Ashley Graham – The Sports Illustrated Trailblazer
Ashley Graham made history in 2016 when she became the first size 16 model to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and then appeared on the cover of Vogue in 2017 as the first plus-size model to grace the magazine. A year after her Sports Illustrated breakthrough, she published her first book, “A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like,” which contributes to her advocacy in the body positivity and inclusion movement. Most recently, Graham teamed up with entrepreneur Emma Grede to cohost a Roku reality series, Side Hustlers, in which the two mentor female business owners before ultimately investing in one woman’s enterprise.
In March 2025, it was announced that Graham would make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago from April 15 to May 25 of that year. J.C. Penney is partnering with model and entrepreneur Ashley Graham on a namesake, plus-size collection launching this fall, the line is meant to reflect Graham’s “signature bold and confident style”.
Paloma Elsesser – The Instagram Discovery
Discovered by Pat McGrath on Instagram, after the beauty legend chose Paloma to be the face of her makeup line, Paloma has since appeared on the covers of major magazines like Teen Vogue, Elle and Glamour, and walked the runway for Fendi, Chloé, and other luxury brands. Fashion talks a big game when it comes to inclusion, but few brands can actually back it up, so it’s a breath of fresh air to see the legendary house of Fendi making steps to becoming more size inclusive by casting Jill Kortleve and Paloma Elsesser in its fall 2020 runway show in Milan where they are the first “plus size” models to walk in a Fendi show ever.
British Vogue tapped models Paloma Elsesser, Precious Lee, and Jill Kortleve for the cover of its April 2023 issue, introduced as “The New Supers,” the cover celebrates a new kind of supermodel rooted in representation. In April 2025, she graced the cover of Vogue Adria, further solidifying her status as a top model, recognized as one of “The New Supers” by British Vogue, she remains a prominent advocate for body inclusivity and diversity in fashion.
Jill Kortleve – The Chanel Game Changer
Kortleve has worked for everyone from Alexander McQueen to Versace, but made a splash in the spring of 2020 when she became the first non-“straight size” model to walk for Chanel since Crystal Renn 10 years before, a watershed for inclusive casting. In July 2022, Kortleve and Chanel again attracted attention when the French luxury giant cast her as the “bride” for its autumn haute couture show, the following couture season, she was again the only midsize model cast by Chanel for its show.
“I was comparing myself to other girls, wondering why I felt out of place, and I realized that it was because I’d never seen anyone who looked like me in those spaces. I had to change the way I looked at things,” said Kortleve, who wears a size 8-10. “Representing different body types doesn’t just mean that you have one model who is size 0 and another who is a [U.S.] 14 – you also have to show what is in between”.
Robyn Lawley – The Australian Pioneer
Robyn Lawley is Australia’s most well-known plus-size model, born on 13 June 1989, having been the first to feature in a Ralph Lauren campaign and to have photographed for some of the world’s most prestigious fashion magazines. In 2011, Australian model Robyn Lawley made history by gracing the renowned Vogue Italia cover, and she further broke barriers as the inaugural plus-size ambassador for Ralph Lauren.
Adding another feather to her cap, Robyn Lawley achieved another first in 2015 when she became the premier plus-size model to appear in the iconic Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue. She wrote an essay in 2013 criticizing the ‘thigh gap’ trend as unhealthy and needless.
Tara Lynn – The French Connection
Tara Lynn is a 40-year-old American plus-size model from Tacoma, Washington, she started modeling in her early twenties and has been featured on covers of Glamour, Vogue and Cosmopolitan, she is best known as a plus-size lingerie model. Her work in high-fashion editorial shoots helped bridge the gap between commercial plus-size modeling and luxury fashion.
Tara’s influence extends beyond traditional modeling into the realm of body positivity advocacy. Her appearances in major fashion campaigns demonstrated that plus-size models could successfully represent luxury brands and connect with diverse audiences.
Candice Huffine – The Editorial Force
Curve models like Candice Huffine and Devyn Garcia now feature prominently in its campaigns, and the inclusion of Elsesser and Kortleve in the latest swim shoots suggests that bigger bodies won’t be just a blip. Candice became a prominent figure in editorial fashion, appearing in major publications and luxury brand campaigns throughout the 2010s.
Her work helped establish a new standard for plus-size representation in high-end fashion photography. Candice’s editorial work demonstrated that curve models could embody the same sophistication and glamour traditionally associated with straight-size models, paving the way for greater acceptance in the luxury fashion sphere.
Barbie Ferreira – The Multi-Talented Breakthrough
As a teen, Barbie began by sending photos to American Apparel, she uses her modeling work and social media presence to support the body positivity movement and push back against body shaming, Barbie has modeled for brands like Aerie, Adidas, ASOS, Forever 21, Levi’s, and Target. Barbie Ferreira first gained widespread cultural recognition as the face of American Eagle Outfitters’ Aerie swimsuit campaign, posing unretouched.
Her acting career is also flourishing with roles in Divorce, Euphoria, and more, expanding her talents beyond modeling, Barbie has also ventured into acting, appearing on the hit TV show Euphoria. Her transition from modeling to acting helped expand representation across multiple entertainment industries.
Denise Bidot – The Latina Representation Leader
Denise Marie Bidot was born June 13, 1986 (age 36), she is a plus-size fashion model from the United States, Denise began her career when she was seventeen and gained attention for her photographs in “Shape” magazine. As one of the most prominent Latina plus-size models, she brought crucial diversity to an industry that often lacked representation across ethnic lines.
Her advocacy work extends beyond modeling into discussions about beauty standards within Latino communities. Denise’s visibility helped challenge traditional concepts of beauty in her community while simultaneously breaking barriers in mainstream fashion.
Yumi Nu – The Asian-American Milestone
Yumi Nu even made history as the first Asian-American plus-size model to grace the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover. Her groundbreaking appearance represented a significant step forward for Asian-American representation in the modeling industry, particularly in the plus-size category where diverse ethnic representation had been notably lacking.
Yumi’s achievement highlighted the intersectional nature of representation in fashion, demonstrating that true inclusivity must encompass both body diversity and ethnic diversity. Her work continues to inspire young Asian-American women who had rarely seen themselves reflected in mainstream fashion media.
