Michael Kors casts Ashley Graham as the first plus-size model to walk on his runway
Ashley Graham became the first model beyond a size 12 to walk a Michael Kors runway on Wednesday, marking a monumental shift for a designer who has presented runway shows for more than three decades.
Ahead of his show last fall, Kors cited logistical reasons for not casting women of a greater variety of sizes.
"The only reason we don’t have plus size on the runway, for me to have the range of sizes I would have to have a football stadium filled with clothes before I was able to put on a fashion show," he told USA TODAY, explaining his casting choices. "I’d have to have everything from a size 2 to a size 18," he says. "But in real life, all of these clothes are available in this wider range in sizes. We’re one of the few people who send designer clothes down the runway where we make a size 16."
The theme of Kors' Fall/Winter 2017 was "sensual strength," according to the show's press notes. To the designer, that meant little-to-no makeup, paired with lamé, flashy animal prints, sequins, sexy slits and other trappings of '70s glam.
But Kors' version of sensuality also included more androgynous looks, like the jumpsuit and fur coat combination from the stunning Ysaunny Brito.
Faces of all ages had a place on the runway, which also featured 43-year-old supermodel Amber Valletta.
Walking for Michael Kors is just the latest achievement for Graham this week. On Wednesday, she teased her return to Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue, a day after after gracing the pages of Vogue as the face of Prabal Gurung's new collection for Lane Bryant.
Meanwhile, the show was a redeeming moment for Bella Hadid, who famously fell on last year's Michael Kors runway. Instead of the sky-high platforms that took her down last year, Hadid walked in simpler black heels.
In the front row, Blake Lively was still feeling the Valentine's Day spirit with a springy dress covered in floral appliqués, watching the show with Vogue's Anna Wintour and sister Robyn Lively.
Across the room, Emily Ratajkowski, Jourdan Dunn and Deepika Padukone watched from the sidelines.
