The modeling industry is a tough one to crack, especially if you are not the typical “size-zero”, but Ashley Graham has created ripples after becoming the first “plus-size” model to be featured in an advertisement for Sports Illustrated.
The 28-year-old model standing at 5 feet 9 inches has a vital stat of 38-40-46. She is the lingerie model for plus-sized clothing store Lane Bryant. With long dark hair and glowing skin, Graham has taken a step in changing the way the world perceives the modeling industry.
Ashley was the first plus-sized model ever to be featured in the prestigious pages of the Sports Illustrated magazine. She appeared in the February 2015 swimsuit edition, creating a historic moment. Ashley appeared in the Curves in a Bikini ad, where she is shown wearing a black string bikini while striding near a pool as men gawk at her curves.
This ad is part of the tagline “You’ve Got It. Flaunt It” for Swim Sexy’s ‘swimsuitsforall’ campaign. The bikini sizes for the online portal ranges from 10 to 34.
With top models and designers catering to women with a curvier and fuller body, it is an indication of how the fashion world is changing when it comes to women’s bodies. High street fashion has always catered to the skinny size-zero models, but now with the women coming out and embracing their body type, there are new trends emerging.
Zana Bayne, is a top designer who has worked with Madonna and Lady Gaga. She had asked for a plus size model for her runway show at the New York Fashion Week in September, 2014.
There is a growing trend to focus on models outside the size-zero categories with France passing a bill to ban such under-nourished models, stating that they force teenage girls into making wrong lifestyle choices.