Ashley Graham is breaking oundaries in the modeling industry!
If you don’t know already, Ashley Graham is a plus sized model making a name for herself as well as other plus sized models in the industry for over a decade.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska on Oct. 30, 1987, Graham began her career by signing a modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models after attending a modeling convention.
Throughout her career, she has already been featured in top magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Vogue, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar. She is also a judge on the most recent season of America’s Next Top Model, showing how society’s view towards plus sized models is changing.
Although she has proven herself to be a very talented and successful model, she has expanded her efforts and has made a major impact as an influencer for body positivity, including a TED talk she gave addressing her experiences growing up and how she believes the modeling industry should change.
“We need to work together to redefine the global image of beauty, and it starts by becoming your own role model,” Graham says.
Graham believes not only plus sized women should be represented in the fashion industry, but women of all shapes and sizes. Over the past few years she has collaborated with several clothing lines to make quality clothing for plus sized women who feel under-represented in the market.
Graham has been overwhelmed by love and support from people who have been positively affected by her message.
“I hope they look in the mirror and say, ‘I am beautiful,’” she says. “When you do that, it’s a whole other ball game—you start to understand that your words have power.”