Model Ashley Graham says beauty is “beyond size” and has urged people to “stay loud” to encourage fashion and beauty brands to take more plus-size models on for their campaigns. The 30-year-old model was thrilled to be the first plus-size model to be cast for a beauty brand and hopes if people “stay loud about it”, it will continue.
Writing for Glamour magazine, she shared: “Beauty is beyond size. If more people get vocal on social media, and more brands and designers put all types of women in their campaigns, it will change how we see beauty. We have to stay loud about it.”
“I’m really hoping and striving that in the next 10 years we don’t even have to discuss this.”
In another interview with Elle, Graham discussed the lack of diversity in the fashion and beauty industry and hoped that her new role at Revlon is a beacon of inspiration for her fans, teaching them that one size of beauty doesn’t fit all.
“I want to be a role model for all those young girls who want someone to look up t because I didn’t have that when I was younger; women who looked like me, had stretch marks and insecurities.”
“That’s what’s really most important – that young women and men see someone who looks like them so they can know that they too are beautiful so they don’t have the same issues [with seeing diversity] I had growing up.”
Ashley Graham was recently announced as the new face of makeup brand Revlon, making her one of just a small number of curvy women to front a beauty campaign.
It is also reported that the model will be launching her own talk show also very soon.
Ashley, the first plus-size “supermodel”, was the 10th highest-earning model of 2017 in a list released by Forbes.