What curve models really think of ‘size inclusive’ runway

What curve models think of Fashion Week's size inclusive runway

Words and Producer: Bianca Farmakis in partnership with

Afterpay Australian Fashion Week debuted its first curve-exclusive runway on Thursday.The show, dubbed ‘The Curve Edit’ signalled a refreshing shift for an industry with a history of upholding unrealistic beauty standards.

Video: Instagram | Afterpay AU

Many have welcomed the change, saying it makes for a more inclusionary portrait of what it means to be stylish.Others say it shouldn’t have taken decades to show different physiques in the spectacle of fashion.

For model and Butterfly Foundation advocate April Hélène-Horton, the move is somewhere between

we need a dedicated runway, because [curve models] should be everywhere, with no distinction about our size.

April Hélène-Horton Video: Instagram | Afterpay AU

'Good first step'

Hélène-Horton says while having a dedicated catwalk has empowered curve models and designers to carve out their space, the one-off event maintains the “ harsh divide ” between body types in fashion.

Hélène-Horton, who became the first curve model to pose in a bikini for a national billboard campaign in 2021, has struggled with disordered eating in the past, and stresses the important role fashion plays in shaping body image ideals. Video: Instagram | The Bodzilla

“Fashion can teach people to be comfortable with the body they’re in,”

she says, adding that arbitrary ideals of the perfect body are slowly fading to the fringes.

'Normal, not narrow'

Danni Rowlands of The Butterfly Foundation says narrow representations of beauty can feed into body image issues and eating disorders. Video: Instagram | Afterpay AU

The social problem

Rowlands says while social media isn’t the only risk factor for disordered eating, the onslaught of perfect images has “mutated” the way the problem persists. She says Fashion Week's inclusion of a curve catwalk marks a “real positive”, with diverse images appearing online and in the media. One million Australians battle an eating disorder 32 per cent of adolescents engage in disordered eating 40 per cent of people with an eating disorder don't seek treatment

The goal, ultimately with fashion’s relationship to representation, is to form “no narrative or commentary” around them, according to Rowlands.

in beautiful clothing, and it can go back to being

Danni Rowlands Video: Instagram | Afterpay AU

If you or anyone you know needs help, contact The Butterfly Foundation at 1800 33 4673.

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What curve models think of Fashion Week's size inclusive runway

Afterpay Australian Fashion Week debuted its first curve-exclusive runway on Thursday.The show, dubbed ‘The Curve Edit’ signalled a refreshing shift for an industry with a history of upholding unrealistic beauty standards.

Many have welcomed the change, saying it makes for a more inclusionary portrait of what it means to be stylish.Others say it shouldn’t have taken decades to show different physiques in the spectacle of fashion.

For model and Butterfly Foundation advocate April Hélène-Horton, the move is somewhere between

“ridiculous” and “wonderful”.

we need a dedicated runway, because [curve models] should be everywhere, with no distinction about our size.

“On one hand it’s ridiculous

On the other hand,

we do need to be celebrated

because we’ve been left in the shadows for so long.”

'Good first step'

“Fashion can teach people to be comfortable with the body they’re in,”

'Normal, not narrow'

The social problem

The goal, ultimately with fashion’s relationship to representation, is to form “no narrative or commentary” around them, according to Rowlands.

“Ideally in time we will be so conditioned to always seeing a range of bodies.”

in beautiful clothing, and it can go back to being

“Hopefully we start to just see people

about art and design

and fashion

rather than it being a discussion about bodies.”

If you or anyone you know needs help, contact The Butterfly Foundation at 1800 33 4673.