22/07/2026
There has been something on my mind over the last few days.
When Andy Burnham arrived at Downing Street, alongside him was his wife, Marie-France van Heel. Instead of celebrating such a significant moment, social media was flooded with comments picking apart her appearance. The criticism? That her stomach wasn’t perfectly flat.
As a seamstress, I see women of every age, shape and size. I meet women preparing for weddings, proms, special occasions and everyday life. And one thing I wish every woman knew is this:
There is no such thing as the “perfect” body.
Our bodies tell our stories. They carry us through life. They change through motherhood, illness, surgery, stress, menopause, ageing, and simply… living.
Marie-France is a mother of three, had a double mastectomy, speaks three languages, is a successful marketing executive, and someone who has spent years supporting her family while largely staying out of the public eye. Yet, within minutes of stepping into the spotlight, strangers reduced her to the shape of her stomach.
That says far more about society than it does about her.
In my studio, you’ll never be judged by your dress size or your body shape.
My job isn’t to make you fit into clothes.
My job is to make clothes fit you.
Every fitting is about helping you feel comfortable, confident and like the very best version of yourself. Whether you’re a size 6 or a size 26, whether your body has changed through pregnancy, illness or simply the passage of time, you deserve to wear clothes that make you stand a little taller.
Let’s stop criticising women’s bodies.
Let’s stop expecting perfection.
And let’s start celebrating the incredible lives those bodies have lived.
Because confidence will always be more beautiful than perfection.
Photo from: bbc.co.uk
