Runway FROM THE TO THE RACKS

Can the fashion industry ever truly be sizeinclusive? BLUSH investigates

FOLLOWING another controversial (yet still somehow sensational) Fashion Month, one thing that remained consistent was the lack of size diversity on the runway. Fashion Weeks are often seen as the benchmark for what is hot or not in every aspect of our appearances - from makeup looks and miniskirts, to our very own body types. So, what happens when our bodies aren’t on trend this season? The runway reflects straight back into society.

While it’s important to acknowledge we’re increasingly seeing more diverse body representation on the runway, reports show that last season’s Fashion Weeks included just 90 ‘curvy’ models, out of 257 shows.

It’s a sobering thought reminiscent of when many of us were teenagers, staring at our own bodies in the mirror, picking ourselves apart, and comparing ourselves to the unrealistic (or ‘aspirational’) standards that were plastered everywhere. It never gets old.

As young adults who were never informed our bodies would start to change in weight during our teen years, we were unknowingly plagued by confidence issues stemming from noughties diet culture.

But it reflects beyond models strutting down a catwalk. Fashion wasn’t made for anyone else. If a girl bigger than a size 10 were to enter a luxury store, it’s safe to say the choices would be limited. The women of today not only need runway empowerment but size inclusivity beyond performative actions. It’s time to change the narrative and for the fashion industry to accept the bodies of all women.

The battle over size representation has been a long one, and many of us are still feeling defined by the number on the hanger. It can often be disheartening discovering you’re a size 12 in H&M, but finding out that equals a ‘large’ in Zara. We’re now forced to squeeze, tuck and bury ourselves to fit into clothes, depending on where we choose to shop. It’s hard not to feel like your clothing size dictates your worth when we’re still bombarded with images of women who represent only one body type –the only accepted body type.

One anonymous 23-year-old woman echoed the thoughts of many, describing to BLUSH how after she found herself gaining weight, not only was it difficult to come to terms with, but finding clothes to fit was a consistent challenge. “It has been really damaging to my self-esteem”, she says. “I feel like different body types aren’t included enough.”

An interesting point throughout history has been the inconsistency in sizing charts. Fashion icon Marilyn Monroe was considered ‘plus-sized’ as a UK size 16 in the ‘60s - which would translate to around a size 12 in today’s world. The consistent changing of the ideal body set by the fashion industry is deep-rooted in history, and the use of ‘plus size’ as a negative term to describe those who don’t fit the mould isn’t anything new.

Even today, there is no standardisation when it comes to deciding how sizing charts look. Therefore, any store can set whatever size they like for any measurements, leaving consumers confused with our own bodies, and in the long-term, questioning our worth.

“Working within a size and fit team showed me how there is no such thing as ‘standardised sizing’ because every brand has its own standard - this goes from high street brands, all the way up to designer brands”, says Alicia Day, previous size and fit team leader at Net-A-Porter.

Day continues, “Even within the same brand, we’d get sizing information directly from the brand that they’d made their own sizing scales smaller or larger per season.

“You may be a size IT 40 in Chloé one season, and the next you’d be an IT 42, making it impossible for customers to navigate purchases, and massively impacting the way they view themselves and their size.

“FASHION ICON

“It’s hard to find a resolution when sizing is so different across brands, countries, and even seasons.”

While inclusivity may still feel like a lifetime away, we’re without doubt seeing more fighting tactics from consumers around the importance of representation from their favourite brands.

With advocates like Ashley Graham and Philomena Kwao at the forefront of social media campaigns taking the taboo out of sizing, we can one day hope to see transparency throughout the industry, from the runway, to the racks.

Words: Georgia Rhodes