Plus-size model

A plus-size model is an individual size 12 and above who is engaged primarily in modeling plus-size clothing. Plus-size clothing worn by plus-size models is typically catering for and marketed to either Big & Tall or Tall or Overweight men and women. Plus-size models also engage in work that is not strictly related to selling clothing, e.g., stock photography and advertising photography for cosmetics, household and pharmaceutical products and sunglasses, footwear and watches. Therefore, plus-size models do not exclusively wear garments marketed as plus-size clothing. This is especially true when participating in fashion editorials for mainstream fashion magazines.

Synonymous and interchangeable with plus-size model is "full-figured model", "extended-sizes model", "over-weight model", and "outsize model". Previously, the term "large size model" was also frequently used.

Plus-size industry

Fashion designers are starting to look more closely at the earning potential from plus-size clothing, and have used plus-size models for their advertising campaigns and catwalks. Jean-Paul Gaultier and John Galliano both used plus-size models in their Spring 2006 showings in Paris. Gaultier also used plus-size models Marquita Pring and Crystal Renn in his Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear show. Italian plus-size fashion house Elena Mirò now regularly stages biannual prêt-à-porter shows during Milan Fashion Week. Mark Fast and William Tempest each used plus-size models during their own London Fashion Week showings for Spring 2009, and again as part of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk event held on 19 September 2009 in association with the British Fashion Council. Mark Fast also used plus-size models in Fall 2010, Fall 2011, and Spring 2012. Mr. Debonair of Beautiful You Fashion Tour uses plus-size models in shows around the world, including during the Beautiful You fashion show during New York Fashion Week 2022 which included Ms. Plus Intercontinental 2021 title holder Wendy Roach.

Origins in North America

Lane Bryant began trading in the early 1900s as a producer of clothing for "Expectant Mothers and Newborn"'. By the early 1920s, Lane Bryant started selling clothing under the category 'For the Stout Women', which ranged between a 38–56 inch bustline. The earliest catalogs used illustrations to sell their products, but by the mid-1950s photographs were integrated into the catalogs as the evolution of printing technology made this option available. After a hiatus through the 1960–1980 period, Lane Bryant again began using plus-size models.

Specialty model agency divisions

Plus size models were first represented by model agencies in the 1970s. Prior to this, models freelanced directly with retailers, designers and magazines. Former plus-size model Mary Duffy owned Big Beauties Little Women, the first agency specializing in plus-size and petite models in 1977. Pat Swift, a plus-size model at the time, founded Plus Models in 1978. Ford Models began representing plus size models in 1978, and added two models to their board, including top model Ann Harper, due to demand from clients. By the late 1980s, Plus Models was the largest and most successful plus-size specialty agency, representing over 65 models and grossing over 2 million dollars in revenue. By 1984, Big Beauties Little Women was successful enough to run national model searches advertised in the press. The prize included the cover of It's Me magazine, a nationally published magazine for plus-size women. Not long after, Plus Models began holding national model searches. By the mid-1980s, top plus size models could earn as much as 150,000 to 200,000 dollars a year. Ford Models bought Big Beauties Little Women in 1988, later renaming the division Special Sizes and then Ford 12+.

Wilhelmina NYC agent Susan Georget started the ''Wilhelmina 10/20'' division in New York in 1994, recently re-branded W Curve. Gary Dakin headed New York's Karin Models' ''Curves'' division, only to leave after a short time to develop Ford Models' ''Ford 12+''(rebranded Ford+) model division in their New York office in 1998. In Constantine Valhouli's 2001 plus-size model documentary ''Curve'', Dakin states, "We're celebrating our 25th anniversary of the Ford 12+ division. It was the first and longest-existing plus division in the industry."(sic) Together, these agents created agency divisions that have continued to recruit the highest caliber of models in the industry and are credited with expanding opportunities for plus-size models beyond working solely for plus-size clothing retailers.

Former plus-size model Becca Thorpe founded the plus-size division at Muse Model Management, a boutique fashion agency in 2011. Muse also recruits high caliber models and had advanced opportunities for plus-size models beyond advertising for plus-size retailers.

Ford Models closed its plus-size division in June 2013 to focus on its editorial divisions. Gary Dakin and Jaclyn Sarka founded Jag Models in July 2013, which currently represents about 30 models sizes 8-18. The agency does not brand its models as plus-size.

There are a large number of reputable agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada, and internationally in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey and the UK.

Specialty media and other ventures in North America

In 1979 ''Big Beautiful Woman'' magazine (more commonly known via the acronym ''BBW'') began publication and was one of the first publications in the US catering specifically to plus-size clothing consumers. It ceased publication in 1995, but the "BBW" brand was sold onwards. Although it continued in print via several editor-and-publisher combinations it continued to falter, finally ceasing print publication after 23 years with the April/May 2003 issue. BBW is now an online community surrounding archived material from the magazine.

In Spring 1981, Lane Bryant began publishing ''It's Me'' magazine. Along with ''Big Beautiful Woman'', ''It's Me'' was one of the few print magazines for plus-size women. In 1982, the magazine was sold to Happy Hands Publishing Company.

