Fashion experts express concerns about return to ‘extremely thin models’

Fashion insiders have expressed concern that previous progress towards size inclusivity in the industry is being curtailed.

Vogue Business released it spring/summer ’25 size inclusivity report on Tuesday, saying, “We are facing a worrying return to the use of extremely thin models” with “a plateau in size inclusivity efforts in New York, London, Milan and Paris.”

Of the 8,763 looks presented across 208 shows across the womenswear collections earlier this month, 94.9% were shown on straight-size models who fall between US sizes 0-4 (the equivalent of a UK 4-8). Only 0.8% of models were plus-size, also known as curve (UK 18+), and 4.3% were medium-sized (UK 10-16). In Milan, 98% of looks were on normal-sized models, and Vogue Business said some medium-sized figures were skewed by mixed brands showing menswear looks modeled by muscular men.

“It feels like we’ve taken ten steps backwards,” says Anna Shillinglaw, the founder of the Milk Management modeling agency.

Thin models have always dominated the catwalks, but in recent years a wider range of body types have been included. Jill Kortleve made headlines at Chanel in 2000, when she became the first model above a UK 8 in a decade. In another milestone moment for inclusive casting, British Vogue presented Kortleve alongside plus-size models Paloma Elsesser and Precious Lee on the April 2023 cover with the headline “The New Supers”.

Eighteen months later, however, the fashion industry has taken a turn, with several insiders complaining of a new backlash against inclusivity.

“I now feel that some of the more expensive designers saw curvier women as more of a fashion fad than something real,” Shillinglaw said, noting that the average dress size in Britain is 16.

Chanel has launched some medium and plus-size models this season, but other luxury brands have not. Instead, it was left to emerging brands, including Karoline Vitto in London and Ester Manas in Paris, to amplify body diversity.

Stella McCartney apologized last week after she was criticized for sharing an image of a model backstage at her show that some social media users said was unhealthy. Chloe Rosolek, a casting director from London, said the elimination of larger bodies at major brands was baffling: “It’s so strange to pretend there isn’t a whole group of people out there.”

There is a broader cultural mainstreaming of thinness as drugs like Ozempic, originally developed to treat diabetes, are being co-opted by Hollywood and beyond for weight loss. Vogue Business describes it as “the glorification of thinness.”

As celebrities and influencers shrink, even regular models feel pressure to maintain their size or lose inches. “There has been a reduction in size across the board, and that includes regular-sized models,” Rosolek said. “Many models who used to be plus size are now midsize.”

Kering, the parent company of brands such as Gucci and Balenciaga, and LVMH, which includes Louis Vuitton and Dior, joined forces in 2017 with a charter to protect the well-being of models. It resulted in a ban on size zero models and models under the age of 16 from their shows.

Kering raised the minimum age to 18 in 2019, but its main rivals, including LVMH, have not followed suit. This season, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, the 16-year-old daughter of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, opened the Miu Miu show in Milan, while according to the fashion database Models.com, several top models were under 21 and size zero.

Many models are naturally thin and are therefore unfairly shamed for being thin. But like ballet’s ‘Balanchine’ body, the modeling industry has a reputation for creating unrealistic and unhealthy ideals. Many ultra-thin and unwell models are still being booked.

Emily McGrail, a 21-year-old model from Manchester, has been sharing her experience from working in Milan, where she attended castings for shows, including Prada, on TikTok. After being denied work, she was advised to lose an inch from her hips. “I looked around at the other models and felt like I didn’t deserve to be there,” she told the Guardian. “By comparison, I felt ‘fat’. Technically I would be considered underweight for my height and age, but looking at these girls made me feel big.

James Scully, former casting director, said: “We’ve gone back to what it was like ten years ago. These models only serve one purpose. They are not here to bring any kind of character or joy or to sell anything. They are a coat hanger again.”