Ashley Graham, one of the most influential plus-size models, is pushing for curvy women to take center stage in the fashion world, a place they’ve long deserved to occupy. The 37-year-old model recently signed a multi-year deal with JCPenney and is on a mission to make women of all shapes and sizes feel sexy and confident in their own skin.
Known for making waves as the first plus-size model on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue in 2016, Ashley shared her vision with People magazine. “My goal has always been the same, from the start of my career to now – not making bodies a topic of conversation,” she explained. “Talking about bodies and our sizes and what makes someone have a beautiful body is so tired at this point. What I truly want for the women we designed this JCPenney collection for is to feel beautiful, sexy – all the things!”
Ashley expressed immense pride in her new collection and believes that curvy women deserve to be the focus in the fashion industry. “The majority of American women wear size 14 or above. Why are we not making clothes for a majority of women? There’s such a deficit,” she remarked, highlighting the significant gap in representation for full-figured women.
“It’s time to leave behind those outdated ideas that fuller-figured women don’t belong at the heart of fashion. Together, we’re uplifting voices and bringing long-overdue representation to the full-figured community,” Ashley added, signaling a major shift in the fashion landscape.
Despite the success, Ashley also recalled an incident from her past, where another model had expressed doubts about her Sports Illustrated photoshoot in 2016. However, her passion for inclusivity and pushing boundaries in fashion remains unwavering as she continues to inspire and empower women everywhere.
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