Photos by Ezra Petonio
Of all her bold style moments, Beth Ditto’s most iconic look epitomizes "less is more"—as in, less clothing. About a decade ago, when her band Gossip was making the best music of their 17-year existence (Ditto informs us she quit Gossip, they’re broken up, and she’s gone solo), it was not uncommon for Ditto to go shirtless, pantsless, or both during their raw and rowdy shows. I am certain the image of her half undressed will remain clear in my mind forever, captioned by this takeaway: There is no wrong way to have a body.
The subversive delight of seeing unapologetic fatness in the spotlight was not lost on those of us who looked like Ditto. Her own version of that moment centered around badasses like punk singer/activist Nomy Lamm and Missy Elliott, whose trash-bag onesie from "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" video made a huge impression on Ditto for its embrace of what would later become her motto: fuck "flattering." This mentality—coupled with her strong sense of personal style and her penchant for speaking out on body acceptance—has made Ditto an increasingly important figure in the plus-size fashion game over the years. The culmination of that arrived this week, as Ditto launched her first independent plus-size collection, available via her site. Produced in Manhattan, the self-titled line is both a nod to Ditto’s DIY roots and a reaction to her frustrating experience with British retailer Evans, with whom she collaborated on capsule collections.
-=-=-=-"One of the things I grappled with a lot [while doing the Evans line] was that I didn't know how ethically sourced any of it was. ‘Can I live with myself if I do this?’ I thought," Ditto tells Pitchfork over the phone from a cab to the airport earlier this week (she's off to London). "So now we're doing this ourselves, all out of pocket—no investors, no bank, no umbrella company. I didn't go to design school—I even didn't go to college—but punk rock feminism and DIY culture shaped who I am today. That was my college: four years living in Olympia, Washington, at the tail-end of riot grrrl’s heyday. There's nothing I can do without that being my formative education."
This alternative approach is echoed subtly at times in the vintage-inspired collection: a stunning sheer jumpsuit, form-fitting dresses that hug the hips, bold patterns and bright colors—all drawing attention to bigger bodies instead of hiding them. There’s a customizable element to many of the pieces as well, speaking to the fact "that fat people have such a great vision" for making clothes their own, due to the depressingly limited nature of the plus-size clothing market. "The only thing that inspired me was the fat body, whether woman, man, or any other identity," she adds.
Determination is audible in Ditto’s voice as she says this, but she’s also quick to note that the rise of the fat acceptance movement—out of queer and feminist communities and into mainstream media—over the last decade has been heartening to see and feel. She points to the Grammys’ willingness, just this week, to put women who don’t fit into sample sizes—from Adele to the Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard to Meghan Trainor—center stage.
"When I did the Evans line [starting in 2009], ‘fat’ was not a word they were willing to use," she says. "They didn't want to put Miss Piggy on a T-shirt because they thought it would send the wrong message. That mentality has shifted, now there's a sense of empowerment that used to be way more underground—and it’s actually visible and taken seriously. It's nice to see it grow some wheels and gain momentum. Now what we've got to do that's super important is not create another white, racist conventional beauty standard within our fat movement."
In the same breath, she concedes to the downside to all this, noting the loneliness she felt as someone in the public eye who was fat and unashamed. "That's the thing with visibility: When you're working in mainstream media, you're still up against a beauty-obsessed patriarchal society. People have their own hangups and discriminations, so it's up to us to keep moving forward and keep having this conversation."
Generally speaking, moving forward is all that’s on Ditto’s mind. She’s been working on her first solo album for two years, now alongside producer Jennifer Decilveo (who’s worked with folks like Ryn Weaver and Andra Day). Ditto says to expect a wide-ranging, vocal-driven album that differs from Gossip. "It's gonna be my southern record but not necessarily a country record," she adds.
There's more work to be done on the line, though. Ditto recognizes that its initial showing is on the high end—prices range from $65 to $395—and her next goal is to launch additional collections at varying price points (including an American Apparel-esque basics set). Still, she does appreciate her line's luxe touch, if only for its rarity in the plus-size market.
"It's very important to me that fat people know that they deserve to be draped in seven yards of fucking silk," she says, "and if I have to do it my damn self, I will."
