All-Size Modelling is a relatively new theme in the Modelling Industry, however it is gaining traction every day. Models of all shapes and sizes are becoming more and more popular, and are demanding representation in a previously size restrictive industry. Throughout the fashion industry, a size revolution is imminent and many brands and retailers are beginning to recognise this and act upon it. So here are 8 Fashion Retailers that are Celebrating Body Size Diversity.

By Rosa Ablett-Johnstone

Image Source: David M. Bennett

1. ESSIE VIE

London based fashion label, Esse Vie, believes in making every woman feel confident and aims to create pieces that flatter all body types. Esse Vie, like many other shops, has dropped the label ‘plus-sized,’ explaining that they wish to normalise all body shapes without having to label them. Founder, Sonam Vaswani, also explains that Esse Vie wishes to accommodate for ‘healthy girls with realistic body shapes,’ stating that there is a large percentage of people who are excluded when there size ranges between the sample sizes in stores and plus size.

Image Source: Essie Vie

2. LINDEX

In 2016, Swedish fashion retailer, Lindex, integrated all its fashion concepts to include plus-sized clothing. In doing so, they also chose to remove the label of ‘plus-sized,’ explaining that they want to promote inclusivity throughout their brand. Their campaigns include women of different sizes and ethnicities, with an overall aim of inclusivity. Lindex aims to create clothing that is accessible to women of all sizes, and believes that by removing the sectional divide between plus sized clothes and sample sizes is an important step.

Image Source: Lindex

3. ASOS

Asos, the online retailer, has long been known for its stance against photoshopping models. Asos also models clothing on a variety of body types and sizes which is another important step towards normalising ALL body types. Alongside their Asos Curve line, they also offer petite, tall, and maternity collections in order to cater for as many groups of people as possible. The fact that a retailer as popular as Asos is becoming more and more body diverse, shows that there is a change in the industry.

Image Source: ASOS

4. THE DRESS BARN

After launching their campaign, ‘More Than a Name,’ The Dress Barn has solidified its presence on this list. With ethos behind the campaign being that, ‘Women are more than the labels that are given to us, they’re more than an age, more than a size, more than a name,’ The Dress Barn highlights that the fashion industry’s first job should be to make a woman feel confident. The Dress Barn is not only diverse in size, age range and ethnicity, but also prides itself on being affordable too.

Image Source: Sebastian Kim

Image Source: The Dress Barn

5. SWIMSUITS FOR ALL

Deemed an ‘aggressively inclusive’ brand, Swimsuits for all features women of different sizes and ages, and has run numerous campaigns fuelling change in the fashion industry. The pairing of Body-positivity activist and model, Ashley Graham and Swimsuits for All, has challenged the size restrictions in the modelling industry and has encouraged more and more women to love their bodies in whichever form they come. Swimsuits for all was also the first retailer to feature a woman over the age of 50 in their campaign for Sports Illustrated.

Image Source: Swimsuits For All

6. MODCLOTH

Dubbed one of the most body positive mainstream retailers of our day, ModCloth is taking huge strides in the body diversity movement. Their campaigns have involved transgender people, disabled people, plus-sized models and racially diverse people. The retailer has also chosen to stop using the word ‘plus’ to describe clothing. After a swimsuit campaign which included body diversity, co-founder Koger, who was also featured in the campaign explained, ‘If there’s one message I’d like women to take, it’s that our bodies are diverse and that’s a wonderful thing, not something to be ashamed of.’ ModCloth is also Photo-shop free and vows to keep being truthful in their campaigns and fashion.

Image Source: ModCloth

Image Source: Evan Richards

7. NIKE

In 2016, Nike posted a photo of model Paloma Elsesser, with a caption that excluded any indication of Paloma being a plus-sized model. By doing so Nike, alongside many other brands, inadvertently began to normalise all bodies, instead of simply celebrating the ‘standardised model body,’ which we have seen sprawled across magazines and billboards for many years.

Image Source: NIKE

8. RIVER ISLAND

River Island’s 2018 ‘Labels Are For Clothes,’ campaign featured a group of models varying race, body shapes and abilities, and is their most diverse campaign yet. As a part of this campaign, River Island teamed up with the international anti-bullying charity, ‘Ditch the Label’ to promote the message that “labels are for clothes, not kids.” This campaign involved a group of diverse children from around the UK, each with unique and inspiring stories. As a part of the ‘Labels are for clothes’ campaign, they have also introduced the 100% gender free campaign which also included gender neutral clothing for children. The fashion retailer has been praised for celebrating body diversity and positivity, for rejecting stereotypes, and for embracing all peoples.