Miss J. Has Critical Words for Celeb Fashion Designers

By Nicki Gostin Posted Mar 15th 2010 10:49AM

Without naming names, J. Alexander makes no bones about his distaste for some of the "celebrity" fashion designers out there. The runway coach extraordinaire and 'America's Next Top Model' staple calls it an "insult" to the industry when novices with Hollywood clout try to play fashion designer without doing their homework (or at least getting a pro to work alongside them). J, a former model, recently parlayed his talents into the role of author with his new book 'Follow the Model: Miss J's Guide to Unleashing Presence, Poise and Power.' He recently chatted with PopEater to discuss fame, fashion and how he inspires girls of all sizes to feel fabulous.

What do you think of celebrity designers?
I know some of these people. I've worked with them. My biggest problem is if you're going to hire a celebrity to design a line and if they don't know what they are doing, then they need to hire the right person to sketch and oversee the line. It's an insult to the fashion industry for people who have studied this craft, researched it, traveled the world looking for inspiration compared to someone who just pulls something out of their closet and changes the color.

What is the message of your book?
Basically, you can do anything you want without having to be beautiful. Whether you're black, white, blue, green or purple, too fat, too skinny. Love yourself on the inside and you can do almost anything on the outside. Be strong and don't allow people to beat you down. Don't allow people to put you in a box.

I also give style tips like how to wear high heels. I say put them on your feet and walk your dog around the block, do the laundry, so your feet become comfortable with that foreign object.

What's your advice for big girls?
You can choose another career outside of being thin. There are a lot of things to do instead of being a ten-foot glamazon who eats a lettuce leaf and chicken breast and says, 'I'm full.' People look at these girls as incredible role models because of their beauty not because of what they can deliver from the inside.

So your number one tip is to be confident.
Confidence in yourself. People are going to say you can't do things. You own your own.

The new season of 'Top Model' just started.
Andre Leon Talley from Vogue is on the panel. I've moved back down to mentoring the girls. We've had girls that have had eating problems, and we've addressed that. We've told girls to gain weight, those that should be their plump, juicy selves instead of losing weight.

You have a son.
My ex-boyfriend and I were sperm donors for a lesbian friend in Paris. He's 8 years old now. I see him on the weekends. Right now, he's become a Mozart fanatic.

What about your own fashion line?
I may do something. It's what I wanted to do growing up. I think I'd design for teenage girls. Pieces that look high couture and not like old ladies or prostutarts.

Comments

(6)

Monday 15 March

By MandiP

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Love, Love, LOVE....Ms. J. Opinionated straightforward and chock full of good advice for the fat and thin/ old and young alike. Lagerfeld, take note!

By heshe

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Someone help me out here, guy or gal????

By Dawn_B

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He's a guy LOL

By Karen

Heshe............you have to be kidding, no one can be that stupid

By HELLO SARAH!

I don't care if Miss J is a he or she. I think he or she is fab either way! you go, hun, and way to go on being a proud parent! thanks for the fashion advice--I plan on buying the book! :)

By Koz

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It has no taste that why this country is screwed up.

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