Challenging the norms of the fashion industry is no mean feat. Yet, there is a shift in the narrative towards inclusivity, with famous plus size models emerging as powerful ambassadors of body positivity and style. As luxury fashion brands, elite designers and coveted runways embrace the essence of real beauty, a cohort of models has taken centre stage, redefining the standards of glamour and elegance.
Ashley Graham, a trailblazer in the modelling industry, stands as a testament to the paradigm shift in beauty ideals. Carving a niche as one of the first plus-size models in the world, Graham’s unapologetic confidence and personality made her a reckoning force every time she walked the runway. Her partnership with prominent luxury brands has elevated her status and emphasised the industry’s move towards size diversity.
The 2023 Miss Universe contest is another example of the evolving skyline of the fashion scene. Miss Nepal winner Jane Dipika Garrett made history as the first plus-size model at the pageant. Her grace, beauty and career are eye-openers for the modelling industry.
So, the more we delve into the realms of haute couture and opulence, it becomes evident that the era of the “perfect” body is giving way to a celebration of all body types. Though there is a long road ahead, the synergy between luxury brands and famous plus-size models is a renaissance in the mainstream fashion industry.
Noted plus-size models are becoming a major part of the industry and are not afraid to love their skin while presenting their style and grace before the world.
These are some of the most famous plus-size fashion models who are redefining beauty standards
Ashley Graham
The American powerhouse is among the first leagues of plus size models in the world. A vocal advocate of promoting body positivity, Graham started modelling in 2001 and since then has graced numerous fashion magazine covers, including American Vogue, Vogue Arabia, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Glamour and Cosmopolitan.
Besides appearing on runways for big names like Michael Kors, Dolce Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Christian Siriano and Fendi, Graham has shot advertising campaigns for brands like St. Tropez, Revlon, H&M and Knix as well.
According to Pinkvilla, she debuted on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2016. A renowned name in the fashion industry, Graham is a TED talk speaker (in 2015, she delivered a speech titled “Plus-size? More like my size”), an author (she has penned a book titled New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like in 2017) and has her podcast Pretty Big Deal.
Jane Dipika Garrett
Gone are the days when beauty pageants showcased a particular body type. At the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, Garrett became the face of inclusivity and even reached the top 20.
An American-born Nepali model, Garrett won the title of Miss Nepal in 2023 and broke all stereotypes at the elite beauty contest. According to Hola!, Garrett is a nurse by profession. Upon winning the crown, she said, “As a curvy woman who doesn’t follow certain beauty standards, I’m here to represent all women.”
She added, “For me, to be on this stage and to speak my truth is something that matters a lot. A few years ago, I was a very insecure person and had very low self-esteem. Now, I love myself, and that’s success to me.”
Although she did not win the Miss Universe, her confident presence and grace are a beacon of light for all plus-size models striving to make a mark in the industry.
Tabria Majors
Tabria Majors is a well-known name among the few plus-size models who are also women of colour. In 2018, Majors appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as a finalist in the brand’s open casting call.
She has worked with high-end labels like Desigual, Macy’s and Lane Bryant. Her other brand collaborations include BooHoo, Lounge Underwear, Adidas, Gym Shark, CupShe and Savage X Fenty.
The model has also raised her voice for body diversity. In 2022, she posted a video on Instagram concerning the New York Fashion Week, calling out the lack of body representation at the bi-annual event. “We don’t see only one type of body represented on the runway anymore”, and the “fashion industry has made strides when it comes to inclusivity,” she said in the video.
Majors also spoke about the number of pieces presented on the runway that were shown on plus-size models. “I’ve accounted for at least 75 so far, and the results are: over 3,000 pieces have been presented. Less than 100 of those were worn by curve/plus models.”
“I was very generous in what I considered to be curve/plus so the number is really less than that.”
Tess Holliday
Born Ryann Maegen Hoven, Tess Holliday is an American model who has been a prominent face in the body positivity movement. She tried to enter the modelling industry at the age of 15 but faced multiple rejections.
