Noor Tagouri walks Rebecca Minkoff Fall 2019 RTW. Photo: Getty
Designers and casting agents are continuing to make improved strides to be more inclusive during fashion month, and though its just began, this season is proving to be even more diverse. According to TheFashionSpot’s diversity report, Fall 2018 New York Fashion Week was the most racially inclusive it’s ever been. There were models of broader range of body types on the runway of Chromat and Prabal Gurung, meanwhile, Creatures of Comfort and The Blonds featured models over 50-years-old, including style icon Daphne Guinness. For Fall 2019, NYFW is showing no signs of slowing down, upping the ante when it comes to being more inclusive.
The Fall 2019 runways have featured a dynamic cast of models (or non-models) on the runway of diverse sizes, backgrounds, and ethnicities. Notably, at the Rebecca Minkoff Fall 2019 ready-to-wear show this week, Libyan-American journalist and activist Noor Tagouri marched down the runway wearing a belted, graphic jumpsuit paired with a matching headscarf. And she wasn’t the only hijab-wearing model to walk for a major fashion brand this season. Former Vogue Arabia cover star Halima Aden also appeared on the catwalk for Sherri Hill. Considering the fact that up until the Somali beauty made her modeling debut just two years ago, there wasn’t a single veiled model on the international fashion week schedule, one can definitely say that the industry is finally showing signs of changing for the better.
Brandon Maxwell Fall 2019 RTW. Photo: Indigital
Models of Arabian descent are making an impact on the runways, too. At the age of 19, Nora Attal has already graced the runways of prestigious brands some models can only dream of, including Fendi, Chanel, Dior, and more. This NYFW alone, the Moroccan-British star has walked for Brandon Maxwell, Carolina Herrera, Prabal Gurung, R13 by Karl Templer, and Longchamp. Meanwhile, part-Palestinian sister duo Gigi and Bella Hadid have graced the runways of Tom Ford, Prabal Gurung, and Tomo Koizumi.
Christian Siriano Fall 2019 RTW. Photo: Indigital
When it comes to championing body positivity, few are as inclusive as 11 Honoré— the e-commerce platform that caters to a diverse range of clients by offering them size-inclusive clothing options from high-end labels that are rarely available to women who don’t fit the industry’s “slim standard”. This season, the E-commerce platform made its New York Fashion Week debut, while giving the industry a lesson on what real inclusivity actually looks like. Also championing body positivity on the runways are designers Prabal Gurung and Christian Siriano, who both tapped curvy bombshell model Ashley Graham to walk their runways. Meanwhile, Chromat’s Fall 2019 runway show featured a lineup of models of diverse races and all shapes and sizes.
Now Read: Curves Applauded at New York Fashion Week Thanks to 11 Honoré’s Inclusive Runway
