The value of the plus-size market in the UK is estimated to be over £4 billion, yet fewer than 1% of outfits in the most recent catwalks were worn by plus-size models (UK size 16 and above).
But for those considering becoming a plus-size model in the UK or Australia, there’s good news: The industry’s narrow standards of beauty are widening, so much so that there are now many famous plus-size models in the limelight to inspire you.
Whether they used social media as a platform, plucked up the courage to go to an open casting, or simply had bucketfuls of grit, these curvy models have not only found success in fashion, but have also become powerful voices for body positivity, inclusivity, and self-acceptance.
Here are six famous plus-size models who have transformed the industry – and the ways in which they’ve done it.
1. Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham is arguably one of the most influential curve models of all time, but her path to fame wasn’t easy.
She started early – going for her first casting at age 14 – but it took until she was 18 to get signed to the prestigious New York agency Ford Models. When she was 21, she landed a TV commercial for underwear brand Lane Bryant. At the last minute it was banned for being too racy. In an unexpected turn of events, the advert became a huge hit online.
That ad made Graham’s career. She became the first plus-size model to be a cover girl on the legendary Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2016. She’s since been on the cover of major magazines including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as a returning face to top brands including Dolce & Gabbana, H&M, and Revlon.
Her influence goes beyond glossy covers and campaigns; she’s also an advocate for body diversity and mental health. After making the cover of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 issue in 2016, she hosted an influential TEDx Talk and spoke at the UN’s Empowering Women Summit 2018.
2. Jill Kortleve
Jill Kortleve hadn’t intended to become a model, but a friend in her hometown of Amsterdam started an agency and convinced her to be the first model on its books, despite her being bigger than a typical model.
Not long after, she signed with Milk Management in New York and made her runway debut at the Alexander McQueen autumn/winter 2019 show. The following year she was the first curve model to walk for Chanel in over a decade. The rest is history.
She’s had success in all areas, from the catwalk to glossy covers and campaigns. She’s graced the pages of top magazines including Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Pop, and she’s been the face of luxury brands such as Calvin Klein, Alexander McQueen, and Louis Vuitton.
Despite her success as one of the most famous plus-size models today, she values spending time with her family and friends and staying grounded. Her trick to body confidence? “Don’t overthink it.”
3. Precious Lee
Precious Lee initially planned to be a lawyer, but while studying at university she went to an open casting sparked by the thought of the difference she could make as a Black plus-size model. “I came into this industry to uplift and inspire,” she told Fashion Magazine in 2020. “Breaking glass ceilings is extremely important to me.” A string of early jobs led the American model to New York and signing with Ford Models.
In 2015 she booked Lane Bryant’s viral #ImNoAngel campaign, which featured only curvy models. She then cemented her reputation with a runway debut at Christian Siriano's autumn/winter 2017 show at New York Fashion Week.
Since then, she has appeared in Vogue, Dazed, and Elle and worked with luxury brands such as Versace, Miu Miu, and Michael Kors, bringing plus-size model representation to the forefront of high fashion.
Since her early career, she has been vocal about wanting to normalise size diversity, writing personal essays about it for Time magazine and Refinery29.
4. Paloma Elsesser
Paloma Elsesser is a British-American model whose charisma, versatility, and distinctive look have made her one of the most sought-after faces in fashion.
Elsesser’s big break was being scouted on Instagram by Pat McGrath for her Golden Makeover line. That exposure led to her runaway success, from a nude campaign for Glossier to the Victoria’s Secret runway and the cover of Vogue.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. “When she started, there was no one else like her – especially among curve models,” IMG’s director, Mina White, told Vogue in 2021. “Everything was an uphill battle. There wasn’t a ‘cool’ girl – Paloma had to come in and create her own category.”
She’s a relatable figure, citing her lifelong battle with her self-described “chubby-girl complex.” Elsesser’s work demonstrates that fashion is for everyone, and she continuously challenges the industry’s outdated norms by advocating body positivity and through hands-on collaborations.
5. Alva Claire
British curve model Alva Claire’s story is one of persistence. Despite being scouted and signed at age 18, she didn’t earn a living from modelling for most of her 20s, working instead in retail or as a styling assistant.
Her breakthrough came at 28. She was working as a backstage assistant at the 2019 Fenty Savage show in New York, and at the last minute was asked to model. “It was very close to the final calls when I found out I was going to be walking in the show,” she told Vogue in 2022.
Since then she’s been the face of MAC and Ivy Park, and was one of the first curve models to walk for Versace. In 2025, she gained official recognition for the impact she’s had when she won model of the year at the Elle Style Awards.
6. Tess Holliday
Literally and metaphorically, Tess Holliday is one of the biggest models on the planet. An unapologetic UK size 26 – in a world where curvy models often don’t even hit size 16 – she is truly breaking down barriers.
At age 15 she was inspired after seeing famous plus-size model Emme, but Holliday struggled to find work or representation. “I got rejected because of my height and my weight,” she told Vogue in 2018. But that “just made me push harder.”
It was ultimately her strength of personality and social media savvy that made her a success. In 2012 she founded the viral movement #effyourbeautystandards, which launched her – and her modelling career – into the spotlight.
She later made history with her groundbreaking Cosmo UK cover, which won cover of the year at the PPA Awards in 2019, and she has graced the pages of Vogue Italia, Nylon, and People, not to mention campaigns with H&M and Benefit Cosmetics.
In 2016 she was named one of the 30 most influential people on the internet by Time magazine. And her influence shows no signs of stopping. In addition to authoring two books, hosting a TEDx Talk, and speaking at the Teen Vogue Summit in 2025, her work advocating for inclusivity has led to real-world change: H&M expanded its plus-size offering thanks to her. Hats off to Holliday!