Concerns raised as 'extremely thin' models return to fashion catwalks

Fashion insiders have expressed concerns that progress made towards size inclusivity in the industry is being curtailed.

- Chloe Mac Donnell

Vogue Business released its spring/summer 2025 size inclusivity report on Tuesday and said: "We are facing a worrying return to using extremely thin models" with “a plateau in size inclusivity efforts across New York, London, Milan and Paris”.

Of the 8,763 looks presented across 208 shows in the womenswear collections this month, 94.9% were shown on straight-size models who measured between UK4 and UK8. Only 0.8% of models were plus-size, also known as curve (UK18+) and 4.3% were mid-size (UK10-16). In Milan, 98% of looks were shown on straight-size models, and Vogue Business said some mid-size figures were skewed by co-ed brands that featured menswear modelled by muscular men.

"It feels like we've taken 10 steps backwards," said Anna Shillinglaw, the founder of the model agency Milk Management.