It's past time for a new standard when it comes to size inclusivity in fashion.
Model Ashley Graham, 36, revisited the topic last Saturday at Good American's open casting call event in Los Angeles.
The mother of three said that from her experience, some brands welcome adding sizes to their collections, but many others are slow to change.
“If you look at the runway, not much has changed,” she said. people magazine. “If you look at designers, some of them dress different body types, but that'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 the event.
“There are still designers who say, 'Sorry, we can't do that. We're not going to design something for larger bodies,'” she says.
That's why she's “never going to stop talking about my body” and why she strives to dress people in larger sizes, Graham continued.
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The Victoria's Secret model pointed out that for smaller brands, the barrier to entry may lie less in the desire to be more inclusive and more in the cost of extra materials. In that case, Graham might offer to pay for the fabric himself.
“It's not a negative thing, but it still doesn't change the situation we're in as a society,” she said.
She also wondered why more brands don't design for people over size 12, and complained, praising Khloe Kardashian's Good American and its co-founder Emma Greed.
“Fatphobia?” she wondered. “Are they afraid of appearing commercialized? It's because they don't have the ability to understand what the true grades of different body types are when it comes to cellulite on the breasts, stomach and buttocks. Is it from? I don't know.”
Still, the fact that designers refused to work with her body type didn't stop Graham from showing up to events in stunning outfits.
Last May, the model wore a sheer, sparkly dress to a party in Cannes, showing off her curves in a sexy Y2K-inspired design.
She also continues to receive praise from her fans for always being raw and honest, like when she posted a series of bikini photos that showed off her cellulite and stretch marks.
