Why Size Inclusivity Still Has Miles to Go


The numbers are in and they’re sobering. The Spring/Summer 2026 fashion season dazzled with cinematic shows and couture creativity, but one thing was missing in the spotlight: inclusivity.


According to the Vogue Business Size Inclusivity Report, only 2.9% of all runway looks this season were worn by models above a US size 4. That means 97.1% of the fashion world’s most influential stages still represent just a fraction of the people who love fashion. Despite consumer demand and years of conversation, the industry’s progress remains painfully slow and that says a lot about what needs to change next.

By the Numbers: The Reality Check

Across New York, London, Milan, and Paris, inclusivity barely moved the needle. 


  • Straight-size (US 0–4): 97.1%
  • Mid-size (US 6–12): 2%
  • Plus-size (US 14+): 0.9%

That’s an increase of less than 1% from last season,  a statistical shrug from an industry that once promised transformation. In New York, mid-size visibility fell by nearly half, while Milan saw its lowest diversity on record, with only four brands including non-straight-size models.


Meanwhile, Paris showed subtle progress designers like Cecilie Bahnsen, Givenchy, and Xuly.Bët offered a glimmer of what fashion could look like if beauty truly had no bounds.

Voices from the Front Row


Fashion insiders are speaking out. Creative director Corbin, found hope in shows that made inclusivity feel normal, not novel: “When straight-size, mid-size, and plus-size creatives all sit in the same room, you realize, this isn’t a niche issue. It’s a movement that’s long overdue.”


He added that some designers have already reached out, inspired to rethink their collections through a truly inclusive lens: “When inclusivity becomes part of your brand DNA, not a PR statement, it’s both beautiful and commercially powerful.”



What’s Holding the Industry Back?


Fashion’s resistance to size inclusivity isn’t about lack of awareness, it’s about outdated systems and aesthetics that still equate “luxury” with “small.” Cultural conservatism is tightening beauty ideals globally, echoing old hierarchies. Sample size constraints persist, with many designers producing samples only in sizes 0–4, making it nearly impossible to cast broader bodies. 


Size diversity appears only in campaigns, not collections. The issue isn’t just visibility, it’s infrastructure. True change requires rethinking production, design, and marketing from the inside out.

The Future: Designing for Every Body


The slow progress doesn’t signal defeat, it signals opportunity. Today’s consumers are voting with their wallets and their values. They want authenticity, representation, and inclusivity that feels lived-in, not performative. It’s time for the industry to trade exclusivity for empathy. To stop celebrating diversity and start building it into the pattern.



Until the runway celebrates all shapes, sizes, and identities, inclusivity will remain fashion’s most unfinished revolution.Because true beauty doesn’t come in size, it comes in representation.