Cosmopolitain chats with 10 models who fall on the smaller end of «plus-size» and are relentlessly critiqued for it.
With Myla Dalbesio as a face of Calvin Klein, Candice Huffine appearing in the 2015 Pirelli Calendar, and Ashley Graham designing lingerie, the fashion industry seems to have realized that models who are bigger than a size 6 are a positive, powerful force.
Even as they become a more significant part of the fashion world, these so-called «plus-size» models are still subjected to certain body requirements. Though curvy models carry the message of body acceptance and self-love, even they are asked to alter their appearance for the odd job. As Inga Eiriksdottir of IMG Models and ALDA puts it, «A few times, clients have preferred me bigger, but we have always worked it out either with padding or in post» — meaning, with photo editing.
TBM favourite Jessica Lewis is quoted as saying:
«The irony of the plus-size side of fashion is that they wear a facade that promotes positive body image yet are just as keen as the ‘straight-size’ — size 0 to 4 — side of the industry to alter the shape of the body in the clothes. They still want those sharp cheekbones and small wrists for ‘glamour’ purposes, but they feel the need to put emphasis on the fact that they are plus-size. It’s hard. We’ve built a society that feels the need to categorize and label everything — from food to music to bodies —and many brands come under heat from people for using a girl who isn’t ‘plus-size enough.'»
