The 27-year-old brunette beauty has been breaking down barriers in the fashion industry as of late. Ashley Graham has become the newest spokesperson for plus-size lingerie models everywhere.
Graham, a well-known model for Lane Bryant spoke at the Forbes’ Under 30 Summit. She declared,
“I’ve been considered a plus-size model for the last 15 years. I’ve really been trying to chop down this tree for so long, and now finally people are hearing me.”
The Nebraska native admitted,
“I’m using my body to let other women know that imperfections are okay, that cellulite, rolls, curves, all of it, things that jiggle that ‘shouldn’t be jiggling’ are okay.”
She also spoke about the struggles she faced as a larger women in the fashion world.
“I was told I was never going to be on the cover of any magazine, let alone on the inside, and I did five covers alone last year, and I was in the pages of Sports Illustrated as one of the first curvy models. I didn’t let anybody just take me down. I think that’s something that’s important about being a disrupter in any industry.”
She continued by saying,
“I think what really helped me was a lot of people telling me no, because I’ve always kind of been a little bit of a rebel. My parents have told me no, I’ve had agents tell me no, and I’ve taken all those nos and I’ve turned them into yeses, and I’ve done exactly what I wanted to do.”
Graham has appeared on the cover of Elle Quebec and in fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and Latina. She appeared in several Levi’s campaigns and also designed a lingerie line for Addition Elle, a Canadian plus-size clothing retailer.
What do you think, is Ashley Graham finally changing perceptions in the lingerie world? Or do we still have a long way to go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.