Ashley Graham: There's Still a Lack of Inclusion in Fashion
Since landing the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue in February, Ashley Graham has been working so much it sometimes seems like she's the only model getting booked right now. While backstage at the Christian Siriano x Lane Bryant runway show today, I asked her why she's been grinding so hard.
"Oh my god, this is such an important time in history," she said. "We are looking at beauty beyond size - wink, wink, my hashtag. We're also looking at beauty beyond race and age, and I think it's very important that we continue to keep this momentum going. That's why I can't stop and I won't stop, and I'm just gonna keep on moving."
Ashley reminded me that it had only been a few months since she made history with her SI cover, a short amount of time relative to the 16 years she's been modeling. There's still so much to be done, she said. She has been talking to various producers about making The Ashley Graham Show a reality, and she still needs to walk a high fashion runway like Dolce & Gabbana or Givenchy. "I know I've gotten closer," she said.
Even with all the new opportunities that have come from Ashley's skyrocketing fame, she's not hearing yes from everyone. "There's still a lack of inclusion," she said. "But I think it's changing - it's just a very slow change."
Change might be slow, but Ashley has no time to wait around. Right now, her priorities are "work, husband, sleep, eat," she said. "And then I work out too."
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