Robyn Lawley Thinks Designers Need to Work With Models of All Sizes

 

Model Robyn Lawley has opened up on fashion designers and their attitudes towards models of different sizes. Robyn, who has been labelled as ‘plus-sized’, believes they should be more open to using models of a variety sizes on the catwalks, and is always frustrated when she is told she can’t wear clothes because she’s not sample size. She explained:

“Designers need to not be so fearful of using a few models that are a different size on the catwalk. They expect you just to fit into these sample sizes. They say, ‘Yeah, you don’t look like a size 12.’ I’ve got a 42-inch hip, my friend, this is not going to fit.”

Robyn also reveals that designers could easily make sample size whatever size they pleased, and as she designs her own swimwear range, she has seen how easily it is to adapt design for people of different sizes and shapes:

”I can’t get clothes for events. I’m very excluded from a lot of that, and it sucks. If designers had more sample sizes, they would make the magazines shoot size 8 on a size 8… I don’t really understand why. I used to think sample sizes were made into a 0. But as a designer myself, I make the sample sizes whatever I want. Why are we so focused on having the girl fit the clothes rather than the clothes fit the girls?”

She believes things are slowly changing and models of different sizes are getting more opportunities than ever, as some mainstream brands have decided to work with her. She thinks progress is finally being made and she is proud to have worked with those who have accepted her for her size:

”Everything happened in a flow and is finally happening. At the end of the day, I’m a size that they’re not used to. It’s quite a process and I am quite stoked they were really willing to go down that route… People don’t know how hard it is to break a mould. It’s a step in the right direction – I’m proud of Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Sports Illustrated – and it needs to happen faster. We’re hoping it does.”