Rebel Wilson: “I Get a Lot of Action. I’m Not Complaining.”
Rebel Wilson at the Rebel for Torrid event in Los Angeles, Calif.
Last night in L.A., Rebel Wilson unveiled her new plus-size fashion line, REBEL FOR TORRID. The Pitch Perfect actress has spent the last year designing the limited edition, 25-piece line, which debuts in Torrid stores in the U.S. and Canada beginning next month. Her idea: hip, youthful looks for women sizes 12 to 28, all offered at affordable prices. (The pieces range from $22.50–$98.50.)
At her launch party, Wilson performed a cover of “One Fine Day” with a band called the California Crooners, then told the crowd, “What we’ve created is pretty damn dope. And it’s totally my personality.” That means even the zipper pulls reflect Wilson’s attitude—they’re shaped like microphones to reference both her singing and her early years as a stand-up comedian.
We spoke with Wilson, who’s currently working on a second collection for spring, about personal style, the “plus size” debate, and “Gigi Whats-Her-Face.”
Yahoo Style: Was there a void in the fashion industry that you wanted this collection to fill?
Rebel Wilson: I’m a size 16 to 18, so in the plus size range. I have to really search for cool stuff. I’d have to get certain t-shirts that were deemed oversized by a regular brand, just to wear something that was slightly cool. I’d have to get jeans from a certain place. There was never really one spot where I felt you could get lots of your wardrobe from, and that was all on-trend and all cool. It was always a mission to find cool stuff. So I think with this collection, we’ve got a number of different pieces. We’ve got some looks that are dressier, some casual street wear, some work wear—we’ve got one matching jacket-and-skirt combo for the office people. It’s good quality for the affordable price and it fits really well. I do a lot of online shopping, and I haven’t seen a lot of it out there.
How do you feel about the term “plus size”?
I like plus size. Plus is good, like if you get an A+, it’s heaps better than an A in your exams. I don’t mind it. I like the plus size thing, or being called a curvy girl. Whatever people want to say. I play a character called “Fat Amy” [in Pitch Perfect] and I’ve become quite famous for it. So obviously, I’m not precious about adjectives.
Do you feel any sense of pressure to be a spokesperson for women who are not a size two?
The thing is that I never want to be a spokesperson for unhealthiness. I want to promote people being healthy but also being happy in their own size. And if you happen to be bigger or blessed with that great gene of easily gaining weight or all the other reasons people can be overweight, you should feel confident in that and not be ashamed of how you look. In the 18th century, [plus size] was the perfect body type and that could come back again! I’m hoping sooner rather than later. But I get a lot of action. I’m not complaining.
Who else in Hollywood do you think is a good advocate for that sort of body positivity?
I’ve been watching this TLC show called My Big Fat Fabulous Life. It’s really endearing. There’s a girl on who had PCOS and gained a lot of weight, and she’s got great messages on that show. But there’s so many beautiful girls. The two girls who are the models for my collection, they’re just gorgeous. To me, they are Victoria’s Secret models. They’re just physically a little wider, but to me they are as beautiful as Cara Delevingne or Gigi Whats-Her-Face.
How are you feeling about Victoria’s Secret these days?
I actually wear Victoria’s Secret bras every single day, so I love them!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
