Ashley Graham’s Addition Elle lingerie runway show on Tuesday has garnered a lot of attention since it seems folks still can’t get over the idea that – gasp! – plus-size women wear lingerie and look damn good in it. Earlier this year, Graham was a prominent part of Cacique’s #ImNoAngel campaign, Lane Bryant’s answer to Victoria’s Secret Angel campaigns, which showed that you don’t have to be a size zero to look like an absolute goddess in underwear.
Graham’s collection for Addition Elle notably put a troupe of plus-size models on the runway during New York Fashion Week – a sight rarely seen, though that seems to be slowly changing. During the Project Runway finale this week, one of the contestants showed a plus-size collection, a first for the show. This week, Lane Bryant and its #PlusIsEqual campaign took over Times Square, furthering the call for inclusion and recognition of women who have been systematically left out of the fashion world.
We say it time and again – with most American women falling into the plus-size category, designers and brands would be remiss to not take advantage of a money-making opportunity by providing clothes that fit larger women well and are stylish at the same time. A few retailers have dedicated themselves to catering to this large segment of the population, including the latest, J.C. Penney, which just announced it will be launching a plus-size concept in its stores called “The Boutique.”
Though there is a long way to go, it seems the tide is slowly turning when it comes to plus-size fashion. Though thin is certainly still in, it is important to have representations of body diversity and there is no better place than New York Fashion Week to showcase that.
[via People, Bustle, @theashleygraham]
