Scots fashion guru slams plus-sized mannequin plan

A SCOTTISH fashion expert has blasted calls to introduce plus- sized clothes models in shops.

Scottish fashion designer Tessa Hartmann. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Founder of the Scottish Fashion Awards, Tess Hartmann, has rubbished claims the psychological state of consumers now lies in the hands of retailers.

Britain’s equality minister, Jo Swinson, has been asking stores to use plus-size and petite clothes models to promote a positive body image for women.

In November, retail giant Debenhams became the first department store to use size 16 display models. Other stores have said they may follow to more reflect changing body shapes.

The average UK women’s dress size has grown from a 12 to a 16 in little more than a decade, but many stores still use size ten models to show off their clothes.

But now fashion guru Ms Hartmann says people need to take more responsibility for their lifestyle and diet choices.Dr Hartmann said: “Enough of this ridiculous blame culture. Being bigger, voluptuous, large, whatever word you like to use, is a lifestyle choice.

“Our bad diets, lack of exercise and blame culture are to blame.

“So instead of wasting ­taxpayers’ money on sensationalist campaigns that are ­completely futile, why not direct our efforts towards poverty-stricken areas of Scotland, where bad diets are the norm?”