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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Chloe Mac Donnell Deputy fashion and lifestyle editor

‘A 360 turn’: concern as fashion shows feature fewer plus-size models

Paloma Elsesser on the catwalk: she has long dark hair and wears an indigo-blue flowing dress with long sleeves, a v-neck and fastenings down the front.
Paloma Elsesser on the spring/summer 2026 catwalk for Tory Burch; this season, she has walked in five shows. Photograph: Dan Lecca/Tory Burch

Fashion insiders have expressed concern that efforts towards size inclusivity are being eroded, with experts saying the industry has “done a 360 turn” back to promoting thinness.

This week a report by Vogue Business found that out of the 9,038 looks presented across 198 shows in the womenswear collections earlier this month, 97.1% were shown on straight-size models who measured between a US size 0-4 (the equivalent of a UK 4-8). Only 0.9% of models were plus-size, also known as curve (UK 18+), while 2% were mid-size (UK 10-16).

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