In addition to magazines, books dedicated to plus size (aka "full figured") fashion and lifestyles began to released from major publishers in the 1980s. Some of these include: ''Making It Big'' (1980), ''The Big Beauty Book'' (1982), ''The Lane Bryant Fashion Math Make-Over'' (1987) and ''Sizing Up'' (1989).

Spiegel catalog launched their For You from Spiegel plus-size collection in 1989 with Linda Arroz as their official consultant and spokesmodel. The three-year For You campaign included opening brick-and-mortar retail locations in upscale shopping centers. Previously, Spiegel had only been a mail-order merchant. As part of the full-scale plus-size outreach, Spiegel produced fashion videos that featured advice from image consultant Arroz, with commentary from some of the plus-size models who appeared in the video and catalog. Arroz became the fashion editor of ''BBW'' magazine after her stint with Spiegel. By the mid-1990s, all For You from Spiegel retail locations had closed.

In 1995, Lane Bryant began a transformation of the brand which included large-scale fashion showings and celebrity endorsement. Queen Latifah, Mia Tyler, Camryn Manheim, Anna Nicole Smith and Chris Noth have appeared in advertising and/or events on behalf of the brand. Lane Bryant held a large-scale lingerie fashion show to launch the "Cacique Intimates" lingerie collection on 1 February 2000. The 2003 final large-scale catwalk show featured Roseanne Barr as Matron of Ceremonies in a cabaret setting complete with Moulin Rouge-style singers and dancers. Lane Bryant was acquired by Charming Shoppes for $335 million in August 2001. In 2003 a cost-reduction plan was announced to improve the company's pre-tax position by $45 million. Shortly afterwards, the annual Lane Bryant fashion show ceased production.

With strong cooperation from Wilhelmina 10/20, Curves and Ford 12+ agencies, '' MODE'' magazine, was launched in the spring of 1997. No other fashion magazine specifically targeted the plus-size consumer with a '' Vogue''-like fashion philosophy. MO''D''E's editorial practice of providing models' names, sometimes attached to quotes on self-esteem to make them more approachable, greatly aided the popularity of the models and gave them a form of celebrity. The magazine also received industry acclaim, being named the best new magazine launch by Ad Week and Advertising Age in 1997. MO''D''E ran model search competitions in conjunction with the Wilhelmina modeling agency, drawing entries from thousands of hopefuls from the US and Canada. Occurring shortly before the time of ''MODE''s closure was the failure of several designers' ventures into the plus-size market. Versace (''GV Versatile Couture''), Valentino (''Carisma''), and others ceased producing the clothing which MO''D''E relied upon, leaving an unfortunate deficit in the fashion department wardrobes and advertising revenue coffers of MO''D''E magazine and its successors. Its circulation was approximately 600,000 at the time of its demise in late 2001.

''Grace Magazine'' was launched on 14 May 2002 by MO''D''E magazine's last executive editor, Ceslie Armstrong, and many of the ex-MO''D''E staff as an independent quarterly publication and website under a similar concept. Even though the initial 400,000 print run sold out quickly and advertising revenue appeared high, the independent status and limited funding prohibited the ability to grow to fill the newsstand and subscription orders. Critics, however, believed that ''Grace'' featured far less stylish fashion content than its predecessor and unwisely pursued an editorial emphasis on weight-related health issues. ''Grace Magazine'' ceased operation due to lack of funding in November 2003, after publishing 10 issues.

Charming Shoppes' custom advertorial magazine, ''Figure'', was launched in 2002 and was revamped during 2006. Although it featured only Charming Shoppes' own products and related lifestyle articles, it remained the only fashion and lifestyle print magazine specifically targeted for plus-size consumers until its announced closure after the publication of the March/April 2009 issue.

U.S. television program ''America's Next Top Model'' has featured contestants acknowledging the plus-size industry's relevance to fashion since the show's launch in 2003. After elimination from the competition several of the contestants have signed contracts with the Wilhelmina agency, although only Kortnie Coles, Diane Hernandez, Toccara Jones, Whitney Thompson, Yvonne Powless, Khrystyana Kazakova, Liz Woodbury, and Alexandra Underwood have successfully translated their TV celebrity into ongoing modeling careers.

Several homegrown calendar projects featuring models over a U.S. size 12 were launched in 2007, including the well-publicized ''Luscious'' and ''Fenomenal Calendar'' products from North America. To date, no calendar has been successful enough to continue beyond its initial launch year.

Plus Model Magazine, an online publication was launched in 2006 by Madeline Figueroa-Jones, a former plus-size model. The magazine features beauty and fashion editorials, beauty and fashion tips, modeling advice and interviews with plus-size celebrities as well as people working in all facets of the plus-size clothing industry. Plus Model Magazine launched an online podcast in 2008 hosted by model, actress and host Chenese Lewis, which has interviews with plus-size celebrities and people working in all facets of the plus-size clothing industry. The magazine gained attention in many media outlets worldwide by publishing an editorial commenting on body image and the fashion industry. The editorial featured plus-size model Katya Zharkova photographed nude alongside a straight-size model.

Canadian magazine '' LOU LOU'' has included specifically produced bi-annual plus-size fashion inserts featuring editorials and product pages since 2008. Echoing the advertorial relationship of ''Figure'' to Lane Bryant, ''LouLou''s supplement features products from Reitmans

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