There are things the fashion industry doesn’t want you to know. That means we’re worth nearly $5 billion. That’s correct. The global plus size clothing market is Projected to reach $426 billion by 2030up from $282 billion in 2024. We don’t want a seat at the table anymore…We bought the whole restaurant. Yet, every fashion week, we are treated as if we are lucky to get a slice of the table.
So let’s talk about what really happens when the industry takes your money but refuses to meet you… there’s a funny little thing called plus size fashion representation.
As NYFW approaches, a similar old story looms
New York Fashion Week 2026 is fast approaching. If you’re a plus-size woman, you already know how this story ends. A sample size model will be on display for each runway. Designers present ‘groundbreaking’ collections up to size 10. While the fashion press celebrates “innovation,” the bodies that actually exist in the world… well, we end up on the sidelines. Also.
Honestly, I’m tired. Even though plus-size consumers pump billions into the fashion economy, major designers and fashion houses still treat size inclusivity as if it’s optional, experimental, or worse, philanthropic.
Numbers don’t lie. With just 0.6% of major fashion week runways featuring plus-size models in recent seasons, there’s nothing to suggest that NYFW 2026 will be any different. This is not just a shame. That’s a huge departure from reality and what consumers actually want.
Industry insiders have seen this pattern repeat itself season after season. Kellie Brown, founder of And I Get Dressed. Observations about recent fashion weeks: “In my opinion, last season felt more inclusive than ever before. And right away I thought, ‘Maybe they think body diversity is a trend and they’re trying to take it away.’ So when I saw maybe three women on the runway this season, I was reminded that our work is not done yet. ”
Plus-size fashion is more than just commerce, it’s cultural commentary
But there’s something the industry continues to miss. That’s because plus size fashion isn’t about selling clothes. It’s a cultural commentary. It’s political resistance. It’s a radical act of self-determination in a world that constantly tells us we have too much for our big bodies, but somehow it’s never enough.
When designers like Nicolette Mason and Gabi Gregg launched their brand Premme in 2017, they did it out of pure frustration. As Mason explained“Premme aims to offer the same fashion options as a straight size set without compromising on a watered-down version of what we really want.”
This is why the annual NYFW disappointment runs deeper than aesthetics. When plus-size bodies are excluded from the runways each season, it sends a harmful message that fashion, and by extension beauty, glamor, and cultural relevance, are only for thin people.
Plus size fashion expression inspires confidence
What about that 0.6% statistic? This from Vogue Business is a damning indictment of an industry that claims to celebrate creativity and innovation. When a plus-size model appears, it’s news. When I don’t… it’s Tuesday.
Think about how that affects young girls scrolling through fashion content. The message is clear when you see just one physique improving each season. It means, “You don’t belong here.”
Nicolette Mason I addressed this directly When discussing representation in luxury fashion, she says, “I believe that representation can change the way people see themselves and each other to some extent. Being seen and shown as beautiful, luxurious, and worth investing in… It helps people see, appreciate, and believe in their own beauty. That they deserve it, that they belong, that they have potential.”
Designers must do better
Voices like Paloma Elsesser are increasingly calling on designers to create clothes that suit all body types. Her work with inclusive brands shows that good design is not only functional, but sends a message of accessibility and respect in fashion.
The excuses are wearing thin. Designers can no longer hide behind claims that plus-size design is “too difficult” or that their artistic vision only works for certain body types. truth? Many designers simply haven’t prioritized learning how to dress diverse body types. They have built their entire careers around an ideal representation of a tiny fraction of actual consumers, yet the industry has given prestige, press, and profits to this short-sighted population.
True creativity finds solutions, not excuses. And the few designers like Christian Siriano who consistently present size-inclusive collections at NYFW prove that it’s absolutely possible when you put it into practice.
Beyond the thin stereotypes in the media
Even though the average American woman wears a size 14 or larger, reality TV and mainstream media still primarily showcase slender bodies. This disconnect is no accident. It contributes to body image issues, reinforces harmful stereotypes, and undermines the self-esteem of millions of people.
