The 30+ Most Famous Plus Size Models in the World That Inspire Us

Ashley Graham is arguably the face of plus-size modeling. She is viewed as a trailblazer, as she was the very first plus-sized model to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue. Since then, she has gone on to grace the cover of various Vogue, Harper Bazaar, and Elle issues.

Graham is a massive advocate for body positivity, showing young girls around the world that ‘health’ isn’t defined by how skinny you are. In the early stages of her career, many brands turned her down, making her story even more inspiring.

Denis Bidot is a Puerto Rican and Kuwaiti supermodel who has walked the runway for some of the biggest fashion brands in the world, including Forever 21. She was also one of the leading models on the Swimsuits For All campaign, which included a YouTube video that reached almost 2 million views.

Bidot is an advocate for self-love, encouraging plus-sized girls around the world to feel confidence and pride when stepping out into society. She continues to grow and develop as a fashion influencer, building quite a following along the way.

Barbie Linhares Ferreira has made a name for herself in various fields, showcasing her talent. She is a massive defender of the body positivity movement, helping young girls around the world to feel more comfortable in their skin.

In addition, she is an extremely talented plus-sized model and actress, having starred in major shows, including Euphoria. She has also been featured in a few major campaigns and magazine issues, making her a plus-sized model of the moment.

Hayley Hasselhoff is a plus-sized model who has dedicated her life to positively impacting the world. She has a long list of talents, including modeling, acting, and designing. Hayley is also a contributor to the UK branch of Marie Claire magazine.

She also hosts her very own show, The Curve, which focuses mainly on inclusivity within today’s modeling community. She provides a platform for people of all races, genders, and sizes to share their stories within the modeling industry.

Clementine Desseaux is a fashion icon and beauty blogger from France. The 33-year-old has made waves recently, appearing on the cover of various magazines to showcase her unique fashion and incredible modeling ability.

She recently settled in New York City, arguably the capital of fashion, which may be why her career skyrocketed. She has an addicting social media account that she uses to show off her fashion ideals and crazy designs.

Jill Kortleve is a Dutch plus-size supermodel managed by some of the biggest agencies, such as The Movement, Milk, IMG, and Muse. She made her first runway appearance for Alexander McQueen in 2019. Since then, she became Chanel’s first plus-size model to walk the runway since their 2010 cruise show.

She claims that there is a shift taking place in the modeling world and that major fashion brands are finally recognizing how beautiful plus-sized girls really are.

Tess McMillan is a plus-sized model for the well-known agency IMG. Born in Texas, she is known for her bright red hair and milkmaid complexion. She stands out from the crowd for many reasons, but mostly because she is an exceptionally talented model.

She has walked some of the biggest runways in the world, including Gucci’s Love Parade. She has also featured in major campaigns for Balmain and Jean Paul Gautier, as well as MAC, one of the leading makeup brands in the world.

Celina Ralph models for The Society and Elite, two of the industry’s leading agencies. Born in the UK, Ralph stays incredibly busy throughout the year, modeling for major brands such as Emilio Pucci, Alexander McQueen, and Max Mara.

In addition, she has been booked for some of Vogue’s most recent editorials. She is a plus-size favorite for many brands simply because she has a unique style and aesthetic.

Tess Holliday was a social media influencer before she became a model. However, she has reached new heights in the plus-size modeling world since being discovered. She promotes the body positivity movement, encouraging young girls to be themselves instead of following traditional beauty standards.

She has been featured on the covers of several mainstream magazines, including Cosmopolitan UK. Since then, she has even walked a few runways, showing the world that she is more than just an Instagram influencer.

Yumi Nu is another plus-size model featured in The Society and Elite modeling agencies. She made history by becoming the very first Asian-American plus-size model to feature in the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated.

Nominated for the Breakout Star award in 2021, she has since achieved a number of impressive accolades in her career. At just 24 years of age, she was featured on the cover of Vogue alongside some of the biggest names in the industry, including Bella Hadid and Precious Lee.

