What Lela Rose Learned About Plus Size Women

When it was announced that fashion designer Lela Rose would be creating a line for Lane Bryant, plus-size women with a craving for classic silhouettes and a modern, whimsical feminine touch rejoiced. Rose's designs have been worn by Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton, but haven't been made available for the plus-size lady wanting to get her royal (or practically royal) on. Oh, plus her ready-to-wear line is pretty pricey: an evening gown on Bergdorf Goodman's website is currently listed at $5,500 and a pencil skirt at $2,495. So, having her design for Lane Bryant won't just be making her clothing more accessible to women bigger than a size 12; it will actually be making it available at a fraction of the price. Total win!In an interview with Fashionista today, Rose said that — surprise! — designing for the Lane Bryant customer was no different to designing any other line she's done. "I felt like she was the same as who we design for in our ready-to-wear collection," Rose said. "My job is to design clothes that make you feel great when you put them on." Well color me totally unsurprised that a plus-size customer is looking for the same thing as a straight-size customer. It doesn't matter who you are, sometimes you just want to feel feminine or wear a dress with sleeves! We fat girls are just like everyone else, after all! Hopefully Rose's statements and the projected success of this line will lead more designers to working with the brand — and maybe even offering plus-size collections in their own lines. OK, maybe that's pushing it. But I'll be over here dreaming about Alexander Wang for LB.

Images: Getty, Lane Bryant