However, that did not deter her, and in 2013, she launched an Instagram campaign, #effyourbeautystandards, to advocate body image. Her 2014 #everyBODYisflawless trend was also a powerful tool on social media for promoting body positivity.
Since then, the social media star, makeup artist and fashion blogger has been the face of several magazine covers, such as Cosmopolitan UK and Vogue Italia.
The mother of two has walked the New York Fashion Week runway for Chromat and worked with brands like H&M, Isle of Paradise, Torrid and Covergirl.
I’m anorexic & in recovery. I’m not ashamed to say it out loud anymore. I’m the result of a culture that celebrates thinness & equates that to worth, but I get to write my own narrative now. I’m finally able to care for a body that I’ve punished my entire life & I am finally free
— Tess H🍒lliday (@Tess_Holliday) May 1, 2021
In 2021, Holliday posted on X about being anorexic and destigmatising that only underweight people can be affected by this eating disorder.
Hunter McGrady
The famous plus-size American model gained fame after appearing on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 2016. She continued the streak five times, and according to The TrendSpotter, she appeared in the 2022 SI show as well. The mother of two made a statement when she shot the 2022 campaign in Belize just six months after giving birth to her son.
Besides this, her work has taken her to the covers of elite publications such as Summer Salt, Vogue Italia, Health, and Elle. Additionally, McGrady owns her own clothing line called All Worthy, in collaboration with QVC, which offers a huge size range between XXS and 5X. She also co-hosts a podcast, The Model Citizen Podcast, on body positivity with her older sister and model, Michaela McGrady.
Speaking to SI in 2022, Hunter said, “I started as a straight-size model, which means you’re a size 2 or 4.” She added, “Today, I’m a size 20. I looked very different. But it was just something that I couldn’t keep up with. Every agency I was going to kept telling me to lose weight. I was 114 pounds and six feet tall. I had nothing else to lose. Every day there was someone saying I couldn’t live my dream unless I looked different. That’s hard as a teenager.”
Precious Lee
Precious Lee is among the most noted groundbreakers in the fashion industry. As an African-American model, she was the first black person to be featured in American Vogue in 2015. A force majeure in putting plus-size models on coveted ramps, she started her runway career at the New York Fashion Week for Christian Siriano’s autumn/winter 2017 show.
She also made history at the Versace spring/summer 2021 show for being one of the first plus-size models to walk for the brand and sent a strong message by being the first black curve model on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, according to L’Offiiciel.
Serving looks both on and off the ramp, Lee’s work includes luxury fashion brands like Jean Paul Gaultier, Area, Miu Miu and Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Prabal Gurung, SKIMS, Fendi, Jimmy Choo and Moschino. The bona fide fashionista made her Met Gala debut in Area Couture in 2021.
In April 2023, Lee came on the cover of British Vogue, but this isn’t her first time. The diva was also part of a cadre of four supermodels for the publication’s 2021 April cover.
Iskra Lawrence
A noted name in the realm of body acceptance and body positivity, this British plus-size model became widely known as the face of American Eagle’s lingerie line Aerie for seven years. In 2017, she took the cause forward and spoke about embracing all shapes and being comfortable in one’s own skin in a TEDx Talk called Ending the Pursuit of Perfection. Lawrence and her partner, Philip Payne, also host a podcast called Couplish, where they talk about relationships, life issues and their journey. She has worked with brands like Rare Beauty, Fenty Beauty, Marina Rinaldi, American Eagle Outfitters and Glossier.
Lawrence is also an ambassador of the National Eating Disorders Association. The mother of one is an entrepreneur too and has founded a body and haircare brand named Saltair, as well as a customised planner and journal, Self Funding. In 2019, Lawrence earned a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe (Art & Culture) list.
Varshita Thatavarthi
This Indian plus-size model is inspiring women with her bold, glamorous looks. A regular among Sabyasachi models, Varshita Thatavarthi got her break with the ace Indian designer when he met her at his jewellery exhibition in Chennai in 2018.
