Interview with Australian Plus Size Model, Pippa Jeffreys

Bonjour SonsiLiving friends!

If you didn’t catch my first post, my name is Gaëlle-Vanessa, nicknamed: Vanoue. I was born and raised in Africa and now live in Paris. I run a plus size blog written in French and English named “Les Pitreries de Vanoue”. You can translate as “Vanoue’s shenanigans”. Last year I went to Full Figured Fashion Week in NYC and met amazing people (like the Sonsi Team!). They asked me if I would be interested in blogging for SonsiLiving about French plus size way of life. What an honor!

Last post in London, today’s in Sydney…

Thanks to social networking, I have been lucky enough to meet and have a chat in Paris with the amazing lady behind Runway Revolution, Pippa Jeffreys.

Pippa Jeffreys, photo credit: Fadil Berisha

Bonjour Pippa, could you tell us more about you?

Bonjour Gaëlle! Thank you for asking about Runway Revolution. I’m an Australian who worked internationally as a plus-size model between 1994 and 2010. I decided to retire last year because health issues made it hard to keep my size in the right place to stay working.

How did you start blogging?

I have been interested in fashion and photography since I was very young, so I have always collected images that I thought were beautiful or unusual, and especially plus-size magazines because I wanted inspiration!   In 2009, after reading yet another news story about a model dying from an eating disorder I thought it would be a good idea to put my collection online to show that larger women have a place in fashion and also that there is more to beauty than just size.

What is, according to you, the recipe for a successful blog?

When I consider the blogs I visit every day, they have these things in common: they are well-designed and appealing to look at (simple, clean logos and layout), they have original content (such as their own photos and writing, not just reblogging), they don’t have lots of ugly advertising and the content is focused, but is still accessible (that is, not a lot of ‘insider’ talk that only a few people will understand) For example, I discovered this site a few days ago: http://www.theglamourai.com/ and I get a real sense of the author’s character and of her taste.  To me, that is the whole point of having a blog.  Not to get famous and have companies send you products, but to share your ‘self’ with the world and whatever happens, happens.  Having said all of that, I realize that my site is not really a blog in this sense but that’s fine.  I think there is room for us all.

Many plus size girls in France want to become plus models since they have seen Tara Lynn or Fluvia Lacerda in the magazines, which advice would you give them?

Whenever I read this question in interviews they never say the hard things: that agents should not be considered your friends; that clients often take forever to pay so you need to be really smart with your money; and that true friends in the business are few and far between.  Even if you might occasionally meet wonderful people and have lovely work to show for it, the reality of modeling is far from glamorous.  It really is work, just of a different kind.

So the best advice I can give is:

• Be honest about why you want to model – if you want to be famous then it is likely you will be disappointed.
• Always keep your eyes open to what is happening around you. Learn from the experienced models!
• Don’t try to copy another girl’s photos because it is boring, and clients always look for new things.
• Spend money for good photographs but not until someone tells you it is necessary.  For beginners, you need only good Polaroid’s to find an agent.
• Be discreet – don’t tell everything to everybody, in business or in your personal life because there is a lot of gossip in fashion and soon everyone will know your business!
• Modeling IS a job.  Make decisions with your head, not your heart.  Get a good accountant, keep track of what you are told you will earn, and what you are actually paid.  Agencies do make mistakes!

Above all, make sure you have something else in your life besides modeling!

Many customers always complain about “slim” models which are used for photography. Do you think this is a really good war or should we just look at the clothes and forget the model?

Yes – and no. It is an individual decision, influenced by many factors.  There is still so little choice in plus-size clothing (even as it improves) that women will buy what they want if it comes in their size and is a good price, no matter what size model is wearing it.  This is as true of a woman who considers a $5 t-shirt in Kmart modeled by a size 16, as it is of a woman buying a $500 designer coat modeled by a size 10.

Many times over the years I have seen some sort of study quoted, ‘proving’ that even though larger women say they want to see larger models in advertising, clothing in fact sells better when it is NOT worn by larger models. However, the research was never properly referenced so who knows if it was correct or a good interpretation of the data?  Maybe it was imagined by a company to explain away their reasons for using smaller models?

Today however, we have some new, verifiable North American research from Jezebel says women say they are more likely to spend money when the models look like them.  It is too soon to know whether companies will adopt this logic and bring us a better diversity of models or not (size, color, race), or whether our buying behaviors do change with the models but I hope it is the case.  Diversity should no longer be viewed as a designer’s choice – it should be viewed as a ‘best practice” requirement.

Do you have any good stories about your modeling experience?

My proudest career moment was seeing myself in 5 magazines in Australia during one month – including the Australian edition of Vogue.  It was a mix of advertising for prestigious clients, editorial and interviews – even a large nude portrait!  I was 36 years old and would not have believed it possible that this would occur at that late stage of my career.

You were in Paris a few months ago. Have you noticed any differences between the way French women and Australian women live their size?

I don’t know so many women in France so I will offer an observation that might suffice. In Paris I went to a hammam with about 10 women of different ages and sizes after sharing a long lunch with them at Angelina’s.  They ate as they liked, and everyone ordered rich desserts. At the hammam, they did not seem at all concerned with what anyone else thought of their bodies and were very natural in their nudity, even though many of us only just met at lunch! It was all so uncomplicated.

I should say also, some of them worked in fashion. I think that (generally speaking) Australian women would not be so natural in the same situation.  Because of the beach culture – we are all supposed to look good in bikinis or else go on a diet! – and the media constantly telling us that we are now the ‘fattest’ country in the world, Australian women are more shamed for their size than ever.  The general attitude here is very much centered around appearance and this is reflected back in the media; one of the highest rating TV shows here is “Biggest Loser”. Another is “Australia’s Next Top Model”. You see the problem?

How is plus size shopping in Australia (wide fit shoes, clothes)? I know for example City Chic but are there any other plus size retailers? Do they ship to Europe? Where do YOU buy your clothes?

City Chic says they ship ‘worldwide’ but presently they only list England for European delivery destinations.  The majority of plus-size clothing in Australia tends to be more conservative and also casual than I would prefer.  If there was a plus-size version of Zara, then that would be my ideal, but there is nothing like it yet anywhere!

Shoes are a big problem in Australia.  Wide-fitting shoes are only available in small, specialty stores; anything cute above size US11 is also very hard to find.  Many women turn to online forums to discover stores – a very good one for anyone shopping in Australia can be found on the Vogue Australia website, with an excellent list of links on the first page: http://forums.vogue.com.au/showthread.php?t=371379

I find it difficult to buy clothes for my taste in Australia. Also, because I travel a lot to Europe I see the trends before they reach Australia so by the time they arrive I am already ‘over’ them!  Usually my first stop is Country Road – very good for basics and sometimes special things – and they have shoes to 42 (US11) which is good for me!!  Otherwise I order online from Nordstrom and wherever I find something I like. I am currently trying to figure out how to order from the H&M ‘Inclusive’ line because they are not shipping to Australia!!

Any other advice for us?

Watch out for the next Elle Special Rondes issue – it’s coming soon!!!

Visit Pippa’s blog at Runway Revolution

Follow her on Twitter @curvesmart

Au revoir!

Vanoue