Australian Vogue has broken with 50 years of tradition by featuring a plus size model in its September issue. Australian born Robyn Lawley appears in the 10 page spread called Belle Curve and models clothes by Australian designers such as Alex Perry, Willow and Carla Zampatti.

Vogue Italia is calling it the “Now Shape”, the latest trend in models is all about generous breasts and hips, big hair and come-hither eyes. This trend might be ‘now’ but it is not ‘new’. One of Italy’s own coined it first and with great success. Sophia Loren; arguably one of the most photographed women in the world, has the most voluptuous figure to end all figures.

Robyn Lawley said “It’s so important to have plus-size models in those sorts of high-fashion magazines because it’s like the last exclusion.

“Once you start getting featured in Vogue, all the other magazines start using girls of larger sizes and a greater variety, so it’s an honour to do it, and be the first.”

Born in Queensland, the statuesque beauty stands 182cm tall and wears an Australian size 14. At only 22 years of age she has already appeared in Vogue Italia, Australian Cosmopolitan and featured on the cover of French Elle.

Kirstie Clements, the editor for Vogue Australia, called Robyn a “super-duper model,” saying that she was not cast based on her size but on her natural beauty.



“I didn’t do it as a stunt or anything,” says Clements. “She’s really beautiful and you have to make the judgment about whether a girl’s special or not, so it really wasn’t about size or to make a statement.”

Lawley hopes her recent success signifies a shift in the fashion industry’s collective consciousness.

“The wafer-thin look has been in since Kate Moss in the ’90s, and there’s been an almost fat phobia, but now with [singer] Adele and the TV series Mad Men, I think people feel it’s OK to be their size and not have to be told to be skinny,” she said.

“I think including plus-size models in fashion editorials will eventually lead to designers using us on the runways. Someone has to start it for everyone else to follow.”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha
Source: The Telegraph