The Evolution Of Curves

by | Nov 18, 2019

The Beginning

The Curve movement isn’t a new concept; It started back in the 70’s, when Curve models were first starting to be represented by legitimate agencies and culminated in the late 80’s/early 90’s when the first recognized Curve boards were created by Ford and Wilhelmina. The creation of these boards legitimized plus size models as a commodity in the fashion world. 

But up until about 10 years ago we were on the local train; going from stop to stop, intermittently given opportunities for visibility and success. Then something changed, and we finally got on the express track and this whole concept has been gaining momentum ever since!

Susan Georget (who started Wilhelmina’s first Plus Size board) signed Emme in the early 90’s. Emme was the first plus size model who had high visibility. She put the Curve movement on the map when she graced the pages of People Magazine in 1994, twice in 1999, and was seen on billboards across the nation (among many other groundbreaking accomplishments). But what amazes me is how FAR Body Positivity has come, especially in the last 10 years. 

Emme broke the mold, as well as Kate Dillon who appeared in the 1996 Liz Claiborne campaign, American Vogue in 2002, as well as numerous other accomplishments. Crystal Renn then came onto the scene and carried the torch for years, being the first Curve model to appear in a high fashion campaign for Dolce&Gabana in 2006 as well as strutting her curves down the catwalk during Fashion Week for Jean Paul Gaultier, and landing magazine covers. 

These women lit up a path for other curve models to walk in and played a major role in paving the way for the future of Curves. 

Through the Years

There were also numerous pioneers in the corporate world who noticed the Curve movement was gaining popularity and wanted to capitalize and catapult it to a new level.

Companies such as Covergirl collaborated with Queen Latifah to create the Covergirl “Queen” campaign casting models of all sizes and ethnicities (I.E. Jordan Tesfay appearing as the face of the Covergirl campaign). 

Mode Magazine was launched in the Spring of 1997 as the first magazine that was strictly for women of Curves and graced newsstands for 4 1/2 years when the magazine unfortunately folded in October 2001. 

Lane Bryant brought Curves to the Catwalk starting it’s own fashion show in the late 1990’s but that unfortunately folded in 2003.

We live in a world where trends come and go, and the Curve movement was a trend that was supposed to hit it big in the late 90’s early 00’s but it didn’t. Companies, agencies, and models were doing their best, but the momentum and culture at the time just wasn’t there. People were still far too small minded to embrace the totality of this movement so at the time it did not gain the widespread recognition that it deserved. 

When I first thought of getting into plus size modeling I remember Emme, Kate Dillon and Crystal Renn being the only women that I can remember who somewhat resembled me; they had hips and curves! They gave me the confidence to pursue a career in the field as well. 

Fast forward 6 years, to 2009 when a picture from a forgotten photoshoot appeared in the September issue of Glamour magazine tucked into the back on pg.194. This picture featured Lizzie Miller and it started a media firestorm, going viral with 9 Billion worldwide impressions. 

Women were tired of seeing airbrushed, photo-shopped, stick thin women as their representatives in the media; they were starving to see someone who was beautiful, just like them. Letters flooded Glamour Magazine “I am gasping with delight, a woman who looks just like me! I love the woman on page 194!” The outpouring was incredible! This picture featuring Lizzie Miller went viral! Glamour Magazine had to respond, and created a plus- sized issue in November 2009 again featuring Lizzie Miller and several other prominent plus sized models: Ashley Graham, Crystal Renn, Kate Dillon, Jennie Runk, Anansa Sims, and Amy Lemons. 

This Editorial in the November issue of Glamour magazine was iconic as well, as it was the one of the first times a group of plus size models were featured in an editorial in a mainstream magazine. This editorial also went viral and was first revealed on the Ellen show. Glamour magazine, along with 4 of the Curve models from the shoot: Lizzie Miller, Crystal Renn, Kate Dillon, and Amy Lemons; secured a spot on the Ellen show to discuss body image and it’s effects in the media. This was a special moment for the Curve movement as it had never gotten the widespread recognition it deserved, as these editorials went viral we finally started a conversation about body image and the media. 

It’s been 10 years since these iconic pictures went viral, broke the mold of the modern magazine world, and sparked a conversation about body image, mental health, happiness, and advertising that is still blazing today! 

A lot has gone into creating this movement, it has been a group effort from every person that has contributed in the Curve industry; but it wasn’t until 2009 that we finally started gaining momentum and visibility that was here to stay. 

Happy 10 year anniversary Glamour! A decade ago these groundbreaking editorials were produced and flipped the fashion world on it’s head! 

Here is the timeline that contains highlights from the “The Evolution of Curves” over the past 10 years: 

**DISCLAIMER: Please note that not everything is listed for space/publishing purposes. **

As information was gathered it was amazing to see that curves have been featured so regularly now that it was nearly impossible to get every event down, but I did my best and selected 3 highlights from each year.  If you would like the full detailed list I compiled, please message me on any of my social platforms.