We’re talking about an industry that claims to reflect a culture, yet actively erases the vast majority of people who participate in that culture. It’s not just bad business, it’s cultural violence.
Fashion can fight discrimination
Weight stigma manifests itself in everything from employment discrimination to healthcare stigma to reduced quality of life. And what about fashion? Fashion is a place where fatphobics can strut down the runway in haute couture.
Fashion is one of the areas where fatphobia is most evident. Luxury brands refusing to make clothes in plus sizes, no big bodies on the runway, only sample sales up to size 8…these are not neutral choices. These are positive statements about who deserves access to beauty, style, and self-expression.
Mental health and self-expression
Here’s what most people don’t understand. Fashion exclusion has real mental health consequences. The CDC found that nearly 1 in 5 teens has been diagnosed with anxiety or depression, and that rate is set to rise significantly by 2023. Spending your formative years being told that your body is wrong through all the cultural messages you receive, including what you see on the runways and in magazines, can take a toll.
For larger people, there is a direct connection between fashion exclusion and the impact on mental health. Constantly being told through cultural messages that your body is wrong, worthless, and invisible takes a toll on you mentally. Inclusive fashion is not frivolous…it is an element of dignity and mental health.
What Plus Size Fashion Really Represents
As we watch another NYFW unfold with a predictably limited amount of diversity, it’s worth remembering what’s really at stake. Plus size fashion isn’t a niche market or a trend you can take advantage of when it’s convenient. It is a movement rooted in the belief that all bodies have the right to participate fully in public life and to be noticed, celebrated, and dressed with the same care and creativity as smaller bodies.
Every time we advocate for size-inclusive fashion, we’re not just asking for clothes. We are demanding a seat at the table. We insist that money, voice, and body matter. to be honest? That concludes the questions.
This is the essence of why plus size fashion expression goes beyond the clothing itself. It’s about power, visibility, and the radical act of taking up space in an industry that has historically demanded shrinkage…both literally and figuratively.
The importance of evolving fashion education
Fashion schools have traditionally ignored plus-size designs in favor of standard sample sizes. Although some educational institutions have begun to integrate inclusive training, we are still far from making inclusive design education the norm.
Pipeline issues start with fashion education. If design students aren’t taught to think about diverse body types from day one, if their entire training revolves around the shape of a size 2 dress, how can they expect to create an inclusive collection when launching a brand? The foundations have to change.
Icons lead to change
As the first plus-size semi-finalist for Miss Universe 2023, Jane Deepika Garrett’s journey represents more than just style. It’s about breaking beauty norms and providing a visible platform for diverse people. When champions like her step into the spotlight, fashion becomes a catalyst for change.
Frugal culture and accessibility
The recent surge in weight loss injections has had the unintended consequence of an influx of donated plus-size clothing. This makes stylish and affordable fashion more accessible to many people through the second-hand market, creating positive ripple effects for both sustainability and inclusivity.
Fashion that empowers storytelling
Plus size fashion expression and style is more than just clothes. It’s a story. Each garment reflects identity, experience, and resilience. This is a strong signal to the world that everyone has the right to feel noticed and stylish, no matter their size.
For plus-size women in the fashion industry, our existence is political, whether we want it to be or not. Every photo shoot, every runway walk, every magazine cover is a statement that says, “We belong here too.” And we won’t leave.
way forward
So, as NYFW 2026 unfolds and we will inevitably see the same lack of size diversity that has plagued fashion week for decades, let’s be clear what we are witnessing: not a failure of imagination, but a failure of will. The plus size market has proven its economic strength. The community has demonstrated its influence. The only thing missing is industry accountability.
Because plus size fashion needs to remain more than just clothes. Until the day comes when seeing a size 18 body on the runway is no more noticeable than seeing a size 2, plus-size style will carry the weight of plus-size fashion expression, resistance, and revolution.
And we will continue to show up, take up space, and demand better…one great outfit at a time.
Source: The Curvy Fashionista – thecurvyfashionista.com
