Sports Illustrated’s First Plus-size Swim Suit Model
On Feb. 9 a new side of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue was released to the public. In this season’s swim suit issue, for the first time we will witness a plus-size model being featured. The size 12, 25 year old Australian plus-size model, Robyn Lawley, will be modeling one of her bikinis from her own line of swim suits.
You’ve probably seen it online through Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sources that an Ashley Graham is the plus-size model to be featured in Sports Illustrated. However, this is false because she is modeling at size 14-16 in a paid advertisement.
Lawley told Time, “I don’t know if I consider myself as a plus-size model or not. I just consider myself a model because I’m trying to help women in general accept their bodies.”
Lawley is actually 6’2” and a size 12…for now. Lawley is currently pregnant and expecting very soon. She has been the “plus-size face” of several companies including Australian Vogue. After that, she was the face for plus-size for a thriving clothing company, Ralph Lauren.
Stores that sell plus-size clothing for voluptuous women have their “plus-size” sizes starting at size 14, so technically Lawley is not considered plus-size in many brands of clothing. Actually, the average American woman is about the size 14, Lawley is actually smaller than such. .
When speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Lawley said, “I just see no reason in any labels really, I just want women [to be] happy with their bodies.”
The issue will showcase much smaller models than Lawley, but featuring a “plus-size” model is definitely a step in the right direction for body images of women of all ages.
