Tag Archives: nancy upton

Is The Feud Between Nancy Upton And American Apparel Really Over?

Julie GersteinOctober 11, 2011 //
AA Agrees to Meet
Will meet with plus-size contest winner Nancy Upton. Read More »
AA's Open Letter
Read AA's open letter to winner Nancy Upton. Read More »
AA Ad Goes Topless
topless American Apparel ad
American Apparel bares breasts. Read More »

Remember when American Apparel held a contest to publicize its new plus-size range of fashions, and provocative and outspoken American Apparel critic Nancy Upton won? Upton was offended by the language used to promote the contest, and in return, created a portfolio of photos mocking stereotypical notions about plus-sized women. Upton won the contest in a landslide, but in a catty and rather unprofessional move, American Apparel wrote Upton an open letter that rescinded her win.

After a slew of bad press (I mean, what were they thinking?), American Apparel relented, and flew Nancy out to their Los Angeles headquarters for a meeting to discuss how Nancy thought American Apparel could be better marketing to plus-sized women. And … everybody’s happy now?

Well, kind of.

Keep reading »

Embarrassed American Apparel Agrees To Meet With Nancy Upton, Plus-Size Model Contest Winner

Jessica WakemanSeptember 16, 2011 //

Earlier this week, we enjoyed a delightful “open letter” from Iris Alonzo, creative director of American Apparel, to Nancy Upton, the Dallas woman who won the company’s plus-size model contest by spoofing the nature of the contest. Iris Alonzo was not amused that the lovely Nancy Upton bested the competition with her hilarious pics in which she posed laying in a bathtub of ranch dressing and indulgently squeezing chocolate syrup in her mouth. Iris Alonzo was also not amused about the piece Nancy Upton wrote for The Daily Beast entitled “My Big Fat Photo Spoof,” which explained her actions: because American Apparel was “co-opting the mantra of plus-size empowerment and glazing it with its unmistakable brand of female objectification.” Why, the company was so hopping mad it told Nancy Upton they would be giving the prize to someone else. “While you were clearly the popular choice,” she wrote, “we have decided to award the prizes to other contestants that we feel truly exemplify the idea of beauty inside and out, and whom we will be proud to have representing our company.” Harsh.

We posted Iris Alonzo’s open letter (sent to us via email) on Wednesday and urged readers to write. I have no idea of knowing how many of you did write her, but one Frisky reader got in touch to say she heard back from American Apparel’s creative director. We’ve got their email exchange after the jump! Keep reading »

American Apparel’s Lame Open Letter To Nancy Upton, Plus-Size Model Contest Winner

Jessica WakemanSeptember 14, 2011 //

Last week, we became enamored with Nancy Upton, a Dallas woman in the #1 spot for American Apparel‘s plus-size model contest. The company asked bootylicious girls ages 18+ to send in photos of themselves, which they posted on their website so customers could vote on who deserved a modeling contract. Instead of a traditional modeling pic, the zaftig Nancy Upton submitted “fat girl” pics of herself bathing in ranch dressing, squirting chocolate syrup down the gullet, and posed with an apple in her mouth like a pig on a spit.

In short, it was amazing. No one could have been more thrilled than us when Nancy Upton won.

But it seems like not everyone was so happy about Nancy’s victory — namely, American Apparel corporate headquarters. We get a lot of douchey emails here at The Frisky, but this one takes the cake. After the jump, read American Apparel creative director Iris Alonzo’s nasty email (sent to us last night) about Nancy Upton, the kickass lady who won the company’s plus-size model contest fair and square. That is, until the company decided to award the prize to other contestants… Keep reading »

Today’s Lady News: Nancy Upton Wins American Apparel’s Plus-Size Model Contest

Jessica WakemanSeptember 9, 2011 //
  • Nancy Upton, the winner of American Apparel’s plus-size model contest, penned an article about why she spoofed the fat-women-as-pigs stereotype in her submission photos. “[With the contest, t]he company was co-opting the mantra of plus-size empowerment and glazing it with its unmistakable brand of female objectification,” Upton wrote. “The puns, the insulting, giggly tones, and the over-used euphemisms for fat that were scattered throughout the campaign’s solicitation began to crystalize an opinion in my mind.” Make sure you read your whole piece, because it’s very thought-provoking. [The Daily Beast]
  • An Atlanta club promoter is offering discounts for his parties to African-American women with natural hair. Hmm, what do we think about this? [Clutch Magazine]
  • Why are TV shows losing women writers? Some veteran producers weigh in. [AOL TV]

Keep reading »