It is a well known fact that the fashion industry is not known for being diverse about its models. But this year’s New York Fashion week signaled a change. Actress Jamie Brewer of American Horror Story created history this at NYFW; Brewer was the first model with Down Syndrome to walk the Fashion Week runway. Fashion designer Carrie Hammer selected Brewer to walk for her show, which was titled “Role Models Not Runway Models,” to feature empowering women and break model stereotypes.
This is a significant change following Sport’s Illustrated first plus sized model to be featured in this year’s swimsuit edition. Australian model Robin Lawley, will be featured in their swimsuit edition this year. Lawley, a size 12, does not consider herself plus-size, as the average American woman is a size 14. Associate professor of fashion, Richard Bath agrees that the term ‘plus size’ should be redefined.
“If you have a size three or six on the runway, you know, that’s not what women look like…I don’t think designers made changes because I don’t think there was enough time. You know when you’re designing a collection you’re designing for a specific size. And just because you design for a certain size and put it on the runway doesn’t necessarily mean you can only get it in that size. And if that’s the case, then those sizes should be on the runway too. There should be no limitations,” said Bath.
Alternatively, Tess Munster, an American plus-sized model, is a size 22. In 2013, Munster, who also goes by Tess Holliday, started a movement on Instagram by using #effyourbeautystandards to promote herself as a “body positive activist.”
“She’s diversifying the industry and showing an alternate body type,” said Faszewski.
“I’m not sure she’s going to have any impact…on the fashion industry or on young girls who are plus-sized,” said Bath.
Fashion designer and president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Diane von Furstenberg, recently co-wrote a letter with CFDA CEO Steve Kolb, addressing the fashion industry. The letter urged designers to promote health and diversity on the runways for NYFW. They then addressed the issue of underage models, in which von Furstenberg and Kolb clearly stated, “models under the age of 16 do not belong on the runway and we ask everyone to follow this belief…we must consider the emotional and physical well-being of these young women.”
“The industry is definitely trying to diversify with these girls, but I think it’s less for Diane von Furstenberg and more to mollify the consumer,” said Alex Faszewski, sophomore fashion design student at Lasell College.
“I don’t think size matters on the runway…we should give everybody equal opportunity to be on the runway,” said Bath. “In my estimation that letter would have no effect on this season’s fashion week, because there just wasn’t enough time. Maybe we will see it in next season’s fashion week. But I don’t think it should have taken a letter from Diane von Furstenberg for designers to realize that women come in all shapes and sizes.”