Fuller-figured women belong at the heart of fashion, says Ashley Graham
Runway star Ashley Graham wants women to feel "sexy and confident" in their own skin.
Ashley Graham hopes to bring "long-overdue representation to the full-figured community".
The 37-year-old model has agreed a multi-year partnership with JCPenney, the American department store chain, and Ashley is now on a mission to help women of all shapes and sizes to feel "sexy and confident" in their own skin.
The brunette beauty - who appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue back in 2016 - told People: "My goal has always been the same, from the start of my career to now - not making bodies a topic of conversation. Talking about bodies and our sizes and what makes someone have a beautiful body is so tired at this point.
"What I truly want for the women we designed this JCPenney collection for is to feel beautiful, sexy - all the things!"
Ashley feels "proud" of her new collection, observing that fuller-figured women "belong at the heart of fashion".
She said: "The majority of American women wear size 14 or above. Why are we not making clothes for a majority of women? There’s such a deficit.
"It’s time to leave behind those outdated ideas that fuller figured women don’t belong at the heart of fashion. Together, we’re uplifting voices and bringing long-overdue representation to the full-figured community."
Meanwhile, Ashley previously revealed that another model questioned her Sports Illustrated photoshoot in 2016.
Ashley was the first plus-size star to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue - but according to Ashley, one unnamed model actually questioned the decision.
Speaking to Naomi Campbell as part of her 'No Filter With Naomi' YouTube series, Ashley shared: "The second year that I tried out, I got it and I was a rookie. It was a fantastic photoshoot, great images and boom! I got the cover."
Then, Ashley revealed how her photoshoot was received by some of the other models.
The runway star - who has been married to producer Justin Ervin since 2010 - said: "There was another model who was so upset that I had gotten the cover and she said I was very large and that women my size should not be on the cover."