From Then To Now

  • *Sept. 2009 Glamour magazine editorial on body image and mental health with Lizzie Miller goes viral, inspiring an even bigger editorial the following month. That also goes Viral. A “Cover try” was shot w/Lizzie Miller & Crystal Renn but the celebrity who had secured the cover spot months ago wouldn’t budge. The Cover try is used as an editorial instead of making the cover. This would have been the first plus girl on a cover if it had made it through. 
  • *November 2009 Glamour Magazine produces an editorial featuring all curve models: Lizzie Miller, Ashley Graham, Crystal Renn, Kate Dillon, Jennie Runk, Anansa Sims and Amy Lemons. 
  • * Fall 2009 Mark Fast Fashion Show: Uses Curve models Camilla Hansen and Crystal Renn for the first time. #CurvesontheCatwalk for one of the first times in years starting a trend that crosses all catwalks throughout the years. 
  • *January 2010 L’Uomo Vogue Lizzie Miller editorial marking one of the first times the magazine used curves inside of it’s pages. 
  • *January 2010 “The Size Issue”  V Magazine sees the trend of curvy models has started and does an editorial spread with Marquita Pring, Candice Huffine, Kasia P. ,Tara Lynn, Michelle Olson 
  • *April 2010: Elle France Puts Tara Lynn on the cover of it’s magazine
  • *June 2010 Glamour Mag Cover: Alexandria Ambrosio, and Brooklyn Decker and Curve model Crystal Renn grace the cover of Glamour magazine. 
  • *February 2011: Lane Bryant stages it’s first fashion show in over a decade; models like Lizzie Miller and Ashley Graham headline in it’s Las Vegas debut.
  • *S/S 2011 Levi’s ‘Curve I.D.” Campaign featuring models: Ashley Graham, Sabina Karlsson, Marquita Pring, Mckenzie Raley, Ana Lisboa 
  • *June 2011 Vogue Italia puts 3 plus models on its cover: Robyn Lawley, Tara Lynn, Candice Huffine and shoots an editorial with these ladies. It also features Marquita Pring. Shot By Steven Meisel 
  • *December 2012 Lane Bryant Jeans Campaign billboard in NYC: Lizzie Miller, Ashley Graham, Candice Huffine, Marquita Pring, Tonya Pittman
  • *April 2012: Cosmopolitan France Casts curvy model Laura Catterall as it’s Cover model
  • *2012: Ralph Lauren casts Robyn Lawley as the first Curve model to be in their campaigns 
  • *Spring 2013 Aerie launches it’s “Aerie Real” Campaign using models of a variety of sizes and ethnicities including Curve model Iskra Lawrence. They also didn’t airbrush these ads as well in hopes to promote a healthy body image. 
  • *Summer 2013 H&M used Jennie Runk in their ads 
  • *2013 Robyn Lawley and Ashley Graham both launch fashion lines with high visibility brands. Robyn launches her swimwear line with Bond-Eye swimwear. Ashley launches a lingerie line in collaboration with Addition Elle. 
  • *March 2014: Cosmo Australia Robyn Lawley is on the Cover 
  • *June 2014: Elle Quebec Ashley Graham is on the Cover 
  • *Fall 2014: Fashion Brands like Chromat, and Zana Bayne incorporate Curve girls into their fashion shows during fashion week marking the first time a brand had done that in many years. 
  • *Spring 2015: Lane Bryant’s “I’m No Angel” campaign covers billboards and busses across the country. Featuring models: Ashley Graham, Precious Lee, Marquita Pring, Justine LeGault, Candice Huffine, Elly Mayday 
  • *2015 Pirrelli Calendar features Curve model Candice Huffine
  • *Spring 2015 Sports Illustrated: Robyn Lawley is the first curve model to be featured in Sports Illustrated
  • *Spring 2016 Sports Illustrated Selects Ashley Graham as it’s covergirl marking the first time a curve girl has been on the cover of the magazine. 
  • *Summer 2016: Nike uses curves models in their more inclusive campaign featuring Paloma Elsessler. 
  • *2016 Wet n’ Wild Beauty Campaign Casts Curve model Alexandra Garcia. 
  • *2016-now Beauty Campaigns such as Glossier, L’Oreal TrueMatch, Fenty Beauty, Sephora, Bare Essentials, Fenty Beauty and Wet n’ Wild among others start using curve girls as the faces of their campaigns. 
  • *2016-Now : Fashion designers such as Christian Siriano, Prabal Gurung, Sophie Theallet, and Chromat among others continue to use Curve models on their catwalks.
  • *January 2017 SELF Magazine features Curve Model Iskra Lawrence on the Cover. 
  • *March 2017: American Vogue puts curve model Ashley Graham on the cover alongside Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Adwoa Aboah, Liu Wen, Victoria Ceretti and Imaan Hammam 
  • *December 2017 Harper’s Bazaar Netherlands puts curves on the cover with model Danielle Von Grondelle 
  • *2017-2019 Sports Illustrated : Curves continue to grace the pages of Sports Illustrated: Ashley Graham, Tara Lynn, Hunter McGrady, Tabria Majors, Myla Delbasio name a few.. 
  • *September 2018 Savage X Fenty Displays women of ALL shapes, sizes and colors making it one of the most diverse fashion shows at Fashion week to date.
  • *July/August 2018 Vogue Arabia Cover with Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsessler 
  • *August 2018: Olay launches it’s “Face Anything” Campaign and features a diverse cast of models including Curve model Denise Bidot. 
  • *Winter 2018 V Magazine editorial with Paloma Elsessler and Ashley Graham 
  • *Spring 2019 Tommy Hilfiger x Zendaya Fashion Show features 10 Curve models including Marquita Pring, Anita Marshall, and Precious Lee to name a few.. 
  • *June 2019 Nike Plus size Mannequins are made to cater to all sizes
  • *2019 Pantene Pro-V casts Hadassah McGrew in the new campaign 

This momentum of Body Positivity has been steadily moving forward and gaining strength over the last 10 years. We’re finally at a point where curve girls are now being cast everywhere and it’s no longer making national news when it occurs, this is TRUE progress! 

Well done ladies, we’ve come so far, and still have a ways to go, but I feel confident in saying that this is no longer just a “trend”. My sisters of the Curve are here to stay, and SLAY!