Body Diversity in Fashion

Posted by Mckala Schweikert on Nov 14, 2017 9:09:43 PM

Big, small, tall, they had it all, even pregnant

This New York Fashion week was all about body diversity. The Eckhaus Latta fashion show had a pregnant model walking the runway, which is very rare to see. All body types were welcome and are here to stay.  All across the board from Gucci to Dior to Christian Siriano, they all had different body types walking the runway. Gucci and Dior actually will no longer be casting size zero models. This will help take the pressure off many models to be very thin. This gives off positive body vibes for all men and women in the industry.    

This fashion week was game-changing for all models. The fact that even the biggest brands in the business are casting models of all different sizes is amazing. There is no "standard" body type anymore. Society has always had a specific body type for runway models and now that has all changed. A standard model, for instance, would be Kendall Jenner, she is tall and thin. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it's no longer the only standard for runway. As for male models, not much has changed, although, at the Marco Marco show I attended, there was an older man walking the show. He was in his sixties and not the standard athletic type like most male models.   

Sadly, this cannot be said for all designers. In the industry, some people will stick to what they know best and works for them. It is sad they can't see that the "standard" body type is not really the standard around the world. I went to the Eva Longoria fashion show and she used all the "standard" body types. Even though it was her very first collection, she could've added more body diversity for everyday people. Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes around the world.  

I had the chance to speak to an audience member that the Marco Marco show, Caitlin Kincaid.  

"I think that the fashion industry is embracing body and sexual diversity now more than ever. I think that the Marco Marco show encompassed that," Kincaid says.

"This designer embraces all different walks or in this case struts of life."

"It was much more fun to watch and really gave a good vibe off to the audience."

I also had a brief interview with a male model that goes by the name Michael Q.  Michael Q is from Orange County California and this was his first fashion week show. "I have had mixed feelings about the industry and how strict they are with looks" he said.  I also talked with an LIM student who volunteered at a show, Paulette Markarian.

"I don't think there is enough diversity, but designers are trying to make it more diverse each year. I do think it is great and inspiring because not everyone has the same exact body type," she said. 

Fashion is a way of self-expression and each person is different in that sense. I enjoy seeing different body types walk down the runway feeling and looking confident. All men and women should feel good about themselves. Body diversity is here and we as a society need to accept it. Fashion is for all sizes not the idea of society's size.   

Topics: NYFW, body positive

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