Body positivity and self-love have both been growing movements within the past few years. Everyone has a different body type, but in the past, most clothing companies focused on having perfect, skinny models. But now times have changed, and companies are starting to realize that they have a wide variety of customers that do not fit into double zero jeans. More plus-size clothing has become available through popular stores like Aerie, Nordstrom and Torrid. Now Victoria’s Secret has joined the movement by hiring their first plus-size model, Ali Tate Cutler.
Courtesy: Cosmo
Cutler is a woman of mystery that has changed the standards of beauty by becoming the first plus-size model for Victoria’s Secret. Ali Tate Cutler is a body-positive enthusiast and she constantly shares her thoughts on her body and the definition of beauty. Cutler is an American plus-size model at size 14 and she started her career in 2011. In her interview with Style Has No Size (SHNS) magazine, she talked about how “Many plus-size models live in fear of being told, ‘We really like you, but you’re just not big enough.’” Cutler mentioned how she was insecure about her size most of her life, but in the plus-size industry, she was told she was too small. “You know what, this is my natural body size and it’s hot! I actually like my curves,” is what she said to herself.
Courtesy: Style Has No Size
When she received the news of her Victoria’s Secret modeling job, she immediately shared it with her followers on Instagram. “I believe I’m the first size 14 on @victoriassecret? Regardless I’m pretty stoked to work with a brand I idolized when I was a teen. A great step in the right direction for bodies.”
Courtesy: CFCY
During her interview with E!News, Cutler said: “A size 14 is actually the average size of women in America and I do think that we need to see more of it in media and fashion because most women are that size”. She wants a correct and fair representation of American women because we are not all the same. She also mentioned how she believed that hiring more diverse women shows that the fashion industry is headed in the right direction. Cutler is now a model for the Bluebella lingerie collection, a collaboration between Victoria’s Secret and Emily Brandell, a British designer and owner of BlueBella.
Courtesy: The Koz Telegram
Victoria’s Secret is often criticized for only having models that are very thin and seem to have perfect, unachievable body types. Last year the company was receiving backlash because former Chief Marketing Officer, Ed Razvek, said that “no one had any interest” in watching plus-size models, and he didn’t believe that Victoria’s Secret would feature transgender models in its annual fashion show. Slowly, they have started to become more diverse with their models. Earlier this year in August, Victoria’s Secret revealed their first trans model, Valentina Sampaio. Now with Ali Tate, they are taking steps towards including all women and body types in their views on beauty standards. “It has been wonderful working with Emily and the entire Bluebella team on the campaign,” said Victoria’s Secret spokesperson. “We are excited to feature these amazing models in bringing this collaboration to life.”
People are wondering if this will be a new standard for Victoria’s Secret and if they will hire more plus-size models. The effect and growth that body positivity has had on society’s views of beauty could influence these decisions in the future.
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