However, things weren’t quite smooth for her. In 2019, when the brand posted her image in a red lehenga and heavy jewellery for a Women’s Day campaign with the caption, “This International Women’s Day, celebrate confidence”, both Thatavarthi and the label faced backlash. The latter was trolled for “tokenism and of profiting off feminist causes,” reported The Telegraph.
However, this did not deter her. She has worked with other brands, such as House of Masaba and Papa Dont Preach by Shubhika.
Speaking to the news publication, she said, “I think if women start accepting themselves as they are and not think that someone needs to fit into any kind of body size requirements to be beautiful or even to be a model, the change will automatically happen… and who made these categories normative, anyway? Why is a size 2 normative and a size 12 isn’t?”
Barbie Ferreira
New York-born Barbara Ferreira is a famous plus-size model and actress. Her most prominent role was in HBO’s Euphoria (2019-) as Kat Hernandez. However, she announced her exit in 2022. Besides this, Ferreira has starred in several shows and movies like House of Spoils (2022), featuring Ariana DeBose, Divorce (2018), Unpregnant (2020), The Afterparty (2022-2023) and Nope (2022).
As part of her modelling career, Seventeen states Ferreira has worked with brands such as American Apparel and gained immense fame with one of the first unretouched #AerieReal campaigns in 2016. She has modelled for H&M, Target, ASOS, Adidas, and Forever 21 and, in 2020, became a spokesperson for Becca Cosmetics.
Speaking to W in 2016, Ferreira said, “I don’t really like it [the plus-size model label]. I think they have that term because people like to put everything in little boxes. Plus-size modelling, I think, is an unnecessary term. We are going to get the jobs we are going to get that we usually wouldn’t in the near future. At one point, I think it’s just going to be modelling.”
Ferreira has appeared on the covers of several prestigious magazines like Vogue Brazil, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Grazia and Allure. An outspoken beacon of body positivity and inclusivity, she was featured on Forbes’ list of 30 Under 30 — Hollywood & Entertainment in 2022 and made her Met Gala debut in 2021.
Nadia Aboulhosn
The Lebanese-American model wears many hats — fashion influence, designer and blogger — and she uses her social media presence to spread the word about body acceptance and inclusivity.
Aboulhosn has been on the covers of Women’s Running, Marie Claire, Seventeen and Redbook and has modelled for brands like American Apparel, Good American, BooHoo and Fashion to Figure.
According to Business Insider, she collaborated with BooHoo in 2014 to design a collection of plus-size apparel as the company was going through a rough patch. However, when Aboulhosn posted pictures of her creations, sales shot up and raked in huge numbers for the brand. Besides designing clothes for Additional Elle, she launched her own fashion line in 2017 under her name, which offers skirts, dresses, bodysuits and crop tops.
HuffPost states, “Nadia modeled [sic] for Seventeen magazine and won American Apparel’s XL model search, which landed her in Complex magazine’s Hottest Plus-Size Models of 2012.” Speaking to the Independent in 2016, Aboulhosn said, “There needs to be a shift where all sizes can be models so that people can have something to relate to.”
(Hero and feature image: Courtesy Jane Garrett/ @jadedipika_/ Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-What size are plus-sized models?
According to Refinery 29, the term plus-size is usually used to describe any person who is size 16 or beyond. However, in the fashion world, the term can be used for anyone above size 6. With time, it is being used to denote individuals who are about size 12 or 14 as well.
-Who is a famous plus-size model?
Famous plus-size models include Ashley Graham, Tess Holliday, Precious Lee and Hunter McGrady.
-Who is the best plus-size model in India?
Varshita Thatavarthi is one of the leading plus-size models in India who has worked with brands like Sabyasachi and House of Masaba.
-Do plus-size models make money?
While it is still challenging to make a place in the fashion industry as a plus-size model, the scope is expanding, and some of them have become extremely successful international models.
-Who is the highest-paid plus-size model?
Ashley Grahams, Tess Holliday, Precious Lee and Hunter McGrady are among the highest-paid plus-size models.
