Ever since I was a little girl, I have been a huge fashion fan. I would sit in front of the TV with my mom and watch fashion show after fashion show, admiring all of the artwork and how beautiful the models were. However, something that affected me throughout the years is how modeling and runway fashion seems so unattainable for curvy/plus-size women like me.
I believe modeling itself is a toxic image of how the human body can be abused. The idea that models typically do not eat or do not eat enough, work out excessively to burn lots of calories at one time, and barely sleep because they are always traveling and doing shows around the world runs rampant in the general public. The runway, designer clothes, flashy lighting, and music make runway modeling look glamorous and effortless, but these models can be suffering greatly.
In October 2024, after a six-year break from fashion shows, Victoria’s Secret announced that they were having a new and improved runway show. With that announcement, the internet did some really hard sleuthing to find out who was going to walk in the show. Of course, names like Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, and Kate Moss were on the list– but one name that really stood out to people was Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham is a world-renowned model who has modeled for Vogue, Glamour, Sports Illustrated, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more. She is a body positivity activist and is considered a plus-size model- mind you she has a perfectly healthy body type. People were surprised Graham made it on the list because Victoria’s Secret has made a name for itself of not being the most body-friendly company.
Up until 2020-2023, when they finally decided to be slightly inclusive, Victoria’s Secret was highly harsh towards curvier body types, refusing to hire models who weren’t a specific look, weight, and height. Victoria’s Secret also made it difficult for curvier women to buy their clothing, making the clothes run smaller and citing Lane Bryant as their “sister division” for plus-size women.
But now, women of all ages get to see a woman with a completely normal and healthy body type strut down the runway with a beautiful smile, a fantastic figure, and incredible confidence. Ashley Graham made Victoria’s Secret history- and maybe even modeling history. Hopefully, after this moment, more fashion companies will start to understand that all bodies are beautiful and deserve to be represented and celebrated.