrate, not simply handle – it’s not a problem to fix or cover up, but rather a really beautiful celebration of having a lot to give".
“It took me a long time, but I love the fact that my body tells a story of vastness, of ample-ness, of presence. And it’s mine and I’m not going to spend a lifetime apologising for it – I’m going to celebrate it in clothing that says: ‘Here I am'. ”
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6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
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The National selections:
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5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Know before you go
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- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