Devyn Garcia models for the DNA agency. Born in Miami, Florida, Garcia has an exciting future ahead of her. She has suddenly become one of the most popular names in the plus-size modeling community, meaning the sky’s the limit for her career.

In just one year, she walked the iconic Jacquemus’s Versailles runway and booked covers for some of the most famous magazines in the world, such as Harper’s Bazaar and Porter.

Holly Rose Emery is one of many famous names on the Next, Milk, Pave, and Red Eleven rosters. Native to New Zealand, she has a unique look and style about her. She has found success in both print and on the runway.

She has walked for Valentino haute couture and shared a Harper’s Bazaar cover with Gemma Ward. Since then, she has become a well-known face for Calvin Klein and several other world-leading fashion brands.

Alva Claire is a model for IMG and was born in London. In 2020, she was nominated for the Breakout Star award. Since then, she has kept incredibly busy, featuring in multiple British Vogue editions this year alone.

She can also be found in a perfume ad for Marc Jacobs. However, arguably her most impressive accolade is that she, along with Kortleve and Lee, made history by being the first plus-size models to walk a runway for Versace.

Jessica Vander Leahy is a plus-size model born and raised in Australia. She has a stunningly curvy body, which is why it is no surprise that she has brands regularly hiring her for major jobs. She has walked countless runways and has an impressive social media presence.

To top it all off, Leahy is a writer and has her own fashion blog. Talk about a woman of many talents! If you love fashion and are looking for some inspiration, her blog and social media accounts are definitely worth checking out.

Ava Hariri-Kia models for the Next fashion agency. Born in New York City, she has been involved in the fashion world on every level. As a student at the University of St Andrews, she organized their prestigious Don’t Walk fashion show. She is also a very talented designer.

In her modeling career, she has walked the runway for the famous underwear brand Parade. To top it all off, she landed an editorial in the 2023 summer edition of i-D magazine. We can’t wait to see what Ava does next!

Georgia Pratt Holiber is a plus-size supermodel from Auckland, New Zealand. She has achieved so much in her career that it is hard to boil her down to just a few accomplishments. Arguably, her most impressive gig was her feature in Vogue Italia.

In addition, she has walked the runway for some of the biggest names in the industry, including Christian Siriano. Holiber even created her own brand of clothing, Hilda Ereaut.

Ajok Daing has to be one of the biggest names in fashion at the moment. With her stunning features and curves, she has captured the hearts of brands all over the world. Recently, she has done a few runway gigs for Chanel, Nina Ricci, and Max Mara.

She also has a Vogue France cover under her belt, which very few plus-size models have accomplished. The future is bright for this Italian model, as major fashion brands cannot get enough of her.

Jocelyn Corona models for three of the most established fashion agencies: Milk, Muse, and Mad. Born in Mexico, she has succeeded on both the runway and paper. She has been featured on the runway for Christian Siriano and Peter Do.

More so, she recently took part in a Fenty Beauty campaign, working closely with none other than Rihanna. She continues to impress in the fashion world, and we do not doubt that she will go on to achieve even more amazing things.

Leslie Sidora models for Ford, Milk, and Natural. Born in Paris, France, she was destined for success from a young age, showcasing a unique talent for strutting the runway. She has graced some of the most iconic magazine covers in the world, including Elle and Harper’s Bazaar.

However, her most memorable and impressive campaign had to be her stint for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty fashion show. She was arguably one of the most eye-catching models at the time.

Brielle Anyea has become somewhat of a household name in fashion and modeling. Her first major gig was posing for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Search Finalist edition.

Since then, she has become an influencer, a world-class model, and a body-positive activist. Her message is that you don’t have to be super-skinny to be beautiful. She has created diversity in the fashion world, making her a popular choice for most brands.

Iskra Lawrence is a woman of many talents, working as a model, entrepreneur, and influencer. She is most famous for sharing unedited photos of herself, essentially calling out companies for airbrushing models to make them appear ‘perfect.’ Iskra delivered her first child in 2020 and has since focused her career on body positivity and self-love.

