History Made! See All the Size-Diverse Model Appearances We Counted During New York Fashion Week
By Lauren Chan
As designers began to present their new collections at New York Fashion Week, we had our fingers crossed for a strong show of size diversity. Of course, we wish for a plus-size model runway takeover every season, but it was especially important this time around given the record-breaking number of bigger models cast for fall 2017. (We counted 27 appearances back in February!) Our hope: If that number grew to 28 or more for spring 2018, it would reinforce the fact that body positivity isn't a "trend," but rather an evolution.
The good news: By the end of the week, we spotted models above sample size on the runway (or at a presentation) a total of 208 times—that's 181 more appearances that last season, people! We accounted for every time a model appeared (even if she had two looks in one show) and for every event that billed itself as a part of NYFW—that includes events from plus-size-only brands (Dia & Co., Addition Elle, and Torrid) and indie labels (like Miaou and Lou Dallas) that aren't on the official CFDA- and IMG-manned calendars, but that contributed to the boost. Even excluding those programs, though, the total number of size-diverse turns at "traditional" Fashion Week was still record-breaking at 65.
In case your knee-jerk reaction to those numbers isn't to scream with excitement, you should know that this is a hugely significant development—not only for models and designers but for fashion fans who follow NYFW and the images that come out of it. The trickle down effect is real. So, when respected industry players like Michael Kors, Prabal Gurung, Chromat, and Christian Siriano continue their efforts of inclusion—and when brands like Anna Sui, Rebecca Minkoff, and The Blonds join them—it's felt all over the world. (We should also recognize Eckhaus Latta, which contributed to the cause by street-casting "real people," as opposed to professional models—but we left them out of our count per their request.)
So while you let that sink in (again, 208 times!), click through to see all of the inclusion at the spring 2018 shows in New York.
By Perri Ormont Blumberg