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By Melina Gjoka
Fashion has always influenced the way people see beauty and body image. For many years, the fashion industry promoted only one body type and as a result, many people were unrepresented. Today, however, there is a growing movement for diversity and inclusion in fashion. Different cultures have different ideas of beauty, and the industry has already reflected them.
Throughout history, ideas about the “ideal body” have changed many times in fashion. From the 1990s and early 2000s, the fashion industry began to focus more on thin models, a very specific type of body that it didn’t represent many people.
The fashion industry has started to change, through the years. Many brands now include models of different sizes and backgrounds. The body positivity movement and social media have helped people speak more openly about representation and diversity in fashion.
Image by Melina Gjoka (Canva)
Some fashion brands have tried to promote body positivity and diversity. Some companies focus on representing people of different sizes, ages, and backgrounds in their campaigns.
According to the photo studio and instyleversity:
Nike, helped normalise different body types by posting a photo of model Paloma Elsesser in a campaign and it presented different bodies as normal, not different.
Skims, founded by Kim Kardashian, it focuses on body positivity and diversity. Its campaigns include models of different sizes, ages, races, and abilities. The brand also offers many sizes, from XXS to 5X, so a big amount of people can find clothes that fit them.
ASOS also supports body diversity. The company avoids to photoshop models and it shows clothes on people with different body types. It also offers different collections such as petite, tall, and maternity, so it can include more groups of people.
Students from London Metropolitan University have been asked about if fashion brands are doing enough to include different body types.
Image by Melina Gjoka
Nidhi Rathi, 22 who studies Fashion Marketing (Masters), said:
Gayathri Dasari, 22 who also studies Fashion Marketing (Masters), said:
In the past, fashion magazines and runway shows decided what the “ideal body” looked like. Today, social media allow people from different backgrounds to share their own style and body types. This has helped to show that beauty is not the same for everyone.
Many influencers and content creators promote body positivity and encourage people to accept different body shapes and sizes. Because of this, more different bodies are becoming visible in fashion and media.
However, social media can also create pressure, as people often compare themselves to others online. Even so, it has helped to start important conversations about diversity and representation in the fashion industry.
Body diversity in fashion is becoming more important than ever. Although the industry has often promoted only one beauty standard, this is slowly changing. Different cultures, social movements, and social media have helped create a more inclusive view of beauty. By representing different body types, the fashion industry can help people feel seen, confident, and accepted.
“Confidence. If you have it, you can make anything look good.” (Diane Von Furstenberg)
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