When it comes to size inclusivity in fashion, it’s beyond the time for a new norm.
Model Ashley Graham, 36, touched on the topic once again this past Saturday, making an appearance at Good American’s open casting call event in Los Angeles.
Speaking from her own experiences, the mom of three said that, while some brands have welcomed adding more sizes to their collections, many others have been slow to change.
“If you look at the runways, not much has changed,” she told People magazine. “If you look at designers, some of them are dressing different types of bodies, but it’s not the norm.”
Despite being well-known around the world, the cover star and author added that she still struggles to work with certain labels ahead of events.
“There’s still some designers that have said, ‘Sorry, we can’t, we’re just not going to design something for a bigger body,’” she said.
That’s the reason, Graham continued, that she’s “not going to stop talking about my body” and working to dress people of larger sizes.
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The Victoria’s Secret model did note that, sometimes, the barrier to entry for smaller brands can be more about the cost of working with extra material rather than the will to be more inclusive. When that’s the case, Graham might offer to foot the bill for fabric herself.
“That’s not a negative thing by any means, but it still is just where we are in society,” she said.
She further shared her frustration, wondering why more brands couldn’t design for those above a size 12, praising Khloé Kardashian’s Good American and her co-founder Emma Grede.
“Is it fatphobia?” she wondered. “Is it that they’re scared to look like they have fallen into commercialism? Is it because they don’t have the capability to be able to understand what true grading is on different types of bodies when it comes to breast, belly, butt cellulite? I don’t know.”
Still, the fact that designer refuse to work with her body type hasn’t stopped Graham from showing up at events in stunning outfits.
Last May, the model partied at Cannes in a sheer, sparkly dress, and has showed off her curves in slinky Y2K-inspired designs.
She also continues to receive praise from fans for always being raw and honest, like when she posted a series of bikini photos that showed off her cellulite and stretch marks.