Fashion designer collabs have always had a special place in my heart. Growing up as a fashion-obsessed kid in the Midwest , I had neither the funds nor the proximity to access the designs I spent days poring over in the glossy pages of fashion magazines (including Marie Claire !). So whenever a big-box retailer did a reasonably priced collaboration with big-name designers, I was elated. Even now, as someone living in New York City and working in fashion, I still get a thrill when I hear news of a cool designer doing a collab, particularly when the size range is plus-friendly . Lately, as many brands have quietly rolled back their extended sizes , plus shoppers have been left out of more and more designer collaborations, so finding out that one of my go-to plus-size brands was launching a collab with a long-admired designer was cause for celebration.…