Name: This is exactly how many plus size models walked during fashion month
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This is exactly how many plus size models walked during fashion month

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Skip to main contentAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.“We would love for you to attend our fashion month show.”Me: “Are you providing dressing options?”“Nothing in your size, sadly, but we do have these really fun earrings!”In 2019, this was a common conversation I had with many London Fashion Week shows. It became rather tedious and honestly quite offensive.For many years, as a plus-size woman, I'd been made to feel grateful to even be invited to these fashion month shows because, quite frankly, I didn’t have the acceptable ‘fashion-worthy body’ that's so prevalent in the fashion industry – even though I had nearly a decade’s worth of high-end fashion editorials, billboards, beauty campaigns and articles under my name. My size was definitely still an issue. Plus-size models were definitely still an issue.For the last two years I have been recording how many curve or plus size models walk down the runway across the four main fashion weeks and looking into whether any social trends or headlines have been able to alter and manipulate the numbers across the board dramatically.Earlier this year we had the rise of the ‘ozempic’ trend coming from the USA and I believe that the impact of this alongside the terms ‘heroin chic’ and ‘skinny is back in’ did alter the messaging at NYFW.Usually they are the leaders when it comes to size inclusivity on the runway, but in February 2023 the big apple plummeted from being the leaders to coming third place with only 31 models to the previous 49 models the season prior.With over 96 designers showing this season, with an average of 40 looks per show, there were around 3840 looks paraded down the runway by models.70 of them were considered curve or plus.I think the amount of backlash that was received could have got NYFW to switch their game up this season, fingers crossed.NYFW IN NUMBERS:49 plus-size models Sept 202231 plus-size models Feb 202370 plus-size models Sept 2023The stand out show was Selkie, who captured the essence of inclusivity perfectly in their beautiful performance led catwalk while Collina Strada, Parsons MFA and Christian Siriano all used a handful of beautiful curve models proving that they weren’t doing it as a gimmick.With over 75 designers showing this season&nbsp; with an average of 34 looks per show there were around 2625 looks paraded down the runway by models.Most Popular85 of them were considered curve or plus.This is the highest it has ever been in my reporting and I can safely say from experience of being a plus size model for&nbsp; the last 12 years (and witnessing the constant lack of diversity on the runway, year after year) I truly believe that this is the highest it’s ever been at fashion week, ever.LFW IN NUMBERS45 plus-size models Sept 202271 plus-size models Feb 202385 plus-size models Sept 2023This also comes at a time when the two of our city's most inclusive designers took different approaches, with Karoline Vitto (who has an all-curve catwalk) showing in Milan and Sinéad O’Dwyer taking us back to her old classroom at Royal College of Arts to give a presentation seminar (which in turn had a far fewer models than her traditional runway would)The two biggest advocates for plus either weren’t showing or had fewer models and a different setting, and London still came miles above the rest.One of the most interesting things about Sinéad O’Dwyer's fashion week seminar was the insight we got into the educational side of the fashion industry.We often speak on the lack of size inclusion in fashion and often blame the designers themselves, but Sinéad spoke a lot about how designing for a larger figure isn’t made easy in education.There is only type of mannequin and all the equipment and patterns are all based on a small sample size figure. She also mentioned for her to make her collection in a wide range of sizes, including plus, she has to make four different sample sizes to cater for us all. The time, effort, skill and money it takes to do this is very eye opening to see.It suggests that inclusive sizing is possible, albeit more costly, and raises the question that if smaller designers such as Sinéad and Karoline are able to prioritise the importance of being universally representative, why aren’t the big fashion houses creating such an impact - particularly given the financial resources available to them?With over 64 designers showing this season with an average of 40 looks per show there were around 2560 looks paraded down the runway by models.Most Popular45 of them were considered curve or plus size.MFW IN NUMBERS14 plus-size models Sept 202215 plus-size models Feb 202345 plus-size models Sept 2023Karoline Vitto created fashion history showcasing in Milan this season. A show of 30 curvy models walking the runway in a city where it always has the least representation for size inclusivity, that itself is a huge message. Supported by Dolce and Gabbana, Karoline Vitto exhibited into a world that may not have considered curve before, but left such a huge impact.We are still seeing a curve model or two walking in Milan for Versace, Moschino and Boss, but if you were to take out Karoline's incredible show, Milan would be at the same numbers as the season before, with just 15 models, so really very little has changed over in Milan.With over 100 designers showing this season with an average of 40 looks per show there were around 4000 looks paraded down the runway by models.Most Popular28 of them were considered curve or plus size.PFW IN NUMBERS33 plus-size models Sept 202240 plus-size models Feb 202328 plus-size models Sept 2023Paris has taken a big step back this season. They seem to be using one or two curve models and because of this no show really stood out to me for inclusivity this time.SS24 PLUS-SIZE REPRESENTATION1st place London2nd place New York3rd place Milan4th place ParisWere you surprised by this season's #IncludingTheCurve results? Will London be able to maintain the crown of being the new leaders when it comes to inclusive fashion on the catwalk? Will Milan have taken notes from Karoline Vitto’s show and will they be more inclusive once she’s gone? And why is Paris taking a step back?I still believe there should be so much more, but the stats I am finding each season with #IncludingTheCurve really show who is championing us, who is leading by example, and who is simply afraid or even worse, doesn’t care.Should we be supporting these high-end designers who show little to no representation with a model or two, or encourage them to do better with support?Or do we stick to hyping up the designers and brands who we know include us here in the UK such as:…and the ones that aren’t on the runways, but do time and time again represent our curvier body shapes:Let's keep up the pressure and keep everything crossed for more progress by February 2024's shows.For more from Curve model and author Felicity Hayward, follow her on instagram @felicityhayward.13 autumn fashion trends you need to know about now that the season has officially arrivedThe prettiest SS24 beauty trends, from ribbon hair to soft-stain lips6 spring trends to try out now from Richard Quinn's intensely emotional London Fashion Week showThis one trend was on every runway, every editor and every influencer at fashion week

Skip to main contentAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.“We would love for you to attend our fashion month show.”Me: “Are you providing dressing options?”“Nothing in your size, sadly, but we do have these really fun earrings!”In 2019, this was a common conversation I had with many London Fashion Week shows. It became rather tedious and honestly quite offensive.For many years, as a plus-size woman, I'd been made to feel grateful to even be invited to these fashion month shows because, quite frankly, I didn’t have...

This is exactly how many plus size models walked during fashion month

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