It wasn’t too long ago that stepping out in a crop top, no matter your size, felt like a statement of pride.
Curvy models were all over magazine covers, ads, and runways.
The fashion industry seemed to finally be embracing what women had known forever—bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and every one of them deserves to be celebrated.
But fast forward to 2025, and it feels like all that progress has quietly slipped away.
So what happened? Was body positivity just a trend that faded like last season’s handbag? Or did we never really believe in it to begin with?
The Fashion Industry’s Quiet Retreat
Remember when brands like Reformation and Madewell were proudly expanding their size ranges? Or when catwalks finally showcased models with thighs, hips, and visible curves? That wave seems to have crashed hard.
A recent Vogue Business report paints a stark picture: just 0.3% of looks across major fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan, and Paris were worn by plus-size models (UK size 18+).
Milan didn’t feature a single plus-size model, and London’s numbers have halved. Almost 98% of the models were a tiny UK size 4–8.
Behind the scenes, it’s just as grim. Fashion casting agents reported seeing frighteningly thin models—some so underweight they were visibly shaking and had blue lips.
Meanwhile, plus-size fashion lines are vanishing from stores, with brands like River Island pulling their ranges from the high street altogether.
Mockery in the Age of AI Filters
If that wasn’t troubling enough, TikTok’s infamous “Chubby Filter” earlier this year made things worse.
The filter, which digitally “fattened” selfies, quickly went viral—but not in a kind or empowering way.
Users laughed at their altered images, expressing disgust and turning the trend into a mockery of larger bodies.
It felt like a slap in the face to everything body positivity tried to build.
TikTok eventually pulled the filter, but the damage was done.
It revealed just how far we’ve regressed when it comes to accepting—let alone celebrating—bigger bodies.
The Rise of the Skinny Aesthetic—Again
Weight-loss injections like Ozempic and Mounjaro are everywhere now.
And while they’ve certainly sparked conversations around health and body autonomy, they’ve also helped reignite a cultural obsession with thinness that hasn’t felt this intense since the 1990s era of “heroin chic.”
Is it any wonder body positivity feels like it’s on life support?
A Personal Battle With Body Image
For those of us who lived through the ‘90s, none of this feels new. I was a teen flipping through fashion mags filled with ultra-thin women like Kate Moss and Jodie Kidd.
I idolized them. And like many girls my age, that worship led to years of eating disorders and body shame.
When I eventually became the editor of Cosmopolitan, I was determined to help shift the narrative.
Cosmo had a legacy of featuring women outside the traditional fashion mold—like Kelly Osbourne and Khloé Kardashian—on the cover.
It felt like a space where we could challenge the status quo, even if the industry wasn’t quite ready to follow suit.
Finding a Breakthrough With Tess Holliday
That mindset led me to Tess Holliday. Her memoir moved me deeply—her journey from an unknown teen in the American South to becoming a globally recognized model despite being 5ft 2 and a UK size 24 was nothing short of extraordinary.
I invited Tess to be our cover star in 2018. It wasn’t easy—none of the big fashion houses made clothes in her size.
We had to cobble together a rail of outfits, but in the end, she shone in a bold green bodysuit that celebrated every inch of her body unapologetically.
This wasn’t about glamorizing obesity. It was about representation.
About telling women: “Hey, you deserve to be seen too.”
Backlash and Breakthroughs
When that cover hit newsstands, all hell broke loose. I was dragged on morning TV, grilled by Piers Morgan, and even received death threats.
People—many of them women—were outraged by a body that didn’t conform.
But for every critic, a hundred women reached out to say thank you.
They weren’t saying they wanted to look like Tess.
They just wanted to be acknowledged. They wanted to feel like they weren’t invisible.
And for a while, it seemed like the tide was truly turning.
A Moment of Progress in Fashion and Pop Culture
The years that followed brought real momentum. Brands like American Eagle, Adidas, and Old Navy expanded their sizing.
Pretty Little Thing featured a size-20 model in a bikini.
Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser lit up the catwalk. Even Victoria’s Secret, once the gatekeeper of the skinny ideal, finally featured a plus-size model.
Hollywood followed suit—stars like Lizzo, Mindy Kaling, and Amy Schumer brought diverse body types to the spotlight.
It was a beautiful, brief moment where it looked like the world was finally seeing women for who they really were.
But Then, the Shift Began
Somewhere along the way, things began to slide. Plus-size models became mid-size.
Sample sizes got smaller again. And brands that had championed inclusivity started quietly dialing it back.
Old Navy blamed poor sales and cut its plus-size inventory. Reformation’s extended sizing range dropped nearly 50% year-on-year.
According to Impact Analytics, L to XXL sales have dropped by 11% across retail.
It’s a slow fade, but unmistakable.
Tess Holliday Speaks Out
Curious and disheartened, I reached out to Tess Holliday again.
From her home in LA, she told me the changes have been drastic.
“Bookings for plus-size talent are significantly slower than they were just a few years ago,” she said.
“It feels like we’re being erased all over again.”
Some brands that once proudly featured her now won’t even return calls.
The Weight-Loss Injection Era and the Disappearing Diversity
Meanwhile, celebrity transformations are reinforcing the new thin ideal.
Mindy Kaling and Kelly Clarkson are nearly unrecognizable.
Amy Schumer now openly credits Mounjaro for her weight loss.
Even among everyday people, it’s clear: plates are half-empty, gym talk is constant, and weight-loss injections are part of the new normal.
So we have to ask ourselves—was body positivity ever truly embraced, or did we just pretend for a while? Was it a cultural awakening… or just a marketing gimmick?
Where Do We Go From Here?
As political tides shift and DEI initiatives are under attack, especially in the U.S., many brands may use this as a convenient excuse to ditch size inclusivity altogether.
Rising manufacturing costs and trade issues only add to their rationale.
But perhaps the most sobering truth is this: the power may lie with us.
If we truly believed every body was beautiful, would we be turning so eagerly to quick fixes and injections? Or have we, deep down, never let go of the thin ideal?
I hope that’s not the case. I hope there’s still time to redefine beauty once again—not just on magazine covers, but in our own reflections too.