She focuses her campaigns mainly on millennials, as she claims they are the most affected by unrealistic body standards. Iskra Lawrence is a heroine to many in the body positivity community.

Kate Wasley is more of an influencer than a model. However, she continues to inspire hundreds of thousands of people around the world with her powerful message of self-love and body acceptance. She also forms one-half of the increasingly popular Any Body social media account.

Any Body essentially posts bold photos of natural women without any sort of Photoshop. The account has gained popularity for the unique and stylish looks that Wasley creates. It’s safe to say that she is incredibly passionate and a woman of many talents.

Elsesser is a plus-size model who has been in action since 2010. Born in Los Angeles, the talented model attended university before discovering her true love for fashion and modeling. In 2013, she gained fame on social media after being discovered by Pat McGrath, arguably the best makeup artist in the world.

She has gone on to walk hundreds of runways and be featured in some of the world’s biggest and most iconic magazines. We aren’t sure what is next for the plus-size beauty, but we are sure it will be great.

Precious Lee has become one of the most sought-after models in recent years thanks to her unique style and incredible talent for walking the runway. She has appeared in shows for Versace and Michael Kors, two of the biggest names in the fashion industry.

She was a significant part of the New York Fashion Week, where she walked the runway for Prabal Gurung and Moschino. Precious has also become increasingly popular amongst younger audiences, which shows just how much of an impact she has had.

Tia Duffy is an Irish plus-size model who has become a household name in the industry. Some would say she ruled the world of plus-size fashion for some time. After struggling to find work modeling in Ireland, she moved to New York City. There, she blossomed as a model, finding work with some of the biggest and most iconic brands.

She is also a social media star with hundreds of thousands of followers. It’s incredibly inspiring that she didn’t give up after modeling agencies in her home country told her ‘no’!

Lauren Chan is yet another fashion icon with many talents. She is a Canadian model, editor, and entrepreneur. After graduating from university, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in fashion. It’s safe to say that her mission was successful.

In 2019, she was even named Chatelaine’s magazine’s Women of the Year. More recently, the Manhattan Borough president honored her for her efforts on size inclusion in the fashion industry.

Sonny Turner is a 20-year-old British model and influencer. She has achieved so much in her short career and has a bright future. She has made waves in the fashion industry, mainly through her impressive social media account. Various brands and companies constantly approach her to promote their products.

On top of this, she has modeled for multiple Aerie campaigns. It’s safe to say that the sky’s the limit for this English star, as she has so much time ahead of her to perfect her craft even more.

Louise Boyce may be one of the oldest models on our list, but she is also one of the most iconic. Many brands see her as the embodiment of longevity and lasting sustainable beauty. She’s achieved so much in her career while maintaining her impeccable style.

She started modeling at the age of 14. She has walked the runway for many major brands, earning herself a spot amongst plus-size modeling royalty. In addition, she is a fashion icon herself, known for her unique and clean-cut style.

Nyome Nicholas-Williams is yet another plus-size model who has sent shockwaves through the fashion industry in recent years. For starters, she almost single-handedly caused Instagram to alter its nudity policy. She also started a campaign called ‘#iwanttoseenyome’ after one of her photos was taken down by the social media platform.

Nyome is more of an influencer than an actual model, but her impact on the fashion industry should not be underestimated. She is known for posting colorful, artistic photos that showcase her unique fashion sense.

Felicity Hayward is another influencer model known for her innovative beauty standards and ideas. She has broken barriers in the fashion industry after being initially scouted by a photographer named Miles Aldridge.

Since then, she has become one of Britain’s most popular and influential plus-size models. She has also collaborated with some of the world’s biggest and most iconic brands.

Hunter McGrady is a plus-size model who was discovered in 2017 during the SI Swimsuit Model Search. She made her modeling debut in a 2018 project entitled ‘In Her Own Words.’ This project was incredibly successful, earning her the attention of some of the industry’s most iconic brands.

Since then, she has achieved a lot in the world of plus-size modeling — and modeling, in general. However, she stands out as a figure of inspiration, constantly breaking traditional beauty standards and creating unique fashion lines for curvy women.

Nadia Abdoulhosn is one of the youngest models on our list. However, she has still achieved so much in fashion and body positivity. Aboulhosn is a Lebanese-American model who continues to teach young girls worldwide that our natural bodies are beautiful.

She has dreamed of working in the fashion industry since she was a young girl, and it is safe to say that she has achieved her dreams. She constantly takes risks and pushes the boundaries of mainstream beauty standards, earning her a spot on our list of most influential plus-size models.

Gaby Fresh has become one of the most recognizable faces in the plus-size modeling community. She is a body positivity activist and has earned quite the following for her bold and unapologetic fashion choices.

Gaby has recently launched her own clothing line, including a swimsuit range for all body types. Her designs can be found in some of the biggest shops in the world, including Target, Forever 21, and Lane Bryant.

Olivia Campbell is known for being incredibly self-assured. Born in the UK, she is a curvy, plus-size model who likes doing things her way. More so, she is highly active on social media, taking us with her on day-to-day activities.

She has a unique fashion sense and looks fantastic on camera, making her an incredibly talented Instagram model. She has been linked to some of the biggest fashion agencies, including MSA, Bridge Curve, and DE Curve.

Based in Dublin, Ireland, Louise O’Reilly is an award-winning plus-size model who has made waves for her unique style and incredible modeling ability. She has signed with agencies worldwide, such as London, Germany, Milan, and South Africa.

In addition, she created her own platform for showcasing diversity called StyleMe Curvy. Here, she displays various looks on a variety of body types, showing that you don’t have to be super-skinny to look fabulous! O’Reilly is a pioneer of the body positivity movement, inspiring people around the world every single day.

Philomena Kwao is an example of what can happen when you aren’t afraid to break barriers and be true to yourself. She has been groundbreaking since entering the modeling world, specifically for plus-size models.

She has worked alongside top designers, including Nordstrom, Lane Bryant, and Evans. Her career is only getting started, with many opportunities and possibilities on the horizon. It seems as though every brand wants a piece of what Kwao has to offer.

Candice Huffine’s rise in the plus-size modeling world has been drastic. She grew up in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., and has starred in some of the biggest fashion shows. Candice has been featured in several A-list publications, including CR Fashion Book, W Magazine, and Glamour. To top it all off, she was the cover star of an Italian Vogue issue, a feat that very few plus-size models have ever achieved.

This year, she collaborated with Lane Bryant on their #ImNoAngel campaign to challenge traditional beauty standards. The campaign’s tagline is ‘curvaceous bodies deserve equal representation,’ which fits her ideals perfectly! Famed photographer Steven Miesel even included her as a ‘Calendar Girl’ in his 2015 Pirelli Calendar.

La’tecia Thomas is an Australian plus-size model passionate about body positivity. She aims to inspire people worldwide through her social media accounts with her unapologetic style and ideals. She continues to promote the idea that you don’t have to be skinny or fit traditional beauty standards to feel beautiful.

In addition, she is a highly talented and successful makeup artist with over 200,000 followers on Instagram alone. In her short career, she has done so much for the body positivity community and is only getting started.

Robyn Lawley is an Australian model who rose to fame after appearing on the cover of various magazines and fashion catalogs. She has worked for some of the biggest names in the industry, including Elle and French Revue des Modes. In addition, she was the first Australian plus-size model to be featured on the cover of Vogue Australia.

However, she only gained mainstream popularity after winning the Cosmopolitan Fun Rising Star Award. Nowadays, she continues to inspire millions of people around the world with her naturally beautiful body.

Tara Lynn is a star in the plus-size community. Born and raised in Tacoma, USA, she was one of the first plus-size models to gain international popularity. At 28, she was chosen to appear on the cover of various international magazines, including Elle.

On top of this, she has walked the runway for some of the biggest brands in the business, such as H&M. While this brand is mainly known for younger girls with contemporary styles, they decided to show off their newest collection exclusively through Tara’s image!