Fais Montoya
Eric Scott Photography
The end of summer marks the start of New York Fashion Week, when top designers from around the world debut their collections on runways across New York City on September 6th.
In recent years, more designers have focused on inclusivity and diverse body types. According to studies such as Credence Research, more than 67% of women in the United States wear a size 14 or larger. The clothing market for plus-size women is said to be a $288 million industry, and this figure is expected to increase by $500 billion within the next decade.
During fashion weeks last September, 2023 designers made an effort to include plus-size and mid-size models. According to a report from Vogue Business, more plus-size and mid-size models attended fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. In fact, designers reportedly used size-conscious casting in over 230 shows and over 8,800 looks.
But Vogue Business reports that these numbers are declining, as some brands have made an effort to cater to a larger range of sizes, focusing primarily on models who are not plus-size or mid-size.
For Fais Montoya, a plus-size fashion content creator whose platform on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube reaches millions, the lack of representation is dire. “I’m excited to be a part of fashion weeks in 2024, but I can’t help but think that most of these designs won’t work for a body type like mine,” Montoya says. “All we want is to see ourselves on the runway or in stores, and history has shown that the chances of seeing a woman like me on the runway are close to zero.”
In 2016, while Montoya was in high school, Leslie Jones announced that she was struggling to find a designer to dress her for the premiere of the Ghostbusters reboot. “So crazy that I don’t have a designer to help me pick a dress for my movie premiere,” Jones wrote on Twitter at the time. The film and its premiere were important to Jones, as it was her first starring role in a high-profile movie.
Christian Siriano stepped forward and dressed her in a stunningly elegant cherry red off-the-shoulder dress with a sexy slit. “Just because we’re not sample size shouldn’t make it any less special to work with amazing people,” Siriano wrote on Twitter.
“When I saw that Christian Siriano came to Leslie Jones’ aid, I saw it as a public show of support,” Montoya says. “I’m a huge fan of his designs, and it’s mainly because of what he did for her.” Siriano’s stand gave Montoya something to aspire to. “It gave me hope that one day I could wear a dress that he made, and that other people would eventually do the same,” she says. “I felt so visible.”
Through her content, Montoya hopes to convey a timely message of change. She aims for a more inclusive world that gives plus-size women a platform to grow and gain representation. “There aren’t many plus-size people like me. [represented on the runway]”Sadly, this has been a reality ever since I first picked up a magazine,” Montoya says, “It’s a reality faced by millions of women around the world every day, most of whom feel that the fashion industry doesn’t understand them.”
Jeryl Brunner: Are there any designers out there who are keen to take a more inclusive path?
Fais Montoya: RTW has really taken the lead with plus-size clothing, some of which is really great. And the handful of high-end fashion designers who have shown on the runway in the last few years have been moving in the right direction. Christian Siriano saved the Joneses, and Prabal Gurung has always designed up to a size 22. But other high-end designers don’t seem to care much about the plus-size customer, even if they’re looking at us. I really want to help change that.
Brunner: You’ve said that you were particularly drawn to a quote from Henning founder Lauren Chang, who told The New York Times that “plus-size women have never been told it’s okay to just be plus-size and invest in who they are.” Why did her words resonate so deeply with you?
Montoya: I’m so grateful for the designers who see us, especially those who ask me to wear their clothes. I love being able to share beautiful pieces that inspire confident women of my shape. I love that they design with plus-size girls in mind, and that means the most to my supporters.
I post authentic content that my supporters can relate to. I call them supporters, not followers, because they support me and my journey as much as I support theirs. My content is about people being happy with their body. No matter what. Through my own journey, I am speaking out that plus-size women deserve a place in this world too. The bigger our army, the bigger the change. I want us to be inspired to be ourselves, regardless of our body type.
Brunner: How will you celebrate fashion week this year?
Montoya: I’m going to celebrate designers who give space to plus-size women and design for women like me. You’ll see their clothes on my plus-size body at New York Fashion Week. I know change will take time, so even if I’m just one of the few plus-size women in the room, I hope our presence inspires other designers.
