Vogue Business Spring/Summer 2027 Size Inclusivity Report

Only a few well‑known labels showcased mid‑size or plus‑size models this season, with Alexander McQueen, Salvatore Ferragamo and Miu Miu among the exceptions. These moments of inclusion were not entirely new; major houses have occasionally featured larger bodies in recent years, but such instances have never become the norm.

The Spring/Summer 2027 calendar starkly illustrates how far the industry has slipped since the Fall/Winter 2023 season, when Vogue Business first began monitoring runway size diversity. After modest gains between FW23 and SS25, overall curve representation has either stalled or fallen back, hovering between two and three percent each season.

The timing is notable. Conversation around GLP‑1 medications, now widely available in pill and injection form, has intensified, and some fashion editorials and runway shows have reverted to the ultra‑thin silhouettes and “heroin chic” looks popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. Simultaneously, trends toward self‑optimization and a growing conservatism are pushing the runway further away from body diversity. Even where larger bodies receive cultural celebration, it often occurs alongside problematic narratives such as the protein‑obsessed diet craze and extreme “looksmaxxing” practices.

For SS27 the data show a modest 0.2 percent rise in mid‑ and plus‑size representation compared with the previous season—a faint sign of progress within an otherwise bleak picture. Out of 9,283 looks across 219 shows and presentations, 97.5 percent were straight‑size (US 0‑4), 2 percent were mid‑size (US 6‑12) and 0.5 percent were plus‑size (US 14 +). This marks a slight improvement over FW26, when straight‑size looks made up 97.6 percent, mid‑size 2.1 percent (a figure that has stayed roughly flat for four seasons) and plus‑size 0.3 percent. In two years total curve representation has dropped from 5.1 percent in FW25 to 2.5 percent in SS27.

Vogue Business examined every runway show and presentation listed on Vogue Runway and the official New York, London, Milan and Paris schedules, calculating the share of straight, mid and plus‑size looks. Brands were contacted to confirm the data; those that did not respond were assigned the initial findings. Sizing categories were based on typical sample sizes for straight sizing and on established definitions of mid and plus sizes.

In New York, plus‑size looks rose to 0.9 percent from 0.4 percent the season before, mid‑size looks increased to 2.6 percent from 1.9 percent, while straight‑size looks fell to 96.5 percent from 97.7 percent. Seven of the ten most size‑inclusive New York shows featured plus‑size models, up from two the previous season. Bloomingdale’s fashion director David Thielebeule praised the broader age range on the runway but lamented the limited variety of body shapes. “In a season when designers across all four fashion capitals made such a convincing case for real clothes over pure fantasy, it seems rather extraordinary that we’re still presenting such a limited idea of the women who might wear them,” he said. “After all, what’s the point of making clothes women want to buy if so many women can’t see themselves in them?”

Some designers have spoken openly about the scarcity of curve representation. Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen, whose New York show ranked fourth for size inclusivity, warned that the surge in ultra‑thin ideals is “dangerous and disappointing” and reflected a broader shift toward global conservatism that influences fashion and beauty standards.

London emerged as the most size‑inclusive city, though numbers fell slightly: plus‑size looks dropped to 0.5 percent from 0.8 percent, mid‑size looks fell to 3.6 percent from 6.5 percent, while straight‑size looks rose to 95.9 percent from 92.7 percent. The absence of Karoline Vitto, who had boosted curve representation in London last season, was noticeable, as was the lack of runway appearances by long‑time advocate Sinéad O’Dwyer since FW25. Chopova Lowena’s show, however, lifted the city’s statistics, with 37.8 percent of its looks classified as mid‑size. Casting director Saffron McLeod explained that the casting emphasized personality and alignment with the brand’s rebellious identity, featuring two 64‑year‑old identical twins alongside a mix of punk‑inspired straight‑size and mid‑size models. McLeod noted that while the season saw progress in age diversity, size inclusivity remained stagnant, describing a pattern where genuine advances are often followed by periods of stagnation. She added, “The industry can position itself as progressive and countercultural, challenging gender norms, embracing unconventional beauty, and casting people from marginalized communities while still overwhelmingly relying on very thin models. There’s a contradiction there.”

Paris, which lagged behind in mid‑ and plus‑size representation last season, showed modest gains this time. Across all Paris runway shows, plus‑size looks rose to 0.5 percent from 0.1 percent the previous season. (The remainder of the Paris data continues in the full report.)