Fashion insider reveals the secret reason brands don't use more plus-size models
Nicolette Mason, a co-founder of the fashion line Premme, brought up an important point about the modeling industry while leading a candid panel with plus-size fashion industry executives at theCURVYcon on Saturday. “As much criticism as brands get for not casting diversely, there are so few agencies that are actually representing women above a size 14,” she reveals.
Mason urges advocates of diversity and size inclusivity to look to the modeling industry and modeling agencies to make real changes because they are part of the problem. “It is very easy to direct the frustration and anger at brands, but it is incredibly difficult for a brand to look to an agency — there are a million reasons why brands work predominantly with agencies — and see nobody above a size 16 represented on their boards.”
She does, however, praise one international modeling agency for recently signing body-positive activist La’Shaunae Steward, a size 24 woman based in South Carolina. “She is phenomenal,” gushes Mason. “If you don’t know her, she’s such an advocate for body diversity and body positivity, and she’s the first-ever size 24 black model to be signed to Revolt Models out of the U.K., so we’re very excited for her.”
Steward announced the news on Instagram on Tuesday. She posted a photo of herself looking fierce, toasting with a glass of champagne with the caption, “I DID IT!” The photo is part of her digital portfolio on the Revolt Models website and lists her height, waist, and bust sizes.
Yahoo Lifestyle is live-streaming theCURVYcon 2018 on Saturday, Sept. 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bookmark this link to tune in!
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