The New York Fashion Week is one of the most respected and adhered fashion weeks in the entire world. It is sort of a sacred ground where models and designers are lucky to present themselves and their designs.
New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events (generally lasting 7–9 days) when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general public.
It is one of four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the “Big 4”, along with those in Paris, London, and Milan. The first New York Fashion Week was created in 1943 by Eleanor Lambert, press director of the American fashion industry’s first promotional organization, the New York Dress Institute.
The event, the world’s first organized fashion week, was called “Press Week”, and was created to attract attention away from French fashion during World War II, when fashion industry insiders were unable to travel to Paris to see French fashion shows.
The 2017 New York Fashion Week was a tremendous success as per usual but it had an even more special impact on the plus size community. Why you ask? Because New York Fall/Winter 2017 saw the highest number of plus size models on the runway ever- a crazy 27!
That’s more than double of 12 last season and 4 the season before that. This is proof that the plus size community has undoubtedly become a big part of the fashion industry. An extremely joyous occasion to see that plus size models and their hard work over the years is finally passing with bright colors and is being recognized.
Here is a look at some of the top models who walked the ramp for various designers throughout the New York Fashion Week.
This list will also feature acclaimed designers and brands who were a part of making the plus size models a part of this illustrious fashion week and helping them turn out in huge numbers.
Ashley Graham
How can we talk about plus size models on the ramp and not talk about Ashley Graham before everyone else? Supermodel Ashley Graham walked for Michael Kors in a slitted black dress and statement fur. A thick black belt completed the look for this plus size beauty.
As usual, Ashley Graham was once again making headway as she became the first ever plus size model to walk for Michael Kors on the New York runway.
Chrisitan Soriano
Well, he isn’t a model just to clarify, but rather a designer and one of the most renowned ones present at the New York Fashion Week. So, why then has he been headlined here in a list specific to models? The reason is right here.
Christian Siriano celebrated diversity with ten plus size models wearing velvet, animal prints, and ball gowns. Models like Candice Huffine, Marquita Pring, Saffi Karina, Alessandra Garcia-Lorido, Iskra Lawrence, Jocelyn Corona, Georgia Pratt, and Precious Lee looked divine on the runway.
Industry veterans like Karolina Kurkova and Alek Wak joined the rest of the team for a designer who truly knows the importance of representation.
It is endearing to see a designer with such a huge background and history in the industry coming forward to promote plus size models and acknowledging that they belong in the industry.
Chromat
Chromat is an American fashion label based out in New York itself. The label was formed by Becca McCharen-Tran in 2010. Drawing from Becca McCharen-Tran’s background in architecture and urban design, Chromat focuses on empowering garments for all bodies. They have a line of swimwear, lingerie, and signature architectural cages that are designed within New York.
Plus size models Iskra Lawrence, Denise Bidot, Priscilla Huggins Ortiz, Victoria Gomez, and Sabina Karlson strutted down the runway for Chromat. During the fashion week, Chromat showcased a collection of strong, powerful designs with colorful zip-up dresses, inflatable clothes and sporty swimsuits.
Tome
Tome was inspired by this year’s Women’s March on Washington and included simplistic pieces devoid of ornamentation. Three plus size models, Candice Huffine, Georgia Pratt, and Marquita Pring walked the show for Tome.
Prabal Gurung
Prabal Gurung was fiercely feminist in his collection of vibrant, highly detailed outfits. Plus size models Candice Huffine and Marquita Pring walked down the runway in full-sleeved, highly detailed, belted dresses over white stockings.
During the finale, all 37 models walked down the runway in t-shirts that read ‘love is the resistance’, ‘I am an immigrant’, ‘The future is female’, ‘We will not be silenced’, ‘I am a rose’, ‘stay woke’ etc while Gurung himself wore a t-shirt saying ‘this is what a feminist looks like’. An amazing endorsement not just for plus size models but for the entire female division.
OAK and their sporting signature pieces were represented by plus size models Katy Syme and Stella Duval.
Melissa Koole walked for designer Tracy Reese, a designer who specializes in women’s ready-to-wear dresses, accessories, and linens. Melissa Koole walked the ramp sporting a leather dress that represented a dark and powerful look of female strength.
These were some of the headliners and more powerful outings for plus size models at the New York Fashion Week. The community was also well represented through other brands and designers throughout the week and also during the fall/winter edition.
Sabina Karlsson for J.Crew, Bree Kish for Who What Wear, and Minahil Mahmood for Gypsy Sport were some of the models who represented various brands during the winter edition of this prestigious fashion week.
While New York has always had a historic relevance to the world of fashion, getting limelight on the plus size models added a little more charm to the history of this wonderful event.
There have always been breakthroughs when it comes to New York Fashion Week, be it the reason for how the entire event came into existence or anything else, the addition of plus size models to the event was proof that the stereotype shown towards plus size women entering the modeling world had well and truly been